Dec. 15, 2025
Why PR Pros Need To Master Telling Their Own Story
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That Solo Life, Ep. 325: Why PR Pros Need To Master Telling Their Own StoryEpisode Summary
In this episode, hosts Karen Swim and Michelle Kane dive into how the rapid rise of AI is transforming the PR landscape. They discuss why it’s more vital than ever for solo PR pros to assert their unique value and own their professional narrative. The conversation covers the importance of personal branding, communicating your actual impact to clients, and leveraging your expertise in an era when technology is reshaping the industry. Listeners will gain actionable advice on standing out, building authority, and telling stories that reflect the real depth of public relations work.
Episode Highlights- [00:25] Warm welcomes and setting the stage: the hosts share how positive routines and community set the tone for solo work.
- [01:25] Spotlight on AI in PR: How artificial intelligence is changing the game, what it means for solo pros, and why human expertise still leads.
- [03:30] The Value Conversation: Why PR pros must own their value and show how their work creates true impact beyond media placements.
- [06:33] Personal Branding Matters: The art of telling your own story, building authority, and becoming visible in a tech-focused era.
- [09:13] Elevating the Profession: Taking control of the PR narrative in the age of AI and why ethics and expertise should come from within the industry.
- [11:44] Action Steps: Practical ways to amplify your voice, claim your expertise, and connect with the clients who truly value your work.
- Episode 319: Succeeding at Business Development in a Tough Year
- Episode 312: Going Big by Going Small: Hidden Gold for PR Pros
That Solo Life is a podcast created for public relations, communication, and marketing professionals who work as independent and small practitioners. Hosted by Karen Swim, APR, founder of Words For Hire and President of Solo PR, and Michelle Kane, Principal of Voice Matters, the show delivers expert insights, encouragement, and advice for solo PR pros navigating today’s dynamic professional landscape.
If this episode inspired you or gave you new ideas, we’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or questions by reaching out at SoloPRPro.com or connecting with us on social media. Don’t forget to subscribe to "That Solo Life," leave a review, and tell a fellow solo pro about the show—your voice helps build and empower our community!
That Solo Life, Ep. 325: Why PR Pros Need To Master Telling Their Own Story
Michelle Kane (00:12):
Thank you for joining us for this episode of That Solo Life, the podcast for PR pros and marketers who work for themselves, people like me. Michelle came with Voice Matters. Am I ever wonderful co-host Karen Swim of Solo PR Pro. Hey Karen, how are you today?
Karen Swim, APR (00:27):
Hello, Michelle. I'm doing fabulous, thank you. How are you?
Michelle Kane (00:33):
Wonderful. Yeah, you know what, I can't complain because why spend the energy? It's all good. It's all good.
Karen Swim, APR (00:41):
I started my day this morning. I had an early morning meeting with a Brit, which always puts me in a lovely mood. I mean, just because lovely human beings, lovely accents. I know it's not an accent to them, but it's an accent to me. Great conversation, and it was just a great way to start the day. So shout out to the Londoners in the audience.
Michelle Kane (01:06):
Oh, yeah. Yes. Love my Londoner friends. It's so true. It's definitely a pick me up.
Karen Swim, APR (01:13):
Yes, yes.
Michelle Kane (01:15):
Oh, that's fantastic. I'm jealous, but that's all right. I'll get over it. Well, we're going to dig into a fun topic today. Well, we hope all our topics are fun, even because we're nerds that way. But we saw an article in, I believe it was PR News, right? Again, we're talking about AI, and yes, the AI of it all, but it's here and it's really a call to us as PR pros to be able to further differentiate ourselves, maybe that's not the right word, but to really stake our claim for our value of what we do. And that's not to say you shun ai. No, of course. It's a tool that we need to continue to improve at using, but really letting it really will communicate to clients. No, that's not a replacement for us. That's just a way that another thing we can use, and here's why we are valuable. And that's not just blowing smoke. I mean, it's real.
