Freelance PR: It’s not for everyone

Over the past eight years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with an amazing and talented group of virtual (freelance) PR consultants. They aren’t full time employees, but rather PR pro’s that choose to work with me and my growing roster of clients, while continuing to support their own client needs.

What I’ve learned over time, is that working in a virtual environment is not for everyone. It takes a certain skill set and personality to make it work. So I’ve compiled a brief list of traits that (in my experience) I think PR folks should possess if they want a successful career as a freelance PR consultant. This list may also be helpful for those looking to bring someone on board to help balance their work load or grow their PR consulting practice.

• Independent Workers – Works very well in an independent setting. In other words, knows what needs to be done and will do whatever it takes to complete the task at hand – without being asked to do it.
• Self-motivated – Does not need a ‘boss’ to coach, guide or encourage them. These self-starters are go-getters who motivate themselves to get the job done.
• Passionate – These PR folks love what they do and wake up each and every day ready to hit the ground running. They embrace life and are driven by their own passion for a successful career.
• Proactive – Will not wait for media, analysts, clients or anyone else to call or email them back. They proactively reach out to the right people to get the job done, on time and within budget.
• Outgoing – Shyness is not an option for this set. Whether in a crowd or on a call, the outgoing PR consultant can easily engage in conversation or lead a discussion. They will gladly pick up the phone and call a member of the media that they don’t know, have never met or never spoken to.
• Excellent Communicators – Unfortunately, not all PR folks are good communicators. We may work in a communications role, but not all of us remember to keep the lines of communications open when it comes to interacting with colleagues, providing feedback or keeping others in the loop of important updates.
• Story Tellers – Can identify a strong story angle when they see it. While this is a trait that every PR person should have, it is even more important when working as an independent consultant.
• Deadline Driven – Can easily prioritize all tasks on hand. Since freelance PR consultants work on a few different client accounts at any one time, the ability to prioritize is key, especially when trying to meet deadlines across a diverse client base.
• Multi-taskers – Juggling program execution across several clients is a breeze. This includes multi-tasking and easily switching their mindset from one client to another at a moment’s notice.

Do you agree with my list? What have I missed? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Happy birthday to us!

It’s hard to believe, but eight years ago today Echo Communications was born. For those of you that don’t know the history, I’ll give you a quick run down…

After many years of  handling in-house PR for technology companies – namely Delrina, MGI Software and Delano – it was time to go out on my own.  I had just been laid off from my job at Delano along with the rest of the marketing team (the company was faced with a huge dose of reality after the dot.com bubble burst) and figured that no one would hire me in my pregnant state (I was about four months into my second pregnancy). That’s when I made the decision to accelerate my plan (by five years) to work as an independent PR consultant.

After a month of networking, there was no going back. And on July 23rd, 2001, Echo Communications (a play on my name, of course) was officially registered.

Before long, I signed up my first client for a writing contract, and was given the opportunity to work as a PR consultant for a network-based PR agency.  It was in this role, as a white-labeled PR consultant, that I formulated the model for my own consultancy:

• As a virtual agency, I wouldn’t have any overheads in my business(no employees, no offices, etc) and could therefore lower the cost of services provided to clients;
• Consultants on my team would have no less than 10 years of PR experience (it didn’t matter if it was in-house or at an agency);
• Flat rate billing would means no surprises for clients. Regardless of who on the team would be involved in an initiative, expertise would be guaranteed and the rate would not scale based on that expertise;
• We would establish budgets for our clients, not retainers. Rather than being billed a set amount each month, clients would only pay for actual time used;
• I would be involved in every client account.

Eight years later and I’m happy to report that I’ve never looked back. I love what I do and look forward to the challenges and opportunities that each day brings.

Of course, Echo Communications wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for the amazing clients we work with (current clients include Anyware Group, A. Farber & Partners, BlackBerry Partners Fund, Capital C, Descartes Systems Group, Farelogix, Iristel, Jazinga, Schenker of Canada, Wishabi, and Xenos Group) and the incredible team of virtual consultants who put their hearts and souls into the accounts they work on. I’m also extremely proud of the fact that all of our business (yip, every single client we’ve worked with over the years) has come to us through referral – perhaps a testament to the model we’ve embraced, the service we provide and the results we deliver.

Thanks to everyone for making the last eight years so memorable. Here’s wishing that the next eight years continue to provide each of us involved in Echo Communications with an opportunity to: achieve our goals; learn more; teach others; set new benchmarks for success; and work in an environment that is stimulating and rewarding both personally and professionally.

The Addicted iGeneration

If you’re anything like me, the idea of going off the grid during a vacation is more stressful than dealing with the day-to-day challenges we come across when in the office. Which is precisely why I don’t do it.

This week I’ve taken some time off with the family for a little R&R, and to nobody’s surprise I have my BlackBerry, iPhone 3GS (don’t ask why I have both a BB and iPhone – that’s a topic for another day) and ultra-portable notebook computer with me. 

Given that I run my own business, people generally understand that staying connected means I can stay sane while away from the office. But what surprised me more than anything, is just how connected my kids also need to be. 

