For example:
I love to sing — but no one ever accused me of being the next American Idol. I’m more of a sing-a-long at the pub after one too many-kind of singer. No use trying to pursue it any further than that – no one would pay me to sing, so I don’t focus my time on making that happen.

On the other hand, I’m pretty good at large-scale project management: corralling disperse people, companies and information to make a long-term program work or a big deliverable come together within deadlines. Over the years, a number of clients have paid me pretty well to do this activity, and I have the gray hairs to prove it. I’ve discovered that though this can be a lucrative business offering for me, I’d rather work with someone else to manage the truly enormous projects.

What does this mean for you?
These are just a couple of my own personal examples of knowing when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. It’s often a challenge to stay centered and not get pulled away from our areas of focus, but recognizing what to relentlessly pursue – and perhaps even more importantly, when to pass – is critical to avoiding burnout and thriving as a successful, profitable consultant.

If you haven’t lately, be brutally honest with yourself and take some time to think through where you should be focusing. Share your experiences and decisions with us in the comments!

In addition to the downloadable transcript in PDF, the following highlights some of the most popular tweets from the chat:

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that the transcript is in reverse chronological order.

If you weren’t able to join us this week, weigh in on the chat questions below!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

Along with many other industries, the practice of public relations is changing due to the rapid growth of email and social networking. As a whole, this change is good for those working in the PR field. Emailing allows a pro to work with multiple clients at once, it logs a record of all conversations so it’s easy to go back and double check any information, and it helps experts prioritize all of the work that needs to be done. You can email someone when it is convenient for you, and they can email you back when it is convenient for them. Social media is also great for the PR pro because it allows for the same type of convenience on a more personal level. You’re always connected to your clients through social media and can help promote your clients’ company through these popular channels.

However, this technology has distracted from the importance of face-to-face communication for many solo PR pros. I much prefer email because it’s faster and more convenient than setting up a meeting, yet this doesn’t mean that face-to-face meetings aren’t sometimes the best option.

There are certain situations where talking with a client face-to-face is necessary for success. Although many PR pros try to solve problems electronically, face-to-face interaction can add a lot to a conversation including facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. Consider some of the topics that warrant a face-to-face meeting for the best results:

1. Miscommunication – If you’re going back and forth with a client about a problem or an issue, and you simply can’t seem to understand each other, it’s time to call for a face to face meeting. Although these take a bit longer at the outset, they will help both parties solve the problem quicker and with less frustration overall.
2. Negotiation – Negotiation is supposed to be a back and forth. You don’t always want to give your clients time to talk themselves out of a potential new business arrangement, and email makes this easier. In addition, body language and eye contact can be important when negotiating, and this is lost with a phone call. Face-to-face meetings will help make sure that you can negotiate successfully, the way it was meant to be done.
3. Apologies – There is typically an idea that goes awry, or something that backfires, at one point in a PR pro’s career, and this often warrants an apology. A face-to-face apology shows that you’re willing to put yourself out there and do what you can to make things right. An email can sometimes seem cold and it can be hard to hear sincerity, so a face-to-face meeting will certainly make the apology more heartfelt.  
4. Celebrations – If you’ve been working with a client on a project that has concluded successfully, celebrations are in order. A thank you email will seem anti-climactic, and you want to make sure they know how much you appreciate working with them. Taking them out for lunch or after work drinks helps strengthen your human connection.

It’s up to the PR pro to decide when face-to-face communication is appropriate and when digital communication will do the trick. Although it’s often easier to sit behind a computer screen and interact, it’s important to remember face-to-face meetings can make a difference.

Amanda DiSilvestro writes on a wide range of topics for Business.com, the leading business directory that gives advice to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

During the March 21 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed working with international clients, PR for entrepreneurs, & how we can all be better bosses to ourselves.

In addition to the downloadable transcript in PDF, the following highlights some of the most popular tweets from the chat:

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that the transcript is in reverse chronological order.

If you weren’t able to join us this week, weigh in on the chat questions below!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

This post contributed by Heather Rast, Content and Community Specialist for Solo PR Pro.

In the corporate and agency worlds, there are resources to help career-minded professionals assess their financial place in the talent stream. I remember a rule of thumb I picked up somewhere along the way – the rule was, if you aren’t earning at least twice your age, then you aren’t getting paid enough.

