I’ve had the opportunity to work on programming for a number of events lately, and while the vast majority of speakers are professional and gracious, there is a minority that tends to make the same mistakes. Conference planners usually work for more than one event and they talk to each other – you can easily find yourself blacklisted and not even know it.

There’s a lot of information out there about how to be a good speaker, but what are the behaviors to avoid so you can be sure you’ll get asked back?

Act like you’re doing the event a huge favor

Guess what? There are more people who want to speak at events than there are slots available. Unless you’re Oprah Winfrey, chances are you’re getting more out of the speaking opportunity than the organizer – keeping that in mind during your interactions will help you use the appropriate tone.

Cancel without finding your own replacement

Life happens and conflicts that can’t be helped come up – conference organizers understand this. But unless you have a last-minute family emergency, if you must back out of a commitment, find someone you can suggest to replace you. A note that just says “I’m sorry, it turns out I’m not going to be able to speak at your event” can mean many hours of unforeseen work for the program developers. That’s something they’re unlikely to forget.

Be a diva

If you’re speaking at an event, good organizers will make you feel appreciated. However, that doesn’t give you the right to be a prima donna and ask for only the red M&Ms. Chances are, you’re just one of many speakers at a given event (or who will appear before the group that year), so try to know your place. I’ve found that many keynote speakers have very laid-back and go-with-the-flow personalities – perhaps that’s one way they reached the keynoter ranks?

Treat your contact like a secretary

The people choosing speakers for an event are usually experienced, well-connected pros. Often, they’re the ones responsible for notifying those selected (and, depending on the kind of event, they can sometimes be volunteers). A good way to make sure event organizers remember you – in a bad way – is to pester them with inane questions.

Yes, you’d like to know how far it is from the airport to the hotel, but couldn’t you find that out yourself using Mapquest? Sending multiple emails requesting information that can be found on the website is a good way to get a reputation for being a nag.

Wait until the last minute to show

Unless you’re speaking at a huge event, chances are the conference organizers are looking for you the day of. They’ll want to briefly check-in with you on the setup of your room and A/V, and make sure you’re all set. Breezing in just minutes before your session is scheduled is a good way to give them a heart attack. Plan to arrive at least an hour ahead of time (more if you can) and if you’re traveling, make sure you take the inevitable travel delays into account (coming in the night before is best).

Give a sales pitch

Saved the best for last. Nothing will tick off conference attendees more than being forced to listen to a presentation that’s a thinly disguised sales pitch. And ticked off attendees translate into a conference organizer that will never forget how you let them down.

The best speakers don’t talk about themselves or their business at all during the presentation itself – they just include an information slide at the end (you’re showcasing your expertise and know-how throughout, which is the best way to attract new business). In years past, audiences would tolerate 2-3 slides at the beginning of a presentation about you and your business, but in today’s fast-paced world, even that is a good way to see everyone’s eyes glaze over (at best) or have attendees live tweeting your lameness (at worst).

What additional advice would you offer would-be conference speakers? Have you developed any best practices yourself?

I had a chance to interview Mack recently – the answer may surprise you!

What do you think about Mack’s recommendations for blogging alternatives? Have you implemented any of these?

1. Do you announce new clients?

2. Do you use HARO and/or Profnet? Have you ever had success with either?

3.  Do you think people are slower to follow on Twitter these days? Are people branching out less?

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. How would you answer these interesting questions?

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.

1. How often during the year do you work on the administration and branding of your business? Do you ever center a week or two on it?

2. What start up costs are required when going solo?

3. What’s the biggest investment you make in your business? What do you spend the most money on?

4. Are you a member of a national PR association (or another industry body)? Why or why not?

5. What do you do when a client doesn’t pay?

Download the transcript in PDF for insights on these key topics. What do you think — any points to 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 Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

1.  How do you follow up with potential clients without appearing too pushy?

2. Has anyone used Sizzle Reels, and what formats work best?

3. Any ideas for a first time #solopr to begin to generate clients?

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for insights and fun. What do you think — any points to 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 Join Us for the #solopr Chat on Twitter to find out how!

1. Do you have a business plan? What format, and how did you develop it?

2.  What do you think about NEWSBASIS (the PR/journo networking site)?

3.  Do you take rush jobs? Any guidelines or suggestions?

4.  Summer is hot, but we don’t get to be “lazy.” How do you stay motivated during these months?

Download the transcript in PDF to find out what the chat participants had to say. And don’t forget to add your two cents – let us know how you handle these situations 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!

