For the past four months, I have been training for my second half-marathon. Through the wintry months when it felt like I was bordering frostbite to the warm weather this spring, I’ve been increasing my mileage week over week in order to build up my endurance and condition my body to run 13.1 miles. During each run, I try to envision myself crossing the finish line. I constantly try to keep the end result in mind and recognize that all these small runs will ultimately help me improve my stamina and accomplish my goal.

Good public relations professionals know the importance of keeping the end goal in mind. How do the hours spent finalizing a press release or crafting the perfect pitch ultimately help the client reach their goals and support their mission? It’s important to understand how each individual tactic will contribute to the client’s desired results. Following are some tips to keep in mind:

It Takes Time

Your new client wants how many Facebook “Likes”? Implementing a social media strategy is an extensive process and results are not always immediate. Give yourself some time to nurture your audience and build brand recognition. Remember – every Retweet, every “Like” on a Facebook page and every well-crafted post is supporting exactly what you set out to do: raise awareness of your client’s products and services and make strides towards meeting their corporate objectives.

Use the Right Tools and Channels

How will you reach your target audience? As a PR professional, you have a myriad of tools to utilize to promote your client. Take a mental inventory of the resources and mediums available to you and determine which is the most efficient way to get your message across. Before you begin a task, think about how to best communicate messaging that will resonate with your audiences and encourage them to learn more about your client, buy your client’s products and services and positively impact their bottom line.

Set Your Own Goals

That media list isn’t going to get any shorter, and the opportunities on that editorial calendar won’t pitch themselves. The truth of the matter is that unfortunately, not every editor will love (or even read) your pitch. Rather than getting discouraged by the negatives, focus on the positives. Set a goal of obtaining X number of leads by the end of the week. Be realistic, and increase your goal from time to time. Sometimes it’s important to focus on your own personal, constantly moving finish line in order to help your client reach theirs.

In the day-to-day life of public relations, the finish line can often seem like it’s 13.1 miles away. Yet it’s important to keep the goal in mind and remember why you’re scrutinizing every word of that media alert or diligently tracking press coverage each day. Your PR efforts, though seemingly small, are helping your client reach their goals and achieve their overall mission. Don’t forget about the finish line!

Marissa Sudol is an Account Manager at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.