1. When budgets are small, what methods do you use to track clips (both online and print)?
2. How do you “fire” a difficult client without being seen as responsible for the “challenges” of the situations they created?
3. How do you approach the “can I pick your brain for free” question?
4. How do you organize your time? With social media and other disruptions, how do you block out your day?

As a follow-on to the first question, there’s a discussion on the Solo PR Pros LinkedIn Group listing all of the monitoring tools from the chat – join the group and add your favorites to the list!

And be sure to check out the entire Twitter chat transcript in pdf for sage advice addressing these issues of interest to all independent PR consultants.

Have you encountered any of the situations we addressed? For those unable to participate in the Twitter chat, what would you add to the discussion?

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 the Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter post to find out how!

During the discussion, there was a universal sentiment that subcontracting or outsourcing non-core services is important for long-term success as a PR consultant. Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for guidance on all of the topics this week:

1. How much of an SEO expert should we be, or is this best outsourced to the real experts?
2. How do #solopr manage subs? How do you handle billing for subwork?
3. Is there more to #solopr than media relations and writing?
4. Starting out, how many clients might equal part-time hours? (up to 25 hrs wk)

What are your experiences working with subcontractors? Let us know in the comments!

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!

There are a number of indications that the economy is slowly picking up. In addition to a minor uptick in spending, jobless claims have fallen to 17-month low and CNN reports that “more than half (54%) of companies that froze salaries in 2009 are planning a thaw over the next few months.”

These stats may be just a ray of light for job seekers, but they’re excellent news for solo PR pros. It’s a known fact that hiring lags a recovery. So, what happens to that resource-strapped director of marketing who just got the go-ahead for a pet PR project, but hasn’t been given the green light to re-hire for the positions left vacant by laid off employees? They hire a consultant to help with the workload.

The upswing for PR consulting is upon us. And with each down cycle of the economy, more people have positive experiences with consultants, which result in more opportunities long-term. 2010 is the year we show our worth – let’s go get ‘em!

Are you seeing any signs of the upswing? How are you making the most of the current environment?

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Photo credit:laurenatclemson

But lining up this kind of turnkey story becomes more challenging for independent PR consultants and boutiques. We all foster a network of fellow PR pros that we can tap into for media opportunities (or you should!), but what if you don’t know of anyone who fits a particular requirement, or you need additional resources quickly?

Pitch with Me is a new service designed to help public relations professionals connect with additional resources to generate more effective pitches. It’s the brainchild of Heather Whaling,  @prtini on Twitter (side note: we recently co-wrote the post 5 Tips to Keep in Mind When Going Solo for the PR Breakfast Club blog, in case you missed it). Heather told me why she chose to launch this service now, after just recently becoming a Solo PR Pro:

“I come from an agency background and was used to brainstorming with my co-workers about opportunities to package clients in pitches. Now that I’m out on my own, I don’t have as much access to those kinds of resources. That got me thinking about ways solo PR pros, small businesses and nonprofits could team up. I’m a big believer in collaboration. Working together, I think we can develop stronger pitches, which should lead to better results for our clients. At least, that’s what I hope to see happen with Pitch with Me!”

I took a look at the simple online tool (which operates similar to HARO, but filling a different need). You submit a request through the Pitch with Me Web site, along with your contact information, a general description of the media outlet, an overview of the pitch and the type of resource you’re looking for. It is then displayed publicly on the site, as well as via @pitchwithme on Twitter – an automated feed of submissions. (You may want to use a special email address for submissions, to avoid receiving spam on your main account from bots who might be trolling the Web looking for email accounts.)

To me, a wise aspect of Pitch with Me is the fact that you control the opportunity (and how much information is revealed) when you submit your request. We all know PR can be a competitive business, and there are bad guys out there who might try to “go around” you if they had all the information on your plans. The tool is setup so you can mitigate that risk by being highly specific about the resources you need, but vague about who and how you’re pitching. I also like that I can see who is making the request. If you find one of your Solo PR Pro buddies looking for help, you’ll likely jump at the chance to work with a trusted colleague.

This tool looks like it has potential to help independent PR consultants improve their efficiency, and perhaps their media relations results. What do you think?

Thanks to the expert moderating abilities of accomplished PR consultant Cherisse F Rivera, this week’s #solopr Twitter chat included tons of tips on the following topics:

1. How do you go about building your media lists within a solo’s budget?
2. Do you have a mentor? If you do, how did you approach or build relationship?
3. How often do you find yourself consulting on more than just PR and what does it tend to involve?
4. What are your key resources you use on a daily basis? Specifically online? Social Media?

The chats are held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern, and anyone with a Twitter account can join in! Welcome to all the new chatters who joined this week, and a special thanks to this session’s top contributors:

@cherissef

@LuAnnGlowacz

@robinskann

@ruthseeley

@BettyEllis

@rockstarjen

@Rachel_366

@MichaelWillett

@SarahDawley

@goldinpr

If you weren’t able to participate, be sure to checkout the transcript either in PDF or online. My favorite quote from the chat came from Sarah Dawley, who noted “I consider everyone who participates in these #solopr chats mentors. We’re sharing exp & knowledge with each other.” I couldn’t agree more!

How would you weigh in on these topics? Be sure to let us know your advice in the comments.