You don’t have to have a huge budget for public relations to be effective. It’s all about identifying opportunities and being creative.
Here are eight PR tips to help you create a positive reputation and build your restaurant brand.
One of the primary mistakes businesses make when crafting and distributing press releases is they fail to find an angle for their story. Your news releases must be newsworthy. When issuing a release, talk about launches, renovations, events or guest appearances, and so on. Connect your story to what’s happening in the world right now.
When it comes to press release distribution, you usually get what you pay for. Utilizing a quality PR service is essential to your success. You can use a free service when distributing non-essential news, but if you’re looking for exposure, you need to take advantage of a well-established website like PRWeb.
Identify and clarify your goals in advance. PR campaigns may not lead to any immediate, tangible results, but they can boost your business over the long haul.
PR campaigns used to lead to interview opportunities and press coverage. While this still is the case, today, press releases tend to offer more opportunities in terms of SEO. So, if you aren’t targeting specific keywords with your news releases, you are almost certainly missing out. Choose keywords you have a chance to rank for, and include them in your headlines.
Help A Reporter connects journalists with sources. When you sign up for HARO updates, you will see a steady stream of media coverage opportunities you can apply for. Though this does require some time and effort, it’s less time-consuming and resource intensive than issuing your own stories and promoting them.
If you’re an authority or thought leader in your industry, it’s only natural that bloggers, journalists, and the media will come to depend on you for the latest news, updates, trends, and happenings in your industry. You can establish your authority by publishing quality content on your blog, building relationships with industry and media people, and by making appearances on podcasts, radio or TV (by utilizing a tool like HARO).
Becoming a sponsor can help you gain more visibility, especially locally. Artists, musicians, and athletes, for instance, are often looking for opportunities to generate additional revenue. This doesn’t mean you should sponsor just anyone, but if you can find a good fit (always look for a cultural fit) and reach a mutually beneficial agreement, your partners will become walking billboards for your brand.
Every business is trying to build links and get more coverage. The problem is that they often don’t think about what’s in it for the party they’re contacting. Don’t make this mistake.
When inviting bloggers and reviewers to come to your restaurant, make it about them. As they share about your restaurant online, you’ll begin to attract more customers, so think about the long-term benefit and not just the short-term exposure this will bring.
Keep establishing connections – you never know where they could lead. Get in touch with reporters and journalists, bloggers and reviewers, columnists, radio and TV stations, relevant industry blogs, and so on. Not all connections will lead to worthwhile opportunities, but many will. As people come to recognize your brand, and you create a positive reputation, they’ll be more willing to work with you to promote your business.
With regards to PR, the possibilities are near endless. Keep identifying opportunities in your locality. Some will be worthwhile, and some won’t, but creating a recognizable brand can take time, so stay consistent and determined in your PR efforts.