NFL free agency is in full swing, and there are many PR lessons the process can teach us about how to handle your next campaign. Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR, breaks down four of these lessons, and explains what they could mean for your business.
1. Now matters: Free agency pretends to be all about potential, but it is REALLY about right now. What can that player do, for that team, in the present? Now matters every bit as much for your brand. Customers may listen when someone talks about your past success, but they are really concerned with what you can do for them right now. So, what does your PR messaging do to address those concerns?
2. First impressions never stop: When it comes to free agency, players that have been in the league for years now face the prospect of making another first impression. The truth revealed here is that FIRST IMPRESSIONS NEVER END. No matter where you are in your career, you are only one step away from making yet another first impression. Never let your guard down.
3. Brands are never static: All careers have their ups and downs. Players hope they land in free agency during an “up.” Whether they do or not can mean millions. But regardless, careers are never static. There will be wins and losses, mountains and valleys. Brands are subject to those same dynamics. What are you doing to protect your brand from its next “valley” experience?
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4. Never drop your game: One thing about free agency is that teams want you to make an immediate impact. The same is true for each and every client you approach. They don’t want help at some point, or an impact sometime in the future. They want your help now for a project they are considering in the very near future. The lesson? There’s never a time for you to coast if you want to protect your brand, and achieve maximum success.
Taken together, these free agency realities should inform and direct your next PR campaign. Embrace these truths, and you just may see a “signing bonus” in your future.
Ronn Torossian is one of America’s most prolific and respected public relations experts. Torossian is the founder, president and CEO of 5W Public Relations, one of the 25 largest independent American PR firms, headquartered in New York with an office in Los Angeles.