1. Do you have recommendations for the best ways to track radio and TV PSAs?

2. How important is it for PR pros to promote their own (personal) image, i.e. w/personal blog, tweets etc?

3. For an upcoming article on PR Conversations, what do you get out of #solopr that you don’t get anywhere else (industry assoc., etc)?

4. Last week there was a side discussion re: business plans… Do you have one, how did you develop it?

Download the transcript in PDF to read the savvy insights from your fellow Solo PR Pros (note that due to technical difficulties with wthashtag.com, this week the transcript is in reverse chronological order, so start at the bottom to better follow the conversation).

Be sure to let us know what you think — share your two cents 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!

We’ve all been there: one day we look up, and we haven’t done our professional networking in a while. But if you haven’t spoken to a contact since the last millennium, what excuse can you use to reconnect?

Of course, if you have a great relationship with one of your former clients it’s easy to pick up the phone and chat. But when it comes to networking with the less well-known contacts, even the most extroverted PR professional can feel a little shy.

Fortunately, there’s usually no need for a hard sell – the key is to just maintain contact and say hello from time to time. You want to remind them of your existence, which will make them think of you first the next time a project comes up. Try one of the following “excuses” to reach out – it works!

1. Your contact details change – When you have a change of address, email or phone, it’s the best excuse in the world to reach out to your contacts. Avoid sending potential clients a blanket notice and instead use the opportunity to initiate a real conversation.

2. To say you’re available – Don’t shudder at this thought. A simple note letting contacts know you have availability can yield big results.

Sample wording: Thought I’d reach out and let you know that I have some availability right now. If you have any projects come up that might be a fit for me, please keep me in mind – I’d welcome the chance to work with you again.

3. Your contact got a promotion – If you hear through the grapevine (or see on LinkedIn) that someone you know received a promotion or a new job, send them your heartfelt congrats. You can also ask what they’ll be working on in their new role, but don’t say anything about working together (which will make your note self-serving) – this particular outreach is strictly to keep in touch.

4. Their company/department had news – Send a note of sincere congratulations when you see that your contact’s organization had an important news event – it will help them think of your services the next time they have a news event!

5. You begin offering a new service – It can be anything from social media to media training – as you work as a Solo PR Pro, you’ll continue to advance your skillset and offer new services. Make sure your contacts know about them.

Sample wording: I wanted to let you know I’m now handling X for many of my clients – let me know if you have any needs in this area where I could be of assistance.

6. Introduce yourself to someone who replaced your client contact – When someone new comes on board, make sure you email to say hello/welcome or you may get lost in the shuffle.

Also, don’t forget to follow-up with your existing contact wherever they land. This is a critical step in growing your business – like an amoeba, your one potential client has just become two.

7. Ask if they’re going to any upcoming events – If there’s a big conference or networking event coming up in your area that you’ll be attending, ask your local contacts if they’ll be there (or if they are going to any other upcoming events). This is an excuse to connect by email, and you could end up strengthening your connection in person.

8. They’re now on Twitter – If you’re on Twitter (and you should be) and you see a former colleague has joined, reach out and say hello. Twitter is the easiest social platform for this, because the person doesn’t have to “friend” or “accept your connection.” It’s a low key way to say hi to long-lost contacts.

9. Connect on LinkedIn – LinkedIn can actually be a great excuse to reach out to those you haven’t spoken to in a while. Just make sure your invitation to connect is customized to your relationship.

Sample wording: I’m updating my network and realized we aren’t connected here yet. I hope all is going well with X product and I’d love to hear more about what you’re doing. Let’s keep in touch.

10. They have a blog – If one of your potential clients has a blog, you are in luck! Be sure to read it regularly and try to comment at least once a month.

Next time you encounter the networking equivalent of stage fright, ask yourself: would I be annoyed if someone contacted me in the same way? It’s highly unlikely that you would be, so just do it.

What did I miss? Do you have any tried-and-true excuses for reconnecting?

1) Do you provide a client with a variable rate sheet, or just say “this is what I charge?”

2) How are other #solopr pros creatively using their Web sites for self promotion?

3) What do you do when you’ve become bored with a client?

4)  How do you resign a client?

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for interesting insights and discussion on these topics. What do you think — any points to add? Let us know your two cents 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!

1) Do you take credit cards or some sort of online payment vehicle?

2) Have you ever relocated your biz to another city/state? How did that work? Did you keep clients?

3) How do you justify retainers over $2k/mo, and/or how do you explain your hourly rate?

4) What are some of your biggest “lessons learned” (the hard way, or otherwise)?

One of my favorite quotes came from Kristie Aylett, aka @krisTK:

Lesson learned: more clients and more money do not equal more happiness or career satisfaction.

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for more insights on these important issues.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned as an independent PR pro? 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!