Karen Swim, APR (02:25):
Yeah. It's learning to story tell the value of what we do. And I think that we've talked about this in different ways and not related to ai, but I think that we're at another of those pivotal moments in our lifetimes, quite honestly, as we see this huge shift in technology, in culture, and in many ways, PR pros. We lost the narrative in the past couple of decades where our value, what we truly bring to the table, has been lost so often. And we have been labeled as just media relations. That's what they do, or other pieces of our jobs, but not the whole of what we really deliver to companies. And there are some companies that get it, some people that hire PR pros understand a little bit, but it's not the defining story that people understand. And so here we are again with AI doing things that seemingly PI people, PR people can do, and we're in danger of further losing this narrative. So I think this is important to talk about as we continue to go deeper and deeper into this AI era of how we tell our own stories and how we elevate our voices and shape the perception of what we do and what we bring to people.
Michelle Kane (04:13):
So true, so true. And so we'll get back to what we've said previously, and we've had guests like Melissa Vela Williamson Allude to that of your personal branding is very important because let's face it, we are the product we're looking to, for lack of a better word, sell. And it's not just hire me. I'm a nice smiley person. No, this is the value I bring. It's not just, oh, I got this placement, but what did that impact? And I see fellow PR pros singing their own song in really good ways. It's not just, oh, hey, look at my piece in the Enquirer. Oh, this helped amplify the story of this organization that's doing X, Y, Z, and this is why that's great for everyone. So it's not that it's a heavy lift, but I know, I mean, for me, for sure, and I'm sure for many of us, again, we're so used to head down, do the work, comfortable behind the scenes, not really in front of things.
(05:23):
And we really need to shake that off because like you say, it's what our role has been categorized with what people see on TV and in movies. Oh, you plan the parties, you just get the magazine placements. You don't do any real thought. It's just all fun and games and well, anyone can do that. No, no. We're always thinking about your brand. We're always thinking about how your company is looking to others and not in a superficial, we're always thinking, and when I say we're always thinking, we're not billing for that time because we can't stop our brains from thinking, I don't bill my clients when I have a toothbrush moment of, oh yeah, that's why I haven't had the idea yet, because this should be this and we should approach something this way. So it's all of that, and I think we need to make the time to talk about that more often of why having one of us in your corner matters.
Karen Swim, APR (06:35):
I think I'm going to tie this back to one of my favorite topics, measurement.
(06:41):
So go and please check out the A MEC AMEC website and look at their framework for measurement. They have templates that you can download, you can learn more. You can go through their courses if you want to really dig deeper. And this is an area that I'm always trying to improve on why this matters in your storytelling, when you learn to really measure what matters and be able to communicate value and influence or impact, because we're not measuring outcomes. Outcomes don't do anything. It's the impact of our actions when we really learn to speak that language and tie what we do to how it impacts our clients, that really can inform our storytelling. So as you said, we're not just going on social media and talking about a placement.
(07:36):
We're talking about the impacts of the work that we do. We're showing how what we do really matters to organizations. And so this is a great way to really reinforce that measurement process and really learn to dig deeper into it and how to talk about it comfortably. Because I know for many of us, we didn't say it in exactly that same way until Barcelona principles came along and we sort of like, okay, I get it. Let me change it. But a lot of times we just reported what clients wanted to hear, and we didn't really push for that executive viewpoint, that executive insight, and we didn't, maybe we weren't as great at the branding. We understood it, but we really didn't push that narrative. But I think that's why it's so important, and this is how you stand apart by being able to tell your story in a language that your clients and prospective clients will understand, because people are not going to hire you because they want to be in the media.
(08:46):
In fact, I will tell you a little secret, there are so many brands out there that could care less about media. They just don't care. They don't see the value. Here we go in a placement, it's like, okay, whatever. Now there are those that do care and they care about the big marquee names. Sometimes they're a little bit unrealistic, and they don't understand that those things really won't drive value. So again, it all ties back to being able to tell the story of what really matters and why you're going to take the actions that you take, and then how those actions line up and drive impact to the
Michelle Kane (09:28):
Organization. And I think that is the key storytelling. It's what we are wired for, and it's what the people in our profession do best. And sorry, bots, it's not going to beat that in the end. We can shepherd it. And I think too, to really present ourselves as an authority on that skillset, we need to be visible. We need to pop our heads up because it's only long-term of continuing to do that, that we build that authority is by being visible. And boy, did I just set myself up to have to walk my talk, huh?