J.O.B. Drones Know Where To Look

Now, I picked up that little jewel a long time ago. And it’s pretty general. Much more statistically reliable cues can be picked up from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industry and trade groups, professional organizations, talent and recruiting properties (Aquent, Monster, etc.), and some post-secondary schools (those which publish reports and studies covering the earning potential of individuals with varying degrees of experience and skills, often broken down by geography).

Indies May Be Less Certain About Pricing

Resources of these types are a little harder to come by for self-employed private practitioners. Even if you have a solid peer network and friends/acquaintances working in related fields, it can be difficult to determine what the market will bear due to concerns about personal privacy.

2012: Time To Get Your Financial Act Together

The topic of setting fees is such an important one that we’ve approached it from several different angles here on Solo PR Pro. And since 2012 is approaching in just a few short weeks, it seems like a good time to review what we’ve learned so that we can start the New Year off on solid footing.

Expenses. What Expenses?

When thinking about how to set consulting rates, a good place to start is with your expenses. Confused? Well, before you can reasonably determine how much you need (and want) to make, you need to first know the outgo you’ll have to cover just to be in position to do business.

So you say you already own a laptop and printer? Well, what would you do if your hard drive crashed tomorrow? To effectively work with multiple clients, cloud storage, back-up UPS, and even a secondary computer are all necessities. Are you prepared to repair, upgrade, or replace those hard systems? Don’t forget incenditals like printer ink, thumb drives, a supportive chair, a computer case…the list goes on. And oh yeah, you may even need a new supercharged Internet package. Consultant Jenny Schmidt has some valuable things to say about identifying expenses in this video with Kellye as she talks about setting indie fees.

Pricing Framework

One of the things you learn when you figure out the minimum expenses your business must cover is where you want to fall in the consideration spectrum with clients. Do you want to be the 99designs of the PR or communications world? Do you aspire to have a premium pricing model that ensures you work exclusively with a certain type of client base? There’s a lot of in-between to consider (especially if you don’t have a wad of savings stockpiled when you launch). Greg Brooks had some inspirational thoughts about pricing in his post discussing how to run a solo business instead of simply hold a low-paying job.

Fee Transparency

In one of our August Twitter chats, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of publishing your rates online. Our friend Mack Collier had recently posted pricing for select services on his website and shared his reasons for doing so. Other members of the chat offered their opinions for or against.

Making The Job Match The Price

Knowing your ideal billing rate is part of the financial budgeting equation. An often-overlooked factor is the product you deliver for that rate. Like Goldilocks’ search for the right bed, independent consultants have to offer just the right amount of product for the fee. Over deliver and you’ve lost revenue and diminished your profits (perhaps exponentially so, if another project opportunity arises while you’re wrapped up in the never-ending assignment). Under deliver and you risk your professional reputation, a dissatisfied client, and any opportunity for return business. Kellye has some good advice about managing scope creep.  It can be hard to discipline yourself and learn how to communicate boundaries to clients, but to build a sustainable business it’s a must.

Documentation: Your Friend

Finally, when you’re comfortable with your fee schedule and have defined service scope for the work you do, the next logical piece of the puzzle is to protect your interests by making things all legal-like. Jenny Schmidt and Kellye teamed up earlier this year to produce the eBook “Get It In Writing,” a great resource designed to identify responsibilities, expectations, and courses of action for both you and your clients.  Good consulting contracts can cost money, and poor contracts will most certainly cost you money (and time and aggravation).

As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when planning and growing your indie business. The Solo PR Pro community is here to help with great resources like those mentioned & linked to above.  If you’re ready to turn thoughts into action, consider joining the Solo PR PRO membership site for access to resources like our new Show Me The Money! eBook course, time management templates (so you can track time spent on multiple clients), and much more.

Image courtesy Alex Muse on Flickr.

1a. What news release/news wire services get your high ranking? Free or for a fee. What has worked for you? #solopr

1b. Do you ever get inbound media interest solely from an announcement over the wire these days? #solopr

2. How do you handle a client that thinks they can control the media’s coverage (the angle, or picking the shot, for example)? #solopr

3. Does your work slow down at any point in December? If so, when? #solopr

Be sure to check out thetranscript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that the transcript is in reverse chronological order.

If you weren’t able to join us this week, please let us know how you’d respond to the chat questions below!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.

