Restaurant Public Relations Plan
Create a Top-Notch PR Plan for Your Restaurant
I'm working on PR for a new restaurant and thought I'd share my restaurant public relations plan in-the-making. Please feel free to comment or to offer additional ideas.
Start working on your restaurant public relations plan today.
Though I normally write about insurance on Suite101, I’m working on a PR plan for a new restaurant. It occurred to me that this might be of interest to Suite101 restaurant owner /site visitors, too. Let’s start with the public relations plan for your restaurant’s grand opening.
Design a Restaurant Public Relations Plan for Your Grand Opening
- Send out press releases and media alerts two weeks before your restaurant’s grand opening to get coverage in local event calendars and provide location, hours, opening details.
- Make sure your restaurant PR person is at your grand opening to provide a media kit, including a restaurant fact sheet, key employee/owner biographies, menu, promotional items and press releases.
- Have a photographer on hand at your restaurant grand opening for photo opportunities.
- Team with a non-profit for the restaurant grand opening.
- Team with your local chamber association or other local organization for restaurant grand opening.
- Partner with another local event for your restaurant grand opening.
Now that you’re open for business, let’s talk about ongoing PR for your restaurant.
Your Ongoing Public Relations Plan- a Tasty Way to Increase Your Restaurant’s Business
- Create a restaurant PR plan calendar of upcoming events and determine how you’ll capitalize on them.
- Examples might include a national wine month or other food-related “holiday.”
- Team up with a local art show or other local event for more press.
- Partner with local organizations like your Chamber of Commerce to boost your ongoing public relations plan.
- Start your own annual / semi-annual event- a national wine week or Chardonnay Festival provide excellent restaurant PR.
- Become a news source to capitalize on your restaurant PR plan. Invite food editors to your restaurant; offer ideas for their columns. Let your local radio and TV stations and trade associations know you’re the go-to person for stories on food pairings and party preparation.
- Work with other business owners to combine resources for your public relations plan (you hang their art, they have your menus).
- Establish a loyalty program as part of your public relations plan. Start by collecting customer e-mails and permissions.
Provide Informational Education and Informational Tips with an Online Public Relations Plan
Use online press releases, your Web site, blogging, social networks and e-mail to market your restaurant. Ideas for your online restaurant PR plan include:
- Best wine pairings for dinner.
- Best recipes for holiday parties.
- Best recipes for working families.
- Informally partnering with the National wine month with recipe ideas.
Piggyback With Restaurant PR Opportunities in Your Area and Increase The Public’s Appetite for Your Restaurant
- Sponsor a run- work with local running organizations or retail outfits in your area on a marathon public relations plan.
- Host Singles night- Partner with a local organization and drive hungry singletons to your restaurant.
- Offer a wine tasting event to drive locals into the door- then dazzle them with your menu!
E-mail the writer, Lisa Nichols, with suggestions about restaurant public relations plans or start a discussion on this topic.