Karen Swim, APR (10:18):
Same. I tend to fly under the radar, but I'm really trying not to do that. And I think in regards to ai, again, we have to own the narrative. So shouldn't have other people telling us what AI means to the PR profession. We should be telling people how PR utilizes AI as a tool. We should be the ones driving the ethical conversations and helping clients to consider the ethics of how and when they apply ai. We should be the ones holding publishers to task. We should be at the forefront of this. Again, we don't own the narrative, and we know this for our clients. If we don't own the narrative, somebody else will tell your story,
Michelle Kane (11:10):
And
Karen Swim, APR (11:10):
I promise that they will not get the details correct. So this is a moment, and this moment will not last forever. So lean into it and make sure that you are telling the story that you want people to know, that you are absolutely owning your narrative and you're nailing it. Because right now, you can make some mistakes here and there. You don't have to be perfect at it.
Michelle Kane (11:36):
No,
Karen Swim, APR (11:37):
You got to get the perception right, because that's more important than perfection. But start now, lean into it. Have a voice. Elevate yourself and what you do and explain that and learn how to tell that story in powerful ways, because it's going to retain your clients that you have. It's going to get you in front of the right people that really value what we do. It's going to illuminate to those who have this misperception about our profession, so it will tell them what we really do. And I think it's going to set you apart from the quiet ones.
Michelle Kane (12:18):
Yeah. Oh, that is so good. Yes. Don't be a quiet one. Not anymore. Because you really need really, really do need to amplify that trust and really our expertise, because so many, it's easy to say, oh, well, we're communicators too. Oh, really? Did you think of this nuance? What about that possible pitfall? No. Okay. Yes. This is why we're stressed, but in a good way. But no, it's so true. Well, we encourage you all. Please seize the moment. Tell us@solooprpro.com. Hit us up. Tell us how you're managing this, or you are addressing this head on, because we can only be inspired by each other's stories, and we definitely want to hear from you. If you got some value out of this time together, please do share it around. And until next time, thanks for listening to That Solo Life.
Transcribing live conversations can be tricky so please be forgiving of any typos or errors that you find. Love something here and want to share? Great, please keep reading!
You are more than welcome to share the transcript (up to 500 words) in media articles (e.g., PR News, O’Dwyers), on your personal website, in a non-commercial article or blog post (e.g., Substack), and/or on a personal social media account for non-commercial purposes, provided that you include attribution to “That Solo Life” and link back to the soloprpro/podcast URL. For the sake of clarity, media outlets with advertising models are permitted to use excerpts from the transcript per the above.
But please note that no one is authorized to copy any portion of the podcast content or use That Solo Life’s name, image or likeness for any commercial purpose or use, including without limitation inclusion in any books, e-books, book summaries or synopses, or on a commercial website or social media site (e.g., Facebook, X, Instagram, etc.) that offers or promotes your or another’s products or services.
Got questions? Email us at info@soloprpro.com.
Michelle Kane (00:12):
Thank you for joining us for this episode of That Solo Life, the podcast for PR pros and marketers who work for themselves, people like me. Michelle came with Voice Matters. Am I ever wonderful co-host Karen Swim of Solo PR Pro. Hey Karen, how are you today?
Karen Swim, APR (00:27):
Hello, Michelle. I'm doing fabulous, thank you. How are you?
Michelle Kane (00:33):
Wonderful. Yeah, you know what, I can't complain because why spend the energy? It's all good. It's all good.
Karen Swim, APR (00:41):
I started my day this morning. I had an early morning meeting with a Brit, which always puts me in a lovely mood. I mean, just because lovely human beings, lovely accents. I know it's not an accent to them, but it's an accent to me. Great conversation, and it was just a great way to start the day. So shout out to the Londoners in the audience.
Michelle Kane (01:06):
Oh, yeah. Yes. Love my Londoner friends. It's so true. It's definitely a pick me up.
