Solo PR Pro | Successful Freelance PR Consulting » planning

Thinking Big Picture

Kellye Crane — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:08:37 +0000

During the #solopr Twitter chat this week, we addressed questions from the community that centered around looking at the big picture for your business. The topics included:

1) How do you know when it’s time to start hiring staff and turn your solo practice into an independent agency?

2) How can I demonstrate my value/sell myself as a PR consultant without giving away all my secrets?

3) Any tips for how to think and act like an entrepreneur?

To find out what top independent PR consultants had to say on these important issues, download the transcript in PDF. What would you add?

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!

When to Tap Your Network

Kellye Crane — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:30:57 +0000

One of the most important issues a PR consultant faces is how and when to bring in help as subcontractors. During this week’s #solopr Twitter chat, reasons to have a robust network of support came up in response to the following questions:

1) How do you handle vacation, maternity leave, sick days, etc.?

2) What do you do when you get TOO much work? Touchy subject given the economy?

3) Do most solos have their own logo?

4) Would you enjoy a Solo PR Pro Facebook page?

See the full chat transcript in PDF for key insights from top solo PR pros on how to handle these situations.

How have you handled issues related to your own downtime or workload? Any additional bits of advice you can share?

Time management, monitoring and more

Kellye Crane — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:13:28 +0000

This week’s #solopr Twitter chat was once again jam-packed with helpful tips. New and established PR consultants alike offered insights on the following topics:

When budgets are small, what methods do you use to track clips (both online and print)?
How do you “fire” a difficult client without being seen as responsible for the “challenges” of the situations they created?
How do you approach the “can I pick your brain for free” question?
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!

Business Insurance for PR Consultants

Kellye Crane — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:54:35 +0000

The January 6 #solopr Twitter chat kickedoff 2010 with a bang! Top PR consultants from around the country engaged in such a lively and informative discussion, the group addressed just two questions (with a wealth of info):

What kind of business insurance types and coverage do you have?
How are people tackling the new year? Planning? Seat of pants? Focuses?

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for an in-depth discussion on each of these topics. If you weren’t able to join us, what would you add? What kinds of business insurance do you have or need information about? And what approach are you taking to the new year?

Planning for 2010

Kellye Crane — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:37:08 +0000

This week’s #solopr chat on Twitter focused on year-end planning and getting ready for 2010. This is an important period in planning for your business and setting the stage for an even better 2010! As always, the Solo PR Pro community had some excellent tips to share on the following topics:

What are you doing for year-end tax planning for your business?
What do you do to get your books in order? What systems?
For those who use Excel, is there a standard template you use, or did you create it yourself?
If in the U.S., how did you decide on your business structure (LLC, Corp., etc.)?
Are you doing anything now to manage cash flow in 2010?

Be sure to check out the transcript online or here in PDF for the answers.

If you were unable to join us this week, how would you answer these questions? What was your favorite advice from the chat? Please let us know your own thoughts in the comments!

The #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern – is a weekly ritual for a host of savvy Solo PR Pros on Twitter.We’ll be on holiday break until January 6, 2010. Anyone with a Twitter account is welcome to participate – see Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!