Five years at The Martin Group: Chris Colton, Director of Public Relations, Executive Communications & Content Practice Lead – The Martin Group
Congratulations on five years with The Martin Group. What has been your favorite part about working here?
Chris Colton: The thing about me: I had my dream job at the world’s most iconic sports radio station, WFAN in New York City. When I decided to move upstate, and eventually left that role, I thought I’d sacrificed any chance of big-time, marquee, career-defining work in sports. I made peace with it and remade myself doing fulfilling work as a regional public relations practitioner—but connecting with The Martin Group in 2020 unlocked all those doors that I thought I’d slammed shut.
To answer your question more directly, it’s the endless possibilities that I love. Reengaging my contacts in, and knowledge of, the sports industry. Proving my chops with national- and international-level work. Swinging big and launching one into the bleachers. Those are my favorite parts.
How has your typical workday changed over the past five years?
CC: That’s a hard one to answer because in PR every day is different. Sometimes vastly so. Over the past five years, I’ve met so many exceptional people—colleagues, clients, you name it. Building and nurturing those relationships has become a greater part of my day-to-day. Coaching staff through their development, too. It’s the best part of the job.
What’s the biggest challenge in your position, and how do you handle these challenges on a weekly basis?
CC: Giving unbiased advice—especially when it’s something a client might not agree with—has forever been one of the trickiest parts of the position. But it’s our responsibility to provide the best possible counsel, in the moment, considering all the information in front of us. That’s our value: the decades of experience informing our point of view on communications. Just knowing you’re doing right by the client makes those conversations easier, more fruitful, and often more successful.
Do you have a client project or two that made a memorable impression on you? If so, what were they, and why were they so special?
CC: That’s like asking a parent to name their favorite child.
I’ve had the great fortune to work on several projects—separately for the NFL and USA Football, the sport’s national governing body—connected to the growth of girls’ and women’s flag football. During that time, flag football was added to the Olympics, and the girls’ game has been newly sanctioned as a varsity sport in so many states, I’ve lost count. But knowing my work contributed to those outcomes? It gives me chills.
Is there an industry development you’re particularly excited about? If so, what is it, and why does it interest you?
CC: The emergence of the “celebrity CEO” has woken private industry to the power of their executives as spokespeople. Business leaders move the needle; when they communicate, people listen, full stop. Harnessing their messaging potential is a huge interest of mine, particularly in athletics, where it is a bit more unexplored outside of, say, the commissioners of our most popular sports, but also in other sectors of business, both regional and national.
You’ve had a few days off in your five years here. What would your ideal day off look like, wake up to bedtime?
CC: Another impossible question. Sometimes I’ll take a day off to knock out a home improvement project. The sense of accomplishment is huge. Right now, I have a stack of unused Trex decking in the garage calling my name. They’d make great steps for our shed. But nothing beats going on a “day date” with my wife. Movies, lunch, time to ourselves. What more could you ask for?
Finally, if you met someone who hoped to find success in a position like yours, what’s the one piece of critical advice you’d offer to them?
CC: I was just talking with a friend about this. First, I’d encourage them to work in food service. Many of the smartest, most successful people I know were once bartenders or waitstaff. Hospitality instills client service, adaptability, confidence, professionalism—all the soft skills that’ll serve you well in PR. And become a writer. Pick up any book by America’s writing coach, Roy Peter Clark. Hone the craft. I’ve made a career out of that one skill. If I can do it, you can, too.
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