The Super Bowl is this Sunday, and football is on everyone’s mind. Whether you’re a Patriots fan, Giants fan, or don’t even know what a field goal is, chances are you‘ll be watching this weekend. Sports can teach us a lot about life in the PR world. Here are just a few of the reasons why.
Study the Film
NFL teams spend an incredible amount of time studying their opponents, watching film and learning exactly what to expect in any situation. This kind of competitor analysis is needed in PR as well. Clients want to know where the competition is gaining exposure, and you need to know exactly what’s happening in that industry.
It Takes 53 Men to Win the Super Bowl
You can’t win a game with one player. The quarterback needs a strong line blocking for him, reliable receivers, and an aggressive defense. The same goes for a PR team. Whether you’re the account supervisor, responsible for media relations, social media, or monitoring, every role is essential to getting the job done, and accountability is necessary.
Putting in the time
Tom Brady and Eli Manning didn’t just wake up one day and decide to become world class athletes. It takes a life time of hard work, studying, and practice. The same is necessary for PR pros (most won’t be able to successfully pitch The New York Times on their first day as an intern.) Experience means everything in this industry and without putting the necessary time in you’ll never get the results you’re looking for.
Coaching is everything
Every office environment needs structure. While the structure of a PR agency may not be as rigid as that of an NFL organization, the concept is similar. It starts from the top with the head coach or CEO providing guidance and making personnel decisions, and trickles down, with everyone knowing their own responsibilities and where they fit in.
What other lessons could we learn from the NFL? And most importantly, who’s your pick for Sunday?