This is a guest post from Jennifer Spivak, who is a Solo PR Pro Premium member and a digital marketing specialist. She is also a marketing instructor and curriculum architect at the Startup Institute and an adjunct professor at The City College of New York. Jennifer...
How to Handle Tax Time with Ease
Back in 1789, Benjamin Franklin astutely observed, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” This still rings true today, and nobody knows this with more certainty than someone running their own small business. With tax filing...
Navigating the Subcontractor Relationship
At some stage during your solo journey, you will likely face a situation where you’ll need to enlist the help of others either temporarily for a one-time project or on a more ongoing basis. Working with subcontractors can offer you the flexibility of forming a...
Charging What You’re Worth
Deciding how to correctly price a project or where to set your hourly rate can be a challenge for independent consultants. And charging what you’re truly worth can be a struggle for many. Sometimes consultants can fall into a rut of undervaluing their work and even...
How to Cold Call Effectively
For many consultants, cold calling evokes the image of a call center with endless rows of telemarketers, “dialing for dollars” on landline telephones. However, cold calling can be an effective business development technique for independent consultants. And gone are...
Spotting a Problem Client Before It’s Too Late
Overly challenging clients can be the bane of the existence of any consultant regardless of whether they’re relatively new to the solo life or a highly seasoned pro who’s been in business for decades. Difficult clients are not only unpleasant but can hinder your...
6 Ways To Refresh & Revamp Your Clients’ Facebook Advertising Campaigns
This is a guest post from Jennifer Spivak, who is a Solo PR Pro Premium member and a digital marketing specialist. She is also a marketing instructor and curriculum architect at the Startup Institute and an adjunct professor at The City College of New York. Jennifer...
How to Make Bylined Articles Work for You
The bylined article is a common marketing and communications tactic frequently used to distinguish someone as a thought leader in their field or a company as a credible media source for information and commentary regarding a specific industry. It offers a perfect...
Combined #SoloPR and #SMChat: The Role and Value of PR in 2016
This week, we will be joining forces once again with the savvy and insightful social media-focused #SMchat community for our regularly scheduled #solopr Twitter chat hour. Inspired by the recent AdAge article underscoring PR’s vital role in the marketing mix, we will...
Suspending Activities In the Wake of a Tragedy
A devastating tragedy can happen without warning, and have a powerful local, national or even global impact. Your community may feel shock, fear and distress amplified by the 24 hour-news cycle. In the immediate aftermath of a tragic event, such as a terrorist act,...
#SoloPR Topic Chat: The Future of Work
On the heels of the recent World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland – where the theme was the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ – we contemplate the implications of technological advancements on the workplace, and how this will transform the way we work in the...
Adele, Social Strategy and Brand Management Power
This is a guest post from Dan Farkas, a Solo PR Pro Premium member, who is an Instructor of Strategic Communication at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. He is also the founder of Dan Farkas Interactive, which specializes in social storytelling...
Karen Swim to Lead Solo PR Pro
Today, we’re happy to share news of a transition that has been underway for many weeks. Long-time Solo PR Pro Premium member and frequent collaborator Karen Swim, who has worked alongside founder Kellye Crane since the blog was launched in 2008, has taken ownership of...
Kick-Off 2016 With These Top Posts
Happy 2016! We’ve decked the halls and dropped the ball and now it’s time to get back to business. Many independent PR and communications professionals have set new business resolutions with plans to take their practice to new levels. For others, 2016 is the year they...
Give Your Business a Boost — Take a Break!
As solopreneurs, gritty determination and a steadfast dedication to our work are typically key factors in our success. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this nose-to-the-grindstone attitude can also be our downfall if left unchecked. This holiday season,...
How to Master the Client Lifecycle
Here at Solo PR Pro, we often hear from communications consultants who are confused about what to provide prospects and clients – and when. To address these questions and more, we've produced this ultimate guide to mastering the client lifecycle. The trajectory of the...
Thanksgiving – A Time to Reflect and Catch Up
The Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. tends to be a slow week, leading many hard-working Solo PR Pros to take advantage of the opportunity to get organized and catch-up on the stack of business reading we’ve been meaning to get to. Though we regularly preach the...
Creative New Business Development – Providing Value Through Research
An independent communications consultant’s work is never done when it comes to new business activity and generating new leads. And one of the main roots of business development is relationship building, which is formed through familiarity, reputation, credibility and...
How to Track Your Time – Strategies and Apps
For independent PR consultants, time is a precious commodity. And not just because we're busy - even for those who don't bill by the hour, effective time tracking has a direct impact on productivity and profitability. Whether you're working on a short-term project or...
How to Focus Your Mornings [Infographic]
With autumn now in full swing and the kids nicely settled into school, we can once again turn our attention back onto our own morning routines and daily work schedules. As solopreneurs, we can sometimes find ourselves in need of a productivity boost, particularly as...
Dasheroo Offers Powerful Analytics Dashboard—and Solo PR has a Discount!
Most communications consultants today are responsible for tracking a dizzying array of metrics—logging into Google Analytics, email marketing tools, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and more—often on a daily basis. How much time would you save if you could see...
Increase Your Credibility with High Impact Client Testimonials
The cliché about the cobbler’s children having no shoes is overused, but it’s too true — we all know having client testimonials is beneficial, but when was the last time you did anything about it? Asking a client to provide a testimonial or recommendation on LinkedIn...
Behind-the-Scenes PR Tour of Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort includes two theme parks: Universal Islands of Adventure® and Universal Studios Florida®. Dozens of incredibly lucky PR students got a behind-the-scenes look at both during the Florida PR Association conference. Solo PR PRO Premium member...
Navigate Through the Turns – Business Tips from a PR Business Maven
As independent communications consultants, we are both PR practitioners by profession and entrepreneurs by nature. Given these dual roles, it’s essential for us to know how to handle the challenges that come with launching a business, nurturing its growth and ensuring...
Top Takeaways – 2015 Solo PR FPRA Conference Recap
Fun in the sun, brain expanding educational sessions and the camaraderie of your fellow Solo PR members—all in the luxurious setting of a plush resort. What more could one have asked for? Hats off to another fantastic conference where the Solo PR community had an...