As an independent PR practitioner and freelance writer, I often juggle multiple clients, projects and deadlines. Running your own business means wearing all the hats — CEO, accountant, marketing manager, IT support, and more. 17hats is a way to simplify your workflow and reclaim your time. Their 2024 Black Friday sale offers up to 50% off one-year memberships, plus exclusive bonuses for new users.

In the fast-moving world of social media, it’s crucial to ensure your posts are clear, concise and error-free so you can connect with your audience and convey your message effectively. Here are some tips to help you write polished social media posts that leave no room for confusion or mistakes.

17hats is an all-in-one solution for small business owners. It makes things that are important but that can be tedious, like sending invoices and scheduling appointments, so much easier — and it helps you keep your business running even when you’re sick. It’s also very affordable.

If you’re going to share a piece of content created by someone else, should you care if it contains an error? Yes. Here’s why.

Learn about a simple, four-step process to simplify communications planning and get a free cheatsheet.

With Sunflower Communications, I have the privilege of working with a variety of clients — nonprofits, small businesses, corporations and even a solopreneur like myself. The work is endlessly interesting, I am learning so much, and I enjoy having the flexibility to choose which projects to work on.

Sonja Barisic, APR of Sunflower Communications and Nealy Gihan of Purpled Inked present a webinar on AP style tips. This is a quick refresher for communicators. Cost is $16.

Sonja Barisic, APR of Sunflower Communications and Nealy Gihan of Purpled Inked present a webinar on AP style tips to the Public Relations Society of America Hampton Roads, Virginia, chapter.

17hats — my favorite system for managing my small business and keeping on top of client relationships — is on sale NOW for Black Friday!

One of the fun gigs I have is writing a food column for The Virginian-Pilot newspaper. My latest review is of YamaChen’s Sushi House in Suffolk. Sometimes it’s hard to resist making a corny joke when writing a column. But I take my food writer responsibilities seriously.

If you have trouble making time to create content for yourself, I’d recommend giving the 30-Day Creator Challenge a try.

The best way to close an interview for a story is to admit that no matter how prepared you are, you can’t possibly think of all the right questions to ask. Here’s how to do that to get better responses.

When it comes to writing and marketing communications, It’s easy to keep chasing after the thrill of the new. Don’t let that get in the way of telling a good story.

One of the benefits of being a member of the Public Relations Society of America is that PRSA offers a lot of PR professional development that you can take online. PRSA has many learning opportunities for every kind of PR practitioner.

Sometimes you need a just-the-facts approach when writing for your nonprofit. Try the inverted pyramid or the martini glass. Here’s how.

When I spoke to a group of PR pros, this former reporter told them: “I’m sorry. I used to think your job was to work for me.”  Of course, there’s much more to PR than dealing with media. So much more.

DIY has its place. But when you really need something to be done with panache and you’re not an expert in the subject, turn to someone who is. You’ll save time and effort letting a pro do what they’re great at doing, and you’ll be much happier with the results.

To write quickly and clearly, it’s helpful to think like a reporter. One way to do that is to write “What strikes me?” and spend a few minutes absorbing the details and points you want to make. Read on for more tips.

When I’m looking to learn or be inspired, or procrastinate in a positive way, there are a few blogs I find myself turning to again and again.

Here is a simple process — research, plan, do and review — to help you think about your communications. 

Just as it’s important to take care of yourself and make time to handle things like medical appointments, it’s crucial to carve some time out of your schedule to handle the nitty-gritty tasks that keep your business running smoothly. Doing so will help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

You or your client created a great video on Instagram and you’d like to share it with your email newsletter subscribers. But, alas, MailChimp seems to only let you embed videos from YouTube and Video. Don’t worry. Canva to the rescue!

Starting your own business is rewarding but also takes a lot of hard work. Here is a list of resources, including some free ones, that I’ve found helpful as a freelance writer and independent public relations practitioner.

How many of these behaviors do you engage in when dealing with reporters? Here are actions to avoid if you want to preserve your trustworthiness as a source and get your stories covered.

Using boring photos is among the top pitfalls in public relations writing. Uninteresting photos can detract from your interesting writing. If the image you use makes me want to take a cat nap, why would I read your story, press release, blog post, etc.? Here are a few tips for choosing compelling images.

To get started with PR efforts for your organization, you need a plan — a roadmap. This will help you determine where you are, where you want to go, how you’ll get there, who is going to be in the driver’s seat and when you’ve reached your destination. Here's what to include in your PR plan.