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Social Media Vacations, Accounting Software, & More

Kellye Crane — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:15:28 +0000

During the December 14 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed social media during the holidays, accounting software, & organizing new business leads. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:

1. How much “social media” presence will you have during the holidays (btwn Christmas & New Yr). Same as always or taking break? #solopr

2. What do you use for accounting software? Looking to switch at year end — Pros/cons? #solopr

3. How do you organize biz cards/new biz leads? organize leads, business cards, etc.? Programs used? #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.

Looking to start 2012 off right? Join us on the Solo PR PRO Premium Member Site! Just $14/mo ($120 a year) for a limited time.

News Wire Services, Controlling Clients, & More

Kellye Crane — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:15:00 +0000

During the December 7 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed news wire services, controlling clients, and slower work periods. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:

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 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!

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.

Looking to start 2012 off right? Join us on the Solo PR PRO Premium Member Site! Just $14/mo ($120 a year) for a limited time.

Bookmarking Tools, References, & Holiday Greetings

Kellye Crane — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:00:21 +0000

During the November 30 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed online bookmarking tools, client references, & sending holiday greetings. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:

1. What tool, if any, do you use for online bookmarking/sharing? #solopr

2. If low-profile prospect asks for references from your high profile clients, & you don’t want to share contact info, what to do? #solopr

3. Will you send a snail mail, ecard, enewsletter or other holiday greeting? #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!

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.

Get In Early On Our New Solo PR PRO Member Site!

Kellye Crane — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:46:39 +0000

It’s hard to believe, but this blog – and the truly amazing community that’s sprung from it – is now three years old. Let me take a moment to pause and thank you all for your support and participation, as I look forward to many years to come

In that time, there have been some opportunities missed because of the public nature of our various channels. Many of you have also stated this – there are things you’d prefer not to send out to the whole world, but you’d be happy to exchange this information with others in our community.

To meet these needs, we’re happy to unveil the premium Solo PR PRO membership site, now in public beta (at special beta pricing). Specifically for us, this premium PRO content offers road-tested deliverables and downloads, a members-only Forum, a special upcoming Show Me the Money! series on setting rates, and much more.

Why do we need a PRO membership site? I did a quick video to explain the reasoning, and some of the benefits:

If you can’t view this video, watch it on YouTube.

Though some of the Solo PR PRO membership site features won’t be available until after the first of the year, we wanted to go ahead and share this beta content with you at a low initial rate (locked in for life for those who sign-up early), which will increase slowly over time for new subscribers as more content is added. That way, you can start putting the current content to use as you plan for 2012 (never too early to start!).

What does it cost?
As indie consultants, price is always a key consideration – as it should be. Though we’ve seen membership sites that cost $50 a month or more (and they have generic content that often doesn’t apply to indie consultants like us), we’re doing our best to keep costs low so everyone can participate.

The deal: While we’re still in beta for the next few weeks, you can join for just $14 a month, and be a Charter member! The cool part is: you’ll lock in this monthly rate for as long as you maintain your PRO membership (but, at the risk of sounding like an infomercial, you can cancel any time). We’re also offering a money-saving Annual Subscription for just $120 for the year. In addition to the price break, the Annual Subscription offers the tax benefits of purchasing now for the year ahead.

For more details of all the offerings and to sign-up, just visit: Become a PRO Member.

We’re excited to offer something that can help you be more efficient, effective, and profitable in your business, and we fully expect that this content (especially the fee-setting info) will help many PRO members increase their profits by thousands of dollars in 2012. That’s the mission that will drive everything around this effort.

If you have any questions, just let us know in the comments. Hope you can join us!

Blogger Outreach, Klout Scores, & More

Kellye Crane — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:15:06 +0000

During the September 21 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros shared insight on blogger outreach programs, Klout scores, the Netflix saga, & more. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:

1. When you build a blogger outreach program and compile lots of info (Alexa Rank, Page Rank, etc.) how much do you share w/client? #solopr

2. Can Klout scores be a way to help clients show competency/authority? #solopr

3. Have you been following the Netflix saga? How would you have advised a company to behave differently? #solopr

4. What should a company that wants to break apart its business do from a PR/branding perspective? #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!

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.

Burn Out, Interns, Events, & More

Kellye Crane — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:15:07 +0000

During the August 10 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed client advice, feeling burned out, hiring an intern, and more. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:

1. Would you ever advise a client to blog negatively about a person or competitor? #solopr

2. I’m bored with my current work and feeling burned out. How do I get the mojo back? #solopr

3. I’m interested in working with an intern. Is it too late to get one for the fall? Things I should know? #solopr

4. Has anyone used MyMediaInfo? Thoughts? Any other similar svc you’d recommend? #solopr

5. What events are you doing to this fall? How do you choose? #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!

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.

Blacklisting, Dropbox, & More

Kellye Crane — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:15:44 +0000

During the July 6 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed media blacklisting, internal vs. external PR, social media & PR for new brands, & Dropbox’s recent change in terms of service. The following questions helped guide the conversation:

1. Post by @vanessacamones said “Say No to Silicon Valley’s Bully” http://ow.ly/5y1Xv re: M. Arrington- thoughts re: blacklisting? #solopr

2. Do you think that PR and social media generated internally are most often more successful than external contractors? #solopr

3. What’s the best thing a young brand can do when starting a new regimen involving traditional PR and social media? #solopr

4. Dropbox changed their terms of service, giving them sweeping rights to access your docs (h/t @cloudspark) http://blog.dropbox.com/?p=846 They also have had security issues. If you use, have you changed? Other tools to rec? #solopr

Be sure to check out the transcript in PDF for the full discussion. Note that our previous transcript service is down, so this week’s transcript is in reverse chronological order. We’re working to find an easier to read format.

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

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.

Subcontractors, PR Competitions, & More

Kellye Crane — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:00:10 +0000

During the June 29 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros shared insight on finding subcontractors, entering PR competitions, & using group auto-sharing tools. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:

1. Have you used eLance or similar sites to find *subcontractors*? Success/fail? #solopr

2. What is the best way to enter PR competitions without revealing confidential information of your client? #solopr

3. Are you currently using a group-oriented auto-sharing tool for blog posts? Pros and cons? Do they have value for clients? #solopr

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

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.

Social Platforms, Tricky Client Situations, & More

Kellye Crane — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:15:56 +0000

During the June 22 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros discussed social platforms, tricky client situations, and innovative PR techniques. The following questions helped guide the conversation:

1. With the growing number of online/social platforms, how do you pick & choose your participation? #solopr

2. Some clients say one thing and mean another. How do you deal w/poor communicators? #solopr

3. If a prospective client wants you to something outside your expertise, how do you handle? #solopr

4. What are some of your favorite innovative PR/social media techniques you’ve seen lately? #solopr

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

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.

Media Relations, Dress Codes, & More

Kellye Crane — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:15:04 +0000

During the June 15 #solopr Twitter chat, independent PR pros shared insight on reporter etiquette, solo PR dress codes, and influencer identification tools. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:

1. Orig asked on the LI group- http://linkd.in/kArPXz -do you send a thank you email to reporters who cover your clients? #solopr

2. Do you “dress” for work (like @KarenSwim)? #solopr

3. Klout recently announced the integration of LinkedIn, and +1 (vote up-type function). What do you think? #solopr

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

Thanks to Jennifer Spivak for compiling this post.