Karen Swim, APR (01:13):
Yes, yes.
Michelle Kane (01:15):
Oh, that's fantastic. I'm jealous, but that's all right. I'll get over it. Well, we're going to dig into a fun topic today. Well, we hope all our topics are fun, even because we're nerds that way. But we saw an article in, I believe it was PR News, right? Again, we're talking about AI, and yes, the AI of it all, but it's here and it's really a call to us as PR pros to be able to further differentiate ourselves, maybe that's not the right word, but to really stake our claim for our value of what we do. And that's not to say you shun ai. No, of course. It's a tool that we need to continue to improve at using, but really letting it really will communicate to clients. No, that's not a replacement for us. That's just a way that another thing we can use, and here's why we are valuable. And that's not just blowing smoke. I mean, it's real.
Karen Swim, APR (02:25):
Yeah. It's learning to story tell the value of what we do. And I think that we've talked about this in different ways and not related to ai, but I think that we're at another of those pivotal moments in our lifetimes, quite honestly, as we see this huge shift in technology, in culture, and in many ways, PR pros. We lost the narrative in the past couple of decades where our value, what we truly bring to the table, has been lost so often. And we have been labeled as just media relations. That's what they do, or other pieces of our jobs, but not the whole of what we really deliver to companies. And there are some companies that get it, some people that hire PR pros understand a little bit, but it's not the defining story that people understand. And so here we are again with AI doing things that seemingly PI people, PR people can do, and we're in danger of further losing this narrative. So I think this is important to talk about as we continue to go deeper and deeper into this AI era of how we tell our own stories and how we elevate our voices and shape the perception of what we do and what we bring to people.
Michelle Kane (04:13):
So true, so true. And so we'll get back to what we've said previously, and we've had guests like Melissa Vela Williamson Allude to that of your personal branding is very important because let's face it, we are the product we're looking to, for lack of a better word, sell. And it's not just hire me. I'm a nice smiley person. No, this is the value I bring. It's not just, oh, I got this placement, but what did that impact? And I see fellow PR pros singing their own song in really good ways. It's not just, oh, hey, look at my piece in the Enquirer. Oh, this helped amplify the story of this organization that's doing X, Y, Z, and this is why that's great for everyone. So it's not that it's a heavy lift, but I know, I mean, for me, for sure, and I'm sure for many of us, again, we're so used to head down, do the work, comfortable behind the scenes, not really in front of things.
(05:23):
And we really need to shake that off because like you say, it's what our role has been categorized with what people see on TV and in movies. Oh, you plan the parties, you just get the magazine placements. You don't do any real thought. It's just all fun and games and well, anyone can do that. No, no. We're always thinking about your brand. We're always thinking about how your company is looking to others and not in a superficial, we're always thinking, and when I say we're always thinking, we're not billing for that time because we can't stop our brains from thinking, I don't bill my clients when I have a toothbrush moment of, oh yeah, that's why I haven't had the idea yet, because this should be this and we should approach something this way. So it's all of that, and I think we need to make the time to talk about that more often of why having one of us in your corner matters.
Karen Swim, APR (06:35):
I think I'm going to tie this back to one of my favorite topics, measurement.
(06:41):
So go and please check out the A MEC AMEC website and look at their framework for measurement. They have templates that you can download, you can learn more. You can go through their courses if you want to really dig deeper. And this is an area that I'm always trying to improve on why this matters in your storytelling, when you learn to really measure what matters and be able to communicate value and influence or impact, because we're not measuring outcomes. Outcomes don't do anything. It's the impact of our actions when we really learn to speak that language and tie what we do to how it impacts our clients, that really can inform our storytelling. So as you said, we're not just going on social media and talking about a placement.
(07:36):
We're talking about the impacts of the work that we do. We're showing how what we do really matters to organizations. And so this is a great way to really reinforce that measurement process and really learn to dig deeper into it and how to talk about it comfortably. Because I know for many of us, we didn't say it in exactly that same way until Barcelona principles came along and we sort of like, okay, I get it. Let me change it. But a lot of times we just reported what clients wanted to hear, and we didn't really push for that executive viewpoint, that executive insight, and we didn't, maybe we weren't as great at the branding. We understood it, but we really didn't push that narrative. But I think that's why it's so important, and this is how you stand apart by being able to tell your story in a language that your clients and prospective clients will understand, because people are not going to hire you because they want to be in the media.
