Develop a Restaurant Public Relations Plan

Develop a Restaurant Public Relations Plan

by Jose L Riesco

A restaurant public relations plan is a pivotal part of an overall marketing initiative. It is, of course, never good enough just to design and open a restaurant, whilst paying no heed to how you are going to attract new clients or how to ensure that they return as regular patrons. As an entrepreneur, you should spend a great deal of your time brainstorming about a variety of marketing initiatives and make sure that you have finalized a PR plan specifically tailored to the industry before you set out.

The grand opening of your business is a pivotal event and a comprehensive restaurant public relations plan will adequately cover it. For example, at least two weeks prior you will want to send press releases to your local media outlets, ensuring that you get good coverage as well as appearing in local event calendars. Then you can prepare for good attendance and be ready for the big day.

You should have a dedicated restaurant public relations person to give out media kits to visitors at your grand opening. The kits must include the menus, facts and figures about the business and biographies on yourself and the head chef. Make sure that these kits are professionally produced and whilst you are at it, book a professional photographer to get a valuable record of the event.

If you have being smart and teamed up with local chambers of commerce and/or nonprofit organizations, then you should get them involved in your restaurant's opening festivities and at the same time check that you have reached out to their lists of media contacts. It doesn't matter if these overlap in some way, cross promotion can be a significant part of the restaurant public relations initiative.

Special events can be pivotal to restaurant public relations success and you should focus on the calendar during your first few months. How about featuring an art show alongside certain events, or creating an annual or semiannual wine festival. Open up your business to a whole new raft of potential clients and give yourself valuable PR exposure to boot.

Local newspaper editors are often looking for material to fill their pages and you should try and make friends with them, most especially if they have a significant food and drink section. If you can establish yourself as an authority figure and provide a lot of good news and material to them on a regular basis without pitching your business, then this would pay dividends. Whenever they need advice or input they will think of you and the resulting column inches can be valuable PR exposure.

Restaurant public relations at its best involves a very subtle approach. Your permissions-based mailing lists should be supplied with great food related stories, ideas and information at regular intervals. When Thanksgiving is approaching, give them advice about family get-togethers and parties and menu ideas. Remember, it is not the hard sell, but establishing yourself as an expert.

Good restaurant public relations revolves around a plan and you must always have one. Maintain a calendar of events and key dates and take action when required. Develop personal relationships with important people locally. - 20490

Expert Jose L Riesco shows you the best methods for getting more people into your restaurant at (http://www.myrestaurantmarketing.com/) www.myrestaurantmarketing.com. Find out (http://myrestaurantmarketing.com/Consulting.html) restaurant public relations here.