A lot of consultants (PR, social media, and others) come on strong to build a name for themselves, and then flame out. In some cases it may be because they can’t walk the talk, for others perhaps the intensity of their self-promotion can’t be sustained long-term. Those with staying power are less concerned about raising their profile, and more focused on building a reputation.

An excellent example of the difference is Kami Huyse (@kamichat on Twitter), who has written astutely on the dangers of concentrating on personal branding. Kami practices what she preaches, and her quality relationships and stellar reputation have led her to a recently announced position as COO of the exciting new venture, Zoetica.

At the PRSA International Conference, I grabbed Kami on her way to the airport and she shared some excellent insights on how Solo PR Pros can gain visibility in social media without crossing the line (apologies for the background noise at the beginning – it subsides).

(If you have trouble seeing the video, view it on YouTube)

Who are some of the people you admire online, and what have they done that attracted your attention?

While many of us (myself included) have yet to find our Twitter List mojo, many independent consultants are finding them very useful. Some of the top tips include:

• Twitter lists allow you to watch tweets from a given demographic (a client’s industry, for example) without having to follow each person
• By researching the Twitter lists of others, you can easily find large groups of tweeters relevant to a particular project to follow. As Kristie Aylett notes, use “Search or Find People to find one or two that fit the project. Then review the lists they’re on.”
• See what lists you’re on to get a feel for how you’re perceived by others on Twitter
• Third-party clients, like TweetDeck, are adding support for Twitter lists so you can see the Tweets on screen, alongside your established groups

Be sure to check out the full transcript (here in PDF) to learn more about how leading PR professionals are using Twitter lists (Q1). In addition, the transcript also includes helpful discussions on the following:

Q2: Has anyone used a podcast for PR strategies? If so, how?

Q3: Besides blogging, what types of self-promotion or thought leadership do you (as a solo pr) do?

Q4:What are you doing for holiday gifts for clients?

(Note that this transcript, via Twitter search, is in reverse chronological order.)

What do you think about the Twitter list tips, and what insights would you add? Do you have any experience with podcasts you’d like to share? Let us know your two cents on these and the other topics in the comments, and mark your calendars for the #solopr chat – held each Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern!