If you answer yes to any of the below this is the spot for you. Use “VIP” for a 15% discount off the ticket price.
Do you want to continue being an independent PR pro or are deciding to make the leap?
Do you want to make more money?
Do you want to build your brand as an independent?
Do you want to take on bigger budget clients?
Would it be helpful to your business to expand your network of independent peers?
Have you ever reached out to your network for advice handling a situation with a client or operating your business?
Do you no longer go to PR events (if you ever did) because they added no value and you wish there was something that was tailored to your specific situation?
………………
Over the past couple months, I’ve had a number of conversations about the summit with independent professionals in various stages of overseeing their own practice. Some are only a few months in after jumping the corporate and agency ships, others have been at it a handful of years, and some have been at it for more than a decade.
A rare few commented they are “too senior” to attend. I’d argue no one ever knows everything – no matter how long they’ve been in business. We would roll our eyes at any executive who told us they had nothing left to learn in their practice area.
There are certainly independents who have their established gig and a couple clients and they’re on auto-pilot and it works for them. They don’t want more money, to expand their network or reach, or sharpen their business management and operations skills. Some are thinking of going back to agency or corporate life and that’s A-OK. Those folks aren’t who this is for.
This cuts to the heart of the entire point of this event. PR people spend their careers helping other people build their business – it’s time to shift that focus on themselves. In five years, it’s been a rare occurrence to meet an independent that sits down and looks at their practice from a business pov and has anything resembling a roadmap or business goals. It’s a subtle shift in mindset to make, but an important one.
So, who should attend?
-
The Summit is for experienced seasoned professionals, not junior staff, though there would be plenty they’d learn. This conference does not provide 101 training or baseline PR management topics. The programming aims to take things to the next level has been specifically designed based on five years of feedback and direct experience working with independents. The topics and situations that will be discussed are ones 99% of junior PR people have yet to encounter, let alone be responsible for.
-
Independents who recognize the value in having a network of fellow independents. This is HUGE. Most independents don’t spend time networking with peers. They may have a friend or two who also freelances but for the most part their networks are miniscule, which means missing out on opportunities like passing on business that could be taken if only they knew the right person to work with – or subcontract out to capture more dollars from current clients!
-
Professionals who enjoy learning and wish there were more applicable (and interesting) professional development opportunities. There is a specific reason this is being billed as a business conference and shies away from standard “PR” sessions, panel formats, or cookie-cutter tactical topics that any independent pro would be equipped to get up and lead. The topics are at the heart of common challenges every independent faces.
-
People who are passionate about what they do and want to be the best they can – for themselves and their clients. This is a really important as the programming is heavily focused on peer-to-peer sharing and learning as this information exchange has proven to be the most valuable way for independents to learn new ways to think about and approach situations.
-
Lastly (though I could go on), this is for business owners who want to double down on being an independent because they love the lifestyle it brings. This means looking at ones business in a new light – from a CEO point of view and not “PR.” Too many independents are at the mercy of what comes to them instead of identifying what they want and going after it. That needs to change.