What Marathon Training and PR Have in Common

By Lisa Barnes, Strategic Communications Director at Profile Media

What would you say if I told you that running a marathon and implementing a successful PR strategy are very similar achievements? How so, you might ask? Both require you to put in the work over time, build on smaller results, and most importantly, to trust the process.

When considering PR, it’s important to first identify what the main goal is.

Time-specific campaigns and launches for example will absolutely benefit from a strategy aimed at achieving maximum coverage in a short timeframe, however, for those looking to cement themselves as industry leaders and go-to experts, marathon training is your friend.

In the same way that you wouldn’t set out to run 42.2km the first time you lace up your sneakers, you also can’t expect that you’ll be the trusted commentator the first time you send out a media release.

That’s not to say you won’t achieve media coverage, you likely will!

But it’s important to acknowledge that some of your first publicity achievements might be smaller wins, either in smaller outlets, outlets outside of your main target audience or perhaps in new mediums you previously hadn’t considered.

The smaller wins allow you to get in front of the right people, foster relationships, develop and improve your media skills and build a reputation as a reliable, trusted source of information.

These wins are important and should be celebrated, and much like the marathon runner who needs to complete their first 5km event, then 10km, then a half-marathon and so on, they build a solid foundation for longevity.

Achieving media coverage is not an exact science. Breaking news, time constraints and competing resources can all be factors that impact whether or not your story is picked up at a particular point in time.

However, by trusting the process and continuing to develop newsworthy topics and pitching to the right targets consistently over time, you will set yourself up for success.

At Profile Media, we have numerous clients who have worked with us for years who are front of mind and regularly sought out by the media seeking comment on matters related to their industry.

It’s testament to their talent and expertise, but also to their ability to stay the course over time and trust that just like a marathon runner, each step is taking them closer to the finish line