In today’s Monday Minute, I discuss how you need to listen to yourself when doing work for clients and building your business.
Blog Archives
Blog Series: Organizing and Balancing Your Work
As I start off this five-part series on the blog, it’s my hope that it can help you find ease as you look for ways to improve what you are already doing. Here we go!
Whether you are a solo professional or working in an office, organization and balance are two of the more important things. You may have one, but not the other.
I’m here to say, that it is possible. It doesn’t happen in a day or month. It takes time. Since I became a solo PR pro, I’ve learned that balance is integral to your home and work success. Here is how I’m doing it.
1. Create a comfortable work environment. We’ve all seen that Facebook post or Twitter pic of a messy desk. There’s no way you can be productive with your desk cluttered with papers, yesterday’s snack and the over abundance of photos of your dog. Take a moment to set up a desk that will allow productivity and inspiration. You want to feel as good as possible to work. I have my inbox, inspirational quotes and a notepad on mine.
2. Start your week out by setting goals. I mentioned that notepad… Mid 2012, my wife mentioned that I may be better organized if I had a notepad at my desk. At the beginning of each week, put your clients and the tasks you have for each. Then, look at the tasks that are “must do’s.” This will not only help keep you focused, but on point as well. No more of the “I have nothing to do!”
3. Social shutdown. For those of us that manage social communities, this is a tough one. However, being on social networks can be an amazing distraction. Don’t just be on Twitter or pinning to Pinterest because you have a few minutes. Focus on the task at hand, then move to your social agenda. Community managers have a unique problem here. But, while you step away from time to time, work on reporting what is going on in your social communities.
4. Work is work, home is home. You do need that separation, especially when you are a solo pro. While I enjoy working on some projects after the kids go to bed, your mind needs to reboot. Don’t push the brain too much. Set a time to shut it down for the day and make a note where you need to pick up. You aren’t a robot, so take a break.
5. Invest in a planner. Everything doesn’t need to be on your iPhone. I’ve used a planner in concert with my phone. I like the opportunity to jot down a new meeting or quick idea. Good planners can last years, while your phone is replaceable. Another great think about a planner is that, like the notepad, it is great for focus and keeping track of goals you have set.
Try one or more of these out and let me know how it works for you. What do you do to attain your goals and balance? Let me know in the comments.
Starting Small By Thinking Big
I am not Edelman; I’m not BlissPR; I’m not even Ruder Finn. I say that with no ounce of disrespect, either. Many of the people who work at those places have, in one way or another, provided inspiration to me. You see, those big players in our field helped shape how I wanted to run my consultancy.
Sure, I looked at many other consultancies and businesses, those not in PR or social media marketing, to get ideas. It, ultimately, came back to the “big boys.” They didn’t start with name brands or PR consultants to Fortune 500 CEOs; they started small and got bigger and bigger.
Do I think my name will eventually be like Edelman? No. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to think big. Just because you aren’t a big firm doesn’t mean you can’t think like one.
JRM Comm started as a pipe dream. I wanted to be on my own. I grew tired of doing things that I felt weren’t moving forward. So, when I broke off on my own last September, I put everything I learned into launching my consultancy. I may be small in business size, but my mind thinks big. And that is what clients want… and what you should aspire to.
The minute you begin to think small, instead of big, you have failed. You deserve better and so do your clients. Think about this for a second: Would you listen to a consultant or pro if they said you should just do a news release? Probably not. That’s thinking small. You would probably listen to a pro that said let’s create a plan that involves traditional PR tactics and PR 2.0. Let’s do a Twitter contest, etc.
You may be just one person now, but two years from now you may have five employees. You don’t get there by just thinking small… you get bigger by thinking bigger. Dream it and believe it!
Monday Minute: Teamwork
Whether you are a new pro or seasoned veteran in public relations and marketing, you know teamwork is one of the most important parts of a campaign. Today’s Monday Minute discusses this further.
What are your teamwork secrets. Let me know in the comments.
Solo PR can be rewarding and tough
“Honesty… it’s such a lonely word.”- Billy Joel
In September, I embarked on my solo public relations pro journey. Although, it wasn’t necessarily on my terms, I always dreamed of being my own boss. When the opportunity did arise, I was excited and eager to take on the solo PR world. It’s been four months now, so how do I feel now? It’s hard to put into one or two words.
The thing about being a solo PR pro is that you get to work in your own environment. Maybe that is a home office or a local Starbucks. Either way, that could be considered a huge win. You also get to work with clients you enjoy and they respect your insight and guidance. But, it’s not all unicorns and rainbows.
I want to be honest with you… being a solo PR pro is a ton of sweat and incredibly hard work. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you’ll be on the yellow brick road to Oz when you are solo. Just like working for an agency, you need to focus and put in long hours at times. At the end of the day, you’ll be wiped.
Here are five things I’ve learned the last four months of being a solo pro.
- You aren’t alone. I’ve taken advice from many solo PR pros. I’ve asked questions about what to expect and how to handle my own business. This helped me in more ways than I can count.
- Clients aren’t going to fall into your lap. Maybe you have two or three “smaller” clients to start. That is great. But, if you think your name will just get business, you are wrong. I learned that some old-fashioned door-to-door visits work wonders.
- Don’t be afraid to hear “NO!”- How many times have I been hung up on or told a business isn’t interested. More than a few. It’s not because you aren’t good at what you do. It is all about timing and money. Sometimes it’s just not a fit.
- Be prepared for an adjustment period. I can’t stress this enough because I’m still adjusting to being my own “boss.” If you think you can just jump into being on your own, you can’t. Understanding the financial side of your business is as much work as pitching yourself to a potential client.
- You have to want it… badly. If you don’t like your job and think that being on your own will solve everything, you are going about it wrong. I’m invigorated by running my own business, BUT there’s been plenty of frustration and bumps in just four months. If you just go halfway, you are halfway to failing.
This post isn’t about discouraging you from going out on your own. I wanted to be straightforward, since there were so many that were honest with me about my solo PR journey. Ultimately, your chances at success are greater if you know the truth. I’m still learning… and don’t want to stop doing so. My current and future clients will be better for it.
