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Q & A

getting savvy about addressing
challenges in the food business

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Q & A

getting savvy about addressing
challenges in the food business

Question:

What does a PR person do and is it essential to hire a firm?

Answer:

A PR specialist is a liaison between you, the client, and the media.  PR practioners have built relationships with the media – they are  gatekeepers to the press and when their emails land in a media person’s email box, they are usually acknowledged.

Why? because they know how and when to approach them.  PR people are resourceful.  We have built lists of those who can assist and who need to know about your restaurant. Having someone represent you in public relations is like having a caretaker of your brand. You’ve invested your heart and soul in your restaurant. Insure it through the capable hands of someone accountable in PR.

And for you, when you’ve received PR assistance, what kind of support has been the most fruitful for your business? Be sure to click the comments link above, next to the date, to share your thoughts.

Q & A

getting savvy about addressing
challenges in the food business

Question:

Is it important to always pay for media to dine?

Answer:

If you invite a media or food blogger into your restaurant I would comp their meal.  When you extend the invite, ask them to leave a cash tip.  If you recognize a media person in the house unexpected, a nice gesture of acknowledgement would be to send over an appetizer or take care of desserts. Even the simplest gesture is appreciated.

Please remember many of these writers are juggling several gigs in order to do what they love – write. So taking care of them while in your restaurant may go along way to ensure a return customer and a positive blog post.

Any great review stories of your own? Do share them. Click the comments link above, next to the date, to comment.

Q & A

getting savvy about addressing
challenges in the food business

Question:

So many nonprofits ask for free food and/or gift certificates. What is the best way to think about or respond to these ongoing requests?

Answer:

The restaurant industry is an industry of service. So, it’s smart to:

• Create a business strategy around those you serve outside your restaurant.
• Develop one or several charities you regularly give to and as a community partner, ask them to have their board meetings at your restaurant or regularly entertain and support your business as you give back to them.
• Give gift certificates in $25 chunks rather than one lump sum. That way, recipients can split the donation and give to several who will end up spending more than the original $25 offer.

So, what are your ideas? How have you responded to these requests?  You can comment by clicking the comments link above, next to the date.

Q & A

getting savvy about addressing
challenges in the food business

Question:

I know most of the food writers and food bloggers. They already write about my restaurant. Why would I need to hire a PR professional?

Answer:

To punch it forward. To go the distance.

When it gets right down to it we all have tunnel vision part of the time.  We get lost in our own worlds.

PR helps open you to a greater vision, a more global reach that can extend your brand, build your customer base and ensure long-time success.

So, with the PR support you’ve received, what mattered? What were some of those results that made you a believer? Be sure to click the comments link above, next to the date, to contribute.

Q & A

getting savvy about addressing
challenges in the food business

Question:

How do I find a PR firm that won’t redefine my brand or expect me to embrace something I’m not at all comfortable with?

Answer:

Do your homework.  Talk to several firms. Check references.  Most of all judge the synchronicity between you both.  Is there an ebb and flow?  Do you feel supported when you are communicating with them?

And remember, PR is a two-way street.  You have to devote time to hold the firm accountable and be accountable to their needs for you – whether it be budgets for video, photography, or other tools to distinguish your restaurant.

Have any stories about what helped you manage PR activities well for your clients? Be sure to click the comments link above, next to the date, to let us know.

Q & A

getting savvy about addressing
challenges in the food business

Question:

What are the costs typically associated with hiring a PR professional?

Answer:

Public Relations is a service.  Fees for service are based on time.  When talking with a PR consultant, be clear about your available budget for the service.  Hourly fees may range anywhere from $50 to $250 with the moderate being somewhere in the middle. Most PR firms work on a monthly retainer and that retainer is based on time.

I would recommend you budget anywhere from $1000 to $3500 for an initial PR program.  There are consultants who work hands-on and then there are firms who have other staff members to assist with accounts.  Average initial contracts are six months to one year.  This gives the PR pro time to build a program for you that may have long reaching effects.