This post was written by Heather Rast.

It’s that time of year again. The time where independent consultants think about this year’s work and how to move into the new year with sound footing.

Over the last three years, we’ve had several blog posts and Twitter chats related to reducing tax liabilities and managing expenses. Below are some highlights from the most-loved posts and the Solo PR Pro community.

Collecting on unpaid bills

Ensuring you’re paid for the work you do is a critical step to solo success. As you look to do this more effectively in 2012, a few top tips from our March 2010 #SoloPR Twitter chat on this topic include:

• Build collection term language into your contract
• Follow up repeat requests with notice that bringing in your attorney will be your next step to resolving the collection issue
• Screen new clients very carefully; request a deposit for services up front
• One accountant’s position: an LLC can write off tangibles, but not debts related to unpaid invoices for services

Tax and expense help

In a past post for for laid off workers, we shared these tips that apply to anyone:

• Be sure to track any and all expenses while performing work independently. Every parking stub, mile driven, and notebook purchased can help lower your tax liability.
• Be careful not to underestimate your taxes while solo. You’re now responsible for the full amount of FICA instead of half (when employed, your company paid the other half). This can be a rude wake-up call if you don’t set aside enough of your solo earnings for taxes when its received.
• Not sure how long you’ll stay solo, because it wasn’t part of your master plan? You can still earn income consulting if you operate under your own name and use a Schedule C when filing your taxes.

Passing along expenses to clients

During a recent #SoloPR chat, we discussed how to bill expenses to clients, and participants shared the following advice:

• Have a monthly “Administrative” line item for retainer clients that covers consulting-related expenses. Those expenses are built into the hourly fee charged project-based clients.
• Some advised that every expense is different. Some are direct billed, others split between clients, while still others are considered the cost of doing business (and accounted for within the rate).
• Consider passing expenses along as a clear, detailed line item on the invoice after pre-arranging in advance for the expense in the contract.

Accelerate Expenses

• Consider “accelerating your expenses” by buying things you know you’ll need (and can afford) now instead of early 2012. By doing so, you’ll enjoy the tax break of the expense now. Investments like desks, an ergonomic chair, a secondary computer, or new printer can be bought now so that the expense shows up on the 2011 ledger. If you pay for them in January 2012, chances are you’ll have incurred no interest on the credit card charge plus have received the tax break.

What are your favorite year-end strategies? Let us know in the comments!

This post is by Solo PR Pro Content and Community Specialist, Heather Rast.

Last week, Kellye celebrated her 16^th year as an independent PR practitioner. Her post, “Celebrating 16 Years And Counting,” called out three key lessons for those wishing to commit to a solo career path. I think her points are important to remember. Working for yourself isn’t for everyone. And even if consulting is a right fit for your personality and work style, it certainly doesn’t mean it’s easy or simple.

A year ago last week, my digital marketing company was born. While I recommend a lengthy planning and preparation period (pro tip: while gainfully employed) to help you become familiar with the myriad things you never had to think of before (well in advance of making the big leap), that wasn’t the case with me. “On the job training” took on new meaning as I tried to figure out how to build something while doing work to earn the revenue to fuel said something. It was tough. But thankfully, I had a lot of people in my corner. And more than one hero helped save my day.

1. Business contacts – former clients, co-workers, network connections, and supervisors. When I went out on my own I thought about all of the people I admired who were doing good work or undertaking interesting projects. I systematically worked my way down the list with a series of breakfasts, lunches, and stolen coffee breaks to probe their brains for business leads, suggestions for setting up my company framework, and venues for gaining exposure.
2. Relatives – my father-in-law once owned a successful industrial equipment business. Even though a few of his methods were outdated and our products vastly different , he helped me focus on ways to serve my customers. If there’s one thing about business that transcends technology, it’s how our users need to feel attended to.
3. Career coach – I’m not sure I buy into the notion of life coach and what-not, but I’ll attest to the value a good career advisor can provide. Fortunately, I’d worked with a fabulous one while with a former employer, so I already had a relationship and the confidence that she could help me step off the roller coaster I’d found myself on. Even if your budget is tight, I can’t understate the value of someone who can help you understand your strengths, how to use them to your advantage, and how to honestly look at your areas that need work.
4. My family – My husband and I are both pretty independent people and have always had separate pursuits as well as an appreciation for each others’ space. My kids have grown up watching me work at my computer while attending to other family tasks. Even though they’ve seen me work hard, long hours, that was nothing compared to this past year. I’m saddened by the little moments I know I’ve lost. But I’m eternally grateful this group of special people support what I’m doing.
5. Friends – I had more than a little help from my friends. A couple awarded me some work based on their first-hand knowledge of my capabilities. Virtual-born relationships were infinitely helpful, too, as a few of the friends I met via social media helped me uncover some top-notch opportunities to publish my writing.