In taking some time to explore the resort we are staying it, I realized that my Generation Z kids actually belong to a new class – the addicted generation. At home they each have a computer, watch more TV than I would like, and love playing games on their Nintendo DS or Wii. While on vacation, if it’s not the DS or iPhone that’s grabbed their attention, it’s the TV or ‘net access on my hubby’s Acer Netbook (yep, he brought his with him too!).

Within minutes of leaving their connected world for a walk in the park (literally!), my kids appeared grumpy, agitated and full of anxiety. Why? They didn’t have something digital in their hands or a screen in front of their eyes to distract them from the real world. While my kids aren’t willing to admit it, I see these symptoms as signs of addiction – a net addiction.

More than anything, today was an eye-opener for me. A reminder that the ever-present opportunity to connect isn’t a good one. Our kids are less active than they’ve ever been and our society is more overweight than ever before. Is this the destiny for today’s addicted iGeneration? I certainly hope not.

As a parent, I’m going to do what I can to ensure my kids embrace the real world. I’d love to hear your tips, tricks and thoughts on the topic.

#journchat LIVE

Yesterday I wrote about two suggestions I put forward for improving #journchat. Today, I’m very happy to report that @PRSarahEvans (who initiated #journchat) has taken one of the ideas a step further and is leading the charge for simultaneous #journchat tweetups in key city centres in the US (and of course Canada).

On Monday, August 17, 2009 from 7:30 – 10:00pm ET (6:30 – 9:00pm CT), the usual Monday night discussion will be replaced by #journchat LIVE.

Following is a snapshot of the #journchat LIVE concept from a Facebook message that Sarah Evans sent out last night:

So I’ve decided to throw my hat into the ring and help champion #journchat LIVE in Toronto. With your help and input, we can come up with the perfect location and ensure the night is a success.

If you are interested in attending #journchat LIVE, please let me know and also provide some suggestions for locations that you think could work. Thanks and looking forward to meeting you there!

#Journchat Tweetup in T.O.

During #journchat on Monday night, @PRSarahEvans (a.k.a. @journchat) asked whether those of us who were participating in the discussion felt that #journchat was valuable and if we had any suggestions to improve it. 

I had two ideas:

1. Each PR person should take it upon themselves to invite one journalist to join the discussion.
2. Organize local tweetups where we can connect in person with those folks we’ve been engaging with each week on #journchat. 

Why get journalists involved in the discussion?

I believe that #journchat provides a great venue for facilitating open discussions between people who are in PR and the various writers we are reaching out to on a daily basis.

When #journchat first started, there were probably a lot more mainstream media, bloggers and freelance journalists who participated in the weekly conversations. This made for very engaging discussions. But lately, the conversation seems to be more one-sided with us PR folks sharing ideas amongst ourselves with input from only a handful of journalists.

To address this issue and provide an open forum where PR people AND media can share ideas, talk about best practices, discuss the way the latest breaking news has been handled, etc. we very clearly need more journalists on board.

So before next Monday’s #journchat discussion, which takes place from 8 – 10pm ET (7 – 9 CT), pick one journalist, blogger, freelance writer, editor, reporter, etc and personally invite them to the discussion.

Why a Tweetup?

At events such as MESH and Third Tuesday, I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many people in person, after first engaging with them on Twitter. Local #journchat Tweetups will provide us with an opportunity to meet F2F with people that we’ve already been connecting with online. We can socialize, get to know each other, and share in casual conversation that may spark more meaningful conversations on #journchat.

I believe that by personalizing #journchat a little through these local meetups, the conversation will be more stimulating (it usually is when engaging with someone you know or have met in person). Heck, we may even have an opportunity to band together and come up with ideas as to how to fix the sad state of PR’s reputation.

Toronto Tweetup

To get the ball rolling for a Toronto tweetup, a few folks have already expressed some interest. This includes @MartinWaxman @MollyBlock and @katjaib. There are quite a few other folks that have also participated in #journchat at one point or another and may also be interested. The following people come to mind: @EdenSpodek  @CMM_PR and @DannyBrown (who wrote a blog post at the end of May about his thoughts on #journchat).

All we need to do now is let other people know about our plans and find a time that works for the majority. 

If you are interested in participating in a Toronto #journchat tweetup, please leave a comment on this post with details as to when you are generally available in July and August. Based on the majority of responses, we can figure out a good time, date and place to meet. Seems easy enough to me, but only you can help make this happen.

If you are not in Toronto, and interested in organizing your own local #journchat Tweetup, please let Sarah Evans know via email: prsarahevans [at] gmail [dot] com.

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UPDATE (July 11, 2009)

1) Check this out for details on #journchat LIVE

2) @MollyBlock who lives in Houston, TX is heading up to Toronto from July 20 – 24. She has organized a tweetup for July 22nd with PR folks and other members of the twitterati who are interested in getting together. I’m going to be working remotely and can’t make it that night, but it looks like the evening is shaping up to be a fun one. Details can be seen here: http://bit.ly/TOtweetup.