Ace it: why hitting home your PR message is like a game of tennis

After 25 years of not picking up a racket, I recently started playing tennis again. Playing as a teenager I don’t ever remember thinking about anything other than the racket I played with, the clothes I wore and the trophies I won (not that there were many of them, to be fair). Those are all still things I think about now (with the exception of the trophies – ok, that’s a lie, I want more). 

Now, though, I also spend a lot of time thinking about relationships, building connections and how I engage with the sport. What does this have to do with my day job as head of communications? For me, there are many ways in which the art and sport of tennis reflect the needs and strategies of effective engagement and in which a match well played can serve a sense of belonging and satisfaction to everyone…

15-0: Active involvement

When I’m playing tennis, I’m not doing it on my own (well, not if I want to get anything from it). I need participation from my partner, my opponents and the ‘crowd’. In the same way, engaging the audience in my day job requires their active involvement. So, in those moments when I’m involved in exciting on-court rallies, to engage the audience I’m communicating with, I’m aiming to create captivating content, harness conversations and encourage participation. 

30-0: Communication and connection

Tennis is not just about hitting a ball back and forth – it starts to get pretty boring if that’s all you do; for me it gets interesting when I generate an on-court connection. Similarly, engaging the audience I’m trying to reach relies on building connections and forging trusting relationships – understanding how and when to communicate with them. Building connections leads to a more engaged and trusting relationship.

40 – 0: Emotional resonance

During a game of tennis I experience a broad range of emotions. From the frustration of yet another double-fault, to the thrill of a down-the-line scorching forehand winner; emotions can run high on the court. That knowledge of what gets me engaged, further underlines that effectively connecting with an audience relies on eliciting emotional responses.

How did we get back to deuce? (Strategy and adaptability)

I always approach tennis matches with a strategy; playing to my strengths, looking for weaknesses and using that insight to formulate a plan to succeed. That rarely works though. So, I also have to be adaptable and respond to what my partner might need and what’s happening across the net. The same applies to engaging my audiences; strategic thinking, formulating an engaging plan and having the ability to adapt to evolving circumstances quickly is vital. Being flexible and responsive to changing needs and feedback enables you to refine your engagement strategies for better results. 

Game, set and match (Shared experience and community)

For me, tennis is most fun and engaging when it brings together a community with a shared passion and needs - from enjoyment of the game to a desire to win. Creating content and using channels where my audience can connect with each other, share their experiences and engage in meaningful discussions promotes and encourages that sense of community. Being part of a tennis club has given me a sense of belonging - so, engaging my audience also effectively helps to cultivate a community of like-minded people who feel connected through their shared experience with our business, brand and the content we share.

James Powell is a keen tennis player – and head of communications at law firm Irwin Mitchell, as well as a Chartered public relations practitioner. Hear more from him on the CIPR Engage podcast series - Episode 5: strategic communicators.