Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/849298
12 runninginsight.com © 2017 Formula4media LLC. How Podcasts Can Help Running Stores At left: The podcast team of Joanna Russo and Chris Farley. At right: William Docs, Joanna Russo, Matt Centrowitz Sr, Matthew Centrowitz Jr and Chris Farley. B ack in April 2015, Chris Farley, owner of the Washington, D.C.- based Pacers Running chain, took a chance. Along with his college teammate William Docs and Pacers D.C. manager Joanna Russo, Farley launched the Pace the Nation podcast. "There's so much noise out there and we wanted to cut through that and offer a unique voice, something local and authentic," Farley says. In the nearly two years since Pace the Nation's debut, the Pacers trio has published nearly 100 podcasts, corralling about 1,000 listeners each week. The effort has given Pacers another avenue to form relationships and build community while heightening brand awareness, particularly important accomplishments as the company has grown to five stores in the D.C. area with an additional unit in Princeton, NJ. Though podcasts are certainly rare among running stores, Pacers isn't alone. Craig Segal, co-owner of Runner's High in Freehold, NJ, partnered with his college teammate, online running coach Marc Pelerin, last summer to launch Out and Back with Marc and Craig. "This is a way to provide added value and something the running geek or fitness enthusiast can relate to," Segal says of his two-man podcast. While neither Farley nor Segal say their podcasts have pushed a slew of new customers through their respective doors, both owners view the audio effort as an important part of their marketing mix and another vehicle to engage current as well as prospective customers. "You can't just open up a store on Main Street and expect people to shop," says Farley, who recently constructed a podcast studio at Pacers' Clarendon location. "You need next-level differentiation. You have to be where they are and talk to people the way they want to be talked to in today's on-demand economy." Segal, meanwhile, calls his podcast a "branding initiative" for Runner's High. "It's all about being out there and being vocal," he says. "This is another way to promote the store and get in front of customers." For those running stores interested in entering the ON AIR PODCASTS Practical Tips for Entering the Podcast Game BY DANIEL P. SMITH AMPLIFY THEIR VOICE