If you are looking for a convenient way to discuss industry news and trends or network with other PR professionals, #SoloPR, provides an excellent option. #SoloPR is a Twitter chat session moderated by Kellye Crane, an accomplished, award-winning communicator with more than 20 years of experience in strategic public relations and marketing communications.

During the weekly chat, which takes place on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST, Crane offers a platform to discuss the intersection of social media and PR.

Here's some of today's questions generating conversation plus some reponses:

Are your clients getting more serious about social media this year? Are you in charge of it?

"Mine are anxious to be a part of it, and allow me to manage their social needs." Jeff Pizzino, PizzInnovations

"We've been including social media for a while and handle it for several clients." Scott Circle, Scott Circle Communications

"Local orgs are intrigued by SM but not sure of its value in reaching customers. Guidance is my main role." Kristie Aylett, The Kard Group PR & Marketing

Do you use an hourly rate for social media work, or are you fee-based?

"I use both hourly and fee based depending on engagement. [I] will, however, operate [social media] independent of overall strategy." Karen Swim, marketing consultant

"Another way to handle SM is to act as an advisor offering a plan/playbook and then oversee- fee/retainer based." Kellye Crane, moderator

"I don't think clients realize the TIME [social media] takes to do it right." Jeff Pizzino, PizzInnovations

"I agree; that's why education is important." (in response to Jeff Pizzino's statement) Shonali Burke, Shonali Burke Consulting, Waxing Unlyrical

Are there any other new skills current or potential clients are looking for you to have?

"SEO, Web, and design are big ones for me (and I usually have to look to outsourcing but wish I knew more)." Kelly Andrews, PR practitioner

"I think if you show you can be a good project manager. They want a partner, not a vendor." Shonali Burke, Shonali Burke Consulting, Waxing Unlyrical

Do you have a minumum budget amount youll accept? Do you ever base selecting a client on the size the of their annual revenue? Do you have requirements, regarding small businesses?

" No, I think about they fit my own brand. If I have to change my tone of voice to talk about them, something's off." Kate Robins, solo PR practitioner

"I base client selection on many factors unrelated to budget or business size. Partnership is more important to me. They do need to pay, though." Mary Deming Barber, The Barber Group, Strategic Communication & PR

"I don't consider annual revenue, but I do consider solvency with new clients. For small businesses, we talk more about [the] investment they're making." Kristie Aylett, The Kard Group PR & Marketing

Other great insights and comments:

"I tell clients social media is like exercise. One workout a week won't produce results! Do it regularly, and one day you're 'suddenly' in shape!" Gayle Falkenthal, Falcon Valley Group

"Regarding social media, anyone seeing ageism out there? It's appearing a bit in Boston. Social media folks over 30 [apparently lack] street credibility." Kelley Kassa, software PR and marketing practitioner

"Selecting clients has to be a very strategic situation: marketability, liability, and affordability." Kellye Crane, moderator

Other professionals who participated included:

• Roxane Papagiannopou, RMP Media Analysis
• Charity Lacey, Virtue Integrated Marketing Communications
• Deb Robison, Rudy Media
• Kami Huyse, Overtone Communications
• Laura Scholz, Scholz Communications and CRAVE Atlanta
• Kelley Kassa, Software PR and Marketing practitioner
• Mike Schaffer, founder of The Buzz!

Click here to read a transcript of Wednesday's chat.

If you already have a Twitter account, use the search feature to find #solopr. Via Twitter’s Web site, you can follow conversations and join in the discussions from the search page. In order to make sure your comments are included in the conversation, be sure to include the hashtag, #solopr, in every tweet.

Several Twitter clients allow you to view only that particular chat discussion with features like reply and retweet. I recommend Tweetchat, which displays a chatroom setting.

If you miss a session, you can use Tweetchat to read the entire conversation as well as doing a search through Twitter.  If you prefer to read by RSS feed, click the RSS feed button once you've completed the search for #solopr.