(08:46):
In fact, I will tell you a little secret, there are so many brands out there that could care less about media. They just don't care. They don't see the value. Here we go in a placement, it's like, okay, whatever. Now there are those that do care and they care about the big marquee names. Sometimes they're a little bit unrealistic, and they don't understand that those things really won't drive value. So again, it all ties back to being able to tell the story of what really matters and why you're going to take the actions that you take, and then how those actions line up and drive impact to the
Michelle Kane (09:28):
Organization. And I think that is the key storytelling. It's what we are wired for, and it's what the people in our profession do best. And sorry, bots, it's not going to beat that in the end. We can shepherd it. And I think too, to really present ourselves as an authority on that skillset, we need to be visible. We need to pop our heads up because it's only long-term of continuing to do that, that we build that authority is by being visible. And boy, did I just set myself up to have to walk my talk, huh?
Karen Swim, APR (10:18):
Same. I tend to fly under the radar, but I'm really trying not to do that. And I think in regards to ai, again, we have to own the narrative. So shouldn't have other people telling us what AI means to the PR profession. We should be telling people how PR utilizes AI as a tool. We should be the ones driving the ethical conversations and helping clients to consider the ethics of how and when they apply ai. We should be the ones holding publishers to task. We should be at the forefront of this. Again, we don't own the narrative, and we know this for our clients. If we don't own the narrative, somebody else will tell your story,
Michelle Kane (11:10):
And
Karen Swim, APR (11:10):
I promise that they will not get the details correct. So this is a moment, and this moment will not last forever. So lean into it and make sure that you are telling the story that you want people to know, that you are absolutely owning your narrative and you're nailing it. Because right now, you can make some mistakes here and there. You don't have to be perfect at it.
Michelle Kane (11:36):
No,
Karen Swim, APR (11:37):
You got to get the perception right, because that's more important than perfection. But start now, lean into it. Have a voice. Elevate yourself and what you do and explain that and learn how to tell that story in powerful ways, because it's going to retain your clients that you have. It's going to get you in front of the right people that really value what we do. It's going to illuminate to those who have this misperception about our profession, so it will tell them what we really do. And I think it's going to set you apart from the quiet ones.
Michelle Kane (12:18):
Yeah. Oh, that is so good. Yes. Don't be a quiet one. Not anymore. Because you really need really, really do need to amplify that trust and really our expertise, because so many, it's easy to say, oh, well, we're communicators too. Oh, really? Did you think of this nuance? What about that possible pitfall? No. Okay. Yes. This is why we're stressed, but in a good way. But no, it's so true. Well, we encourage you all. Please seize the moment. Tell us@solooprpro.com. Hit us up. Tell us how you're managing this, or you are addressing this head on, because we can only be inspired by each other's stories, and we definitely want to hear from you. If you got some value out of this time together, please do share it around. And until next time, thanks for listening to That Solo Life.
Transcribing live conversations can be tricky so please be forgiving of any typos or errors that you find. Love something here and want to share? Great, please keep reading!
You are more than welcome to share the transcript (up to 500 words) in media articles (e.g., PR News, O’Dwyers), on your personal website, in a non-commercial article or blog post (e.g., Substack), and/or on a personal social media account for non-commercial purposes, provided that you include attribution to “That Solo Life” and link back to the soloprpro/podcast URL. For the sake of clarity, media outlets with advertising models are permitted to use excerpts from the transcript per the above.
But please note that no one is authorized to copy any portion of the podcast content or use That Solo Life’s name, image or likeness for any commercial purpose or use, including without limitation inclusion in any books, e-books, book summaries or synopses, or on a commercial website or social media site (e.g., Facebook, X, Instagram, etc.) that offers or promotes your or another’s products or services.
Got questions? Email us at info@soloprpro.com.