Publicity Tips for Restaurants
The failure rate among restaurants is extremely high so it is vital that you do everything that you can to promote your restaurant and there are many free sources of publicity that you can take advantage of. The following is a list of tips that when you utilize will make you grow and become known to those in your community.
Writing a story for the newspaper about your restaurant, food, or a community event that you are involved in is a good way to get free publicity. By calling the advertising departments of newspapers and magazine to ask for a free listing of special topics that are coming up in the calendar year you will be able to see where your story would be a good fit. Finding this information out for the year will give you time to speak with the editor weeks and months in advance.
Inviting the food editor or reporter from the local newspaper to your restaurant then offer yourself as a source for tips, story ideas, and to keep the reporter in the "know" of the restaurant industry. Eventually this relationship may be one where the reporter calls you instead of you calling them.
A network of other restaurants can be important to have. Reporters will often want more than one source for a story, so creating a network that agrees to refer reporters to each other may benefit you.
Talk radio stations have hours of airtime to fill and they are always looking for interviews with people that their listeners will be interested in. Create a unique angle to your restaurant and give a talk radio host a call.
Writing stories for electronic newsletters and on-line magazines is a great way to get your restaurant mentioned. When someone asks you to write an article make sure you know what kind of people read those types of publications, then, adjust your story to fit their readers. Make sure to give copies of your article to the local and national food columnists.
Using the word expert when you are publishing material about yourself is a good idea. The media will be looking for an expert for their story.
If you have a favorable restaurant review, a clever idea to get positive publicity right in your restaurant is to use the review as a placemat, frame in and put it one the wall, and post it on your website.
There is always a shortage of help that is needed in the restaurant business, when you find a way to attract and then retain employees let the media know about it in one of your articles, stories, or newsletters.
If you have an employee that has an interesting hobby, talent, or that is involved in community service projects suggest a story about them to a reporter. The reporter will ask where the employee works thus providing added publicity for you.
Utilizing different types of magazines is another way to get free publicity. If your restaurant is somewhat of a tourist attraction, even if it is in a small town, you may want to write a story for an in flight magazine. If your restaurant is by a town that has a lot of tourists that come for off road bicycling then writing a story for a cycling magazine would give you added publicity. Be creative
Trade shows are a great place to meet reporters who are looking for a story about trends or new ideas in the industry. Attend trade shows and have a unique idea to show off.
As you can see there are many ways to get free publicity. By following these simple tips and being creative with your ideas you will be on your way to making a name for yourself and your restaurant.