To call this a Thanksgiving post might be a misnomer. The timing isn’t coincidental, of course. But for me, this holiday is symbolic of a much deeper appreciation of the people who gave their time and energy to guide me this past year. Without their generosity, compassion, and patience (I ask a lot of questions), I might have given up. I might have given in to the fear and self-doubt.

The fact that I didn’t says more about those people – and their collective wisdom – than me.

What blessings are you thankful for this year? Did you have heroes help get your business off the ground?

—-

This post contributed by Heather Rast, Content and Community Specialist for Solo PR Pro. Heather is Principal of Insights & Ingenuity, a Cedar Rapids digital marketingcompany. She develops brand identity and marketing communications plans for small businesses that distinguish them from the competition. Her content planning and online community-building work for larger organizations helps them better serve their consumers.

Are You A Highly Social Animal?

Do you love to hang out by the coffee machine at work and chat? People who receive energy from working in close proximity with others for extended periods of time may have difficulty adjusting to life with limited external stimulation. Sure, even solos use the phone, attend meetings, and jump into social media discussions. But those in-between spaces are when solos are most productive, and likely feel the most fulfilled. For solo-oriented pros, water cooler talk may be the source of more frustration than relief from afternoon tedium.

Does Networking Make You Cringe?

After the point above, this one may sound counterintuitive, but successful solo pros are capable of quickly, easily slipping into networking mode for new business or when a job calls for it. If in-person events make you want to hide in the bathroom while downing your double-fisted drinks, you may want to re-think hanging out your shingle. Networking is an absolute must for developing a client base and building a web of acquaintances in key positions.

Do You Prefer To Take Anothers’ Lead?

No judgements here – this world of ours requires all types of people to run it, from dreamers to planners to doers. Achieving success on your own means, by definition, that you’re comfortable setting goals, making recommendations, and defending decisions. The person on point is you.

Are You Looking For A Smooth Ride?

Think about the picturesque 9-to-5 gig where good people show up, do good work, and go home to their personal lives. Yeah, well, being solo can be the complete opposite of that.  If you don’t want to work crazy hours while juggling 9 bouncing balls and have your mind race at all hours (“Did I remember to send that conference report?”), then you may want to re-think going solo. Or have the budget for a virtual assistant, at least. There’s probably not a solo out there who doesn’t have days when he/she wished for a clock to punch.

Are You Financially Capable?

Nothing says “you’re on your own now ” like managing the books, paying vendors, and following-up on late receivables, and it also brings the practical necessity of positive cash flow into sharp relief. If you carry high balances on your credit cards, squeak by paycheck to paycheck, or have a spouse in a precarious job situation, you may want to resolve core issues before trying to venture out on your own.  Combined with a financial cushion in the bank, the ability to delay the instant gratification of impulse purchases is a key skill for the successfully self-employed.

If You’ve Got the Goods

The most successful solos are people whose work is talked about. They leave a trail of happy clients and co-workers behind them, and have done this for most of their careers. Long hours, clattering away at a keyboard, often fly by before we realize it’s time to close down  for the night.

If you answered no to the questions above, and want to be in charge of your own destiny, you can do it! Whether you start your business now or in the future, it’s never too early to start planning.

If you’re an indie consultant, what do you think are the key qualities we need to possess? Any potential pitfalls those considering consulting should keep in mind?

1. Is it better for a #solopr pro to be a generalist or a specialist?

2. Recently, a PR pro got caught using f-bomb, etc. re: blogger: http://bit.ly/ospMji Do these stories make us all look bad? #solopr

3. What place does image consulting have in PR world, or how closely does it relate to PR? #solopr

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that the transcript is in reverse chronological order.

If you weren’t able to join us this week, please let us know how you’d respond to the chat questions below!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for some of the most savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.