NOTE: Cision has notified us that on April 30, 2015, it will cease offering the Solo PR PRO discounted rate. Cision will continue to write one year contracts for Solo PR PRO Premium Annual members at the significantly discounted rate until that date. Members can view more information here.
Solo PR Pro annual members now have access to a major discount on full Cision subscriptions – giving you complete access to the product others are paying much more for, with no sharing required! To qualify for the Cision discount, you must:
- Be a Solo PR PRO Premium Annual Member
- Have no pending or existing Cision contract
- Be a Solo practitioner/Freelancer
- Be based in North America
Please read the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) before taking advantage of this deal:
Q: Is this a limited version of the Cision database?
A: This is not a limited time offer, nor is it a different or limited version of Cision. Discounts are available on:
- The CisionPoint Basic Package, which provides one named user full access to Cision’s North American Media Database of media contacts and outlets (with the ability to build and save lists, export results and run reports)
- The CisionPoint Solo Package, which provides one named user with access to the Basic Package benefits, along with complete access to all Editorial Calendars, Conferences and Trade Show Opportunities, as well as email distribution ( with 5,000 email distribution points).
- The International Media Data package, available as an add-on to subscribers of one of the two options above this package provides access to international media contacts and outlets in nearly 200 countries and territories outside of North America.
Q: Why is Cision offering this special deal to Solo PR PRO members?
A: Solo PR Pro is the premier resource for independent public relations professionals. Cision is supportive of our community, and recognizes that independent communications consultants are playing a growing role in the PR industry. Solo PR PRO membership provides an extra layer of assurance to prevent abuse, and we’ve also worked with them to streamline the pre-sales process for our members by providing everyone with Cision information (fact sheets, webinars, training materials, etc.) in advance – it’s a win-win.
Q: Do Solo PR Premium members share a subscription? Is it included in the price of membership?
A: No, our members do not share a Cision subscription, and the Cision service is not a free part of our membership offerings. What we offer is a significant discount on Cision (which costs many thousands of dollars a year), and it more than pays for the cost of membership in Solo PR Pro.
Q: How much is the discount? What is the price?
A: Cision has a policy of not stating any pricing information online, and unfortunately our agreement with Cision prevents us from sharing the amount of the discount publicly. We can tell you that we worked hard to arrange a discount that puts the service within reach of most Solo PR Pros. Feel free to check social media for discussions about the deal, or you can ask one of our members (if you're a practicing independent PR consultant, chances are you already have contacts among our hundreds of members!). Also, note that we offer a 30-day money back guarantee on membership, so you can try us risk-free, and monthly members have the ability to view the details of the offer and can choose to upgrade to an annual Solo PR PRO Premium membership at any time.
Q: Is Solo PR PRO receiving a portion of the sales of Cision subscriptions?
A: No. Kellye Crane has been on a personal crusade for years to make the process of purchasing media database services easier for her fellow indies, and this is the result. We at Solo PR PRO work to provide the tools, education, advocacy and community resources needed for communications consultants to succeed and grow – our goal is to deliver so much value, every independent contractor in PR and related fields will find it a no-brainer to join Solo PR PRO Premium. Offering an easy and affordable way for members to subscribe to Cision is just the latest significant benefit of joining our community.
Q: I’ve heard of sharing arrangements with other solos – why would I choose this offer instead?
A: From Cision’s official standpoint, those sharing arrangements are a violation of their terms and can be terminated at any time. Many of us have participated in these backroom deals, which require you to access the system only during certain times of day (so others in the group can access the single sign-on being shared) and strangers can see your client-confidential lists, notes and activities. In these groups, every year there’s the annual scramble to see if existing group members will choose to re-up (then beating the bushes to find replacement members), as well as the unknowns of renegotiating the price – not to mention the constant fear that your agreement can be revoked. You also typically have to worry about trusting someone you don’t know with your portion of the payment, and many more frustrating downsides.
Cision’s special offer for Solo PR PRO members eliminates all the hassle. You will be a legitimate subscriber, know exactly how much it’s going to cost, get full access to support, and the subscription is yours alone.
Q: Is it worth even the discounted price?
A: Researching media contacts yourself can take many hours – you’re often saving clients money by using a service like Cision. You can often bill the subscription fee on a monthly basis to your clients as a “Media Information Database” expense line item, if you choose to do so.
Q: I'd like a demo before I decide which Cision subscription I want to purchase. Should I contact them directly first?
A: Definitely not – please don't! This will put you in their non-discounted sales process, and some users report that they've been issued a draft contract before they realize one was coming (and as noted at the top of this page, once you have a pending contract you are no longer eligible for this offer). The good news is it's easy to get a demo through the Solo PR process – there's a simple checkbox on the request form for this.
Q: Can I pay for Cision monthly?
A: Cision subscriptions are annual and require payment up front. They do, however, take credit cards to ease the payment process.
Q: Why can’t a Solo PR PRO monthly member get this benefit?
A: This is to prevent abuse. Cision is extending this limited offer specifically for Solo PR Pros, and it’s important we thwart those who may try to take advantage to preserve this benefit for everyone in our community. A longer-term commitment prevents non-indies from joining for a month and immediately cancelling. However, monthly members do have the ability to view the details of the offer and can choose to upgrade to an annual Solo PR PRO Premium membership at any time.
Q: How long does it take to get access to Cision?
A: When you join Solo PR PRO Premium as an annual member, you'll be given access to the Cision sign-up form immediately. A representative from Cision will be in touch within two business days to provide you with a contract, which binds users to abide by their terms of service. Depending on the amount of back-and-forth between you and Cision to get the contract signed and execute payment, the process typically takes 48-72 hours.
Q: I need additional Cision products and services (e.g., monitoring) – can they be added to this subscription?
A: Yes. Mention this to your Cision rep when the contract is being prepared, and they can provide you with pricing information and other details.
Q: Can I sign up for this deal and then share it with other indies to split the cost?
A: No. This violates Cision’s terms of service, and you may lose access and forfeit your payment.
Q: I’m an existing Cision contract holder – can I get in on this deal?
A: Sorry, Cision is making this offer available to new account holders only.
Q: I’m currently piggybacking on someone else’s Cision subscription who’s sharing their login with me – can I get in on this deal?
A: Your arrangement with the Cision subscription account holder is between you and that person. But from Cision’s perspective, the sharing is against their terms of service. They would prefer that you subscribe legitimately via the Solo PR PRO special offer.
Q: I’m sold! What do I do to get this deal?
A: Join Solo PR PRO Premium as an annual member, and then visit the members-only Cision Special Offer page (if you're already a member you can access this page right now). New members will also receive this link in their welcome email.
Still have questions? Reach out to us using our Contact form. This Cision offer is just one of the many benefits of joining Solo PR PRO Premium – we'd love to welcome you as a member!
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