Marijane Funess October 23, 2015 | 01:46:03
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What PR Can Learn From The New York Mets

What can a top NY PR firm learn from the hometown team that’s currently on top of the world, the New York Mets? Plenty.

All PR professionals can take a lesson from the team’s recipe for success — a blend of long-term strategy and a few quick fixes that helped propel the team to the World Series for the first time in 29 years.

Grab your peanuts and Cracker Jack and read on for a few kernels of wisdom that apply to PR, communications, or just about any talent-based business.

Don’t wait for a “trade deadline” to make smart personnel swaps. When the Mets traded ace pitcher R.A. Dickey for young phenom Noah Syndergaard and solid catcher with home run power Travis d’Arnaud, there was skepticism about the new players. But the trade has worked brilliantly, proving the team’s eye for talent. On your PR team, if a dynamic isn’t working, switch things up. Don’t wait for a key account lead to complain or a small misunderstanding to escalate.

You needn’t always swing for the fences. Often a series of small, smart tweaks can add up to a successful media placement or buy-in of an important PR strategy. If you watched Daniel Murphy before his incredible record-breaking homer streak, you saw this strategy in action. In the first game against the Dodgers, Murphy  proved masterful at leveraging other opportunities – namely stealing bases – that helped the Mets secure the crucial win.

Hire the best pitchers! Of course, in the MLB, this means young arms with an arsenal of fastballs, cutters and nasty sliders – that’s how the Mets beat LA and Chicago. PR “pitchers” also need an arsenal of weapons to get the job done, whether it’s shaping complex data or digging deeper for an executive profile. Your team needs a variety of styles to get the job done and the smarts to know when to ditch a “quick pitch” for a windup.

Get the “scouting report” on the opposing players. Due diligence calls for knowlege of a rival’s weaknesses. The Mets knew Chicago lacked depth of pitching talent, and they used that to their advantage. Be as smart as you can about client or new business competition when selling a journalist on a product launch or pitching for the big new client win.

Have a strong bullpen and overall bench. To emulate the winning Mets team, fill your line-up with pinch hitters, utility players and your “regulars.” But don’t be afraid to test them in new positions. Winning closer Jeurys Familia was never intended for that spot. He was a 7th or 8th inning pitcher who proved his mettle when asked and helped take the team to victory. And, in baseball as in life, these top performers will be challenged to repeat the same great performance again and again.
So, savor your victories, and stick to your long-range plan in the face of setbacks.

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