How a PR idea ran a marathon

In the early days of my career, I met a man at a trade show who wanted help promoting a mobile phone product he had invested in. Although I was still relatively inexperienced, my time in a busy press office had already shown me that public relations involved far more complexity than many people realised. He confidently went on to say that all I needed to do was ring a national journalist and tell them, “I’ve got a great story for you,” and like magic, it would appear in the paper the next day.

I knew then, and still know now, that this approach simply doesn’t work. Good PR isn’t about cold-calling newsrooms with vague ideas. It’s often about identifying a strong, timely story, rooted in facts, backed by insight, tailored to the outlet’s target audience, and relevant to the wider news agenda.

Fast forward *ahem* twenty-something years, and that truth still holds. As a PR Specialist, I’ve developed a nose for a good story, and like a terrier, my tail starts wagging when I know of one and I won’t let it go from my teeth. Whether it originates from a client brief or has grown organically in my brain while washing up or scribbling in my notebook at 4 am, my ideas don’t always come during working hours, and very rarely do the cogs in my head stop turning. As Linus Pauling, a double Nobel Prize winner, once said: “The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” And I do. Not all make it to fruition, but when one has legs, it tends to run.

For our international client, PRO Services Dubai—experts in business relocation and regulatory compliance in the UAE—I wanted a PR concept that did more than just stumble out of the starting blocks. It needed to be credible, relevant, and big enough to command serious attention. It also needed to be something that would elevate the brand, speak directly to its target market, and position it as a leader in international business support. Quite a big ask, but that desire to achieve for my client became the foundation for a story that ‘ran a marathon’.

It centred on a fast-growing, significant trend: the sharp rise in British companies relocating to the UAE. Supported by robust and compelling data, the angle highlighted how Dubai’s favourable business climate is drawing increasing numbers of UK entrepreneurs and SMEs. The forecast? A tripling of British business presence in Dubai within a decade.

The narrative aligned perfectly with PRO Services Dubai’s core offering that helps global companies establish a foothold in the UAE. It also positioned the client as an expert voice within a real, newsworthy movement (spoiler alert, it’s the kind of validation journalists seek).

To add colour and authenticity to the feature, I worked closely with one of PRO Services Dubai’s clients who had made the leap from the UK and successfully set up his agricultural machinery business in the Emirates. His personal journey illustrated the human aspirational element, one that readers could resonate with, and added value beyond statistics and projection figures.

Behind the scenes, the piece took around two weeks to reach publication. There was a lot of groundwork, including calls, emails, briefings, fact-checking, image sourcing, and liaising with the client and case study to ensure relevance and suitability. PR like this takes time, persistence, and strategic collaboration, but the results speak for themselves. National coverage was secured online and in print in The Telegraph, which is the perfect placement for PRO Services Dubai, given the paper’s business-savvy audience. Here you can read the full story.

This kind of exposure doesn’t just generate visibility; it creates credibility on two levels. Firstly, an endorsement from a respected outlet like the Telegraph is a powerful trust signal, particularly for potential clients considering a move to the UAE. It tells the reader that this company is legitimate and knowledgeable.

Secondly, it elevates PRO Services Dubai’s Managing Partner, Basel Abu Alrub, as a reliable voice on the global business stage, positioning him alongside senior figures such as the CEO of the British Chamber of Commerce Dubai and an Associate Fellow from a leading UK think tank Chatham House. This reinforces his status as a trusted authority and influential voice in the international business arena. 

In PR, we aren’t just idea generators; we are growers, and this is a perfect example of the power of PR in action. At its core, public relations isn’t just about press coverage; it’s about building positive, long-term relationships with clients and journalists. It’s also understanding what matters to the media, aligning it with the client’s goals and crafting a narrative that resonates. In this case, the journalist got a strong, timely story with real value for their readers, and PRO Services Dubai received credible, high-impact exposure.

PR professionals are more than natural storytellers; we are connectors who put businesses in front of the audiences they want to reach, often through trusted media channels.

At CLD, we know what works and what can get you the visibility you need. Whether it’s crafting clever copy, digging up data, or finding fabulous feats for features, we know what it takes to grow ideas that thrive. Because while not every idea becomes a headline, the right ones can go the distance.