News
Spreading the word
How to win at the PR game without losing your shirt.
April 16, 2008
An effective, affordable public relations strategy these days doesn't start with choosing which newspapers to target. Instead, it begins with deciding exactly how you will define your public relations effort in the first place.
In traditional circles, marketing is the umbrella strategy of promoting your product's image and price to potential customers, with one tool — public relations — positioning your story. Meanwhile, advertising creates a message space you control. Those basic lines still are clear to media experts but are not so intuitive to business owners.
"Franchisees to this day call the media to ask, ‘When is my ad running?' when they mean article. They don't understand that promotion isn't what reporters do for a living," said Rhonda Sanderson, owner of Sanderson & Associations, a Chicago-based PR firm that specializes in franchise concepts. In response, she created PowerPoint programs that explain the difference between the various tools.
And then came Web 2.0, giving restaurant owners a wider choice of media to tell their story, and different audience expectations. Suddenly, it was a new ballgame for entrepreneurs such as Jeff Sinelli, founder and president of Which Wich? in Dallas.
"Before, companies were looking to spread a common message, like ‘Coke is it,'" he said. "Now Coca-Cola has a thousand messages out there, trying to reach the fragmented populations all over the place. You have to spray it out there and put hooks in different avenues to see what bites."
Public relations campaigns also are a great way to reach potential franchisees, in addition to hungry diners, Sanderson notes. The return on investment is typically between$500,000 and $1 million in publicity for an investment of $40,000 to $80,000 a year, she said.
But most fast-casual operators don't need convincing that PR is the right way to go. They just need direction on how to start the journey.
Classic style
Even the hottest Web 2.0 approaches can't ditch a few of the traditional PR rules.
The first thing Sanderson teaches her clients: Ditch the words "biggest" and "best." Audiences — journalists, potential franchisees or diners — tune out these overused adjectives.
PR means showing, not telling. If you struggle with this concept, it's worth the money to hire a professional — even someone still studying for a college degree — to help you shape your message. "The press doesn't have any patience for people who don't get this," Sanderson said.
Second, events are not public relations. A grand opening with free sandwich giveaways will draw the community, but in terms of attracting reporters to write a story about it, it's a big zero. Sanderson learned this painful truth firsthand when she pitched a new chain opening, and the journalist responded,"Big deal. They open 100 a month."
"I only had to hear that once," she said, "and I never pitched it again." Instead, wait a month and then pitch a story about the unexpected surprises that were waiting for a new fast-casual entry to the market.
PR 21st-century style
Getting the media's attention today requires a compelling story wrapped around a good human interest story or a zany stunt that provides good visuals. For instance, a kiddie pool of fresh-made salsa on Cinco de Mayo has attracted local radio stations to broadcast live in front of some Chevys Fresh Mex locations. Additionally, fundraisers that donate a percentage of the day's receipts to a local cause create an opportunity for presentation photos and a newspaper mention of the money raised.
Linda Duke, CEO of Duke Marketing in San Rafael, Calif., suggests restaurant owners contact the promotion directors at local radio stations to schedule a time to deliver food for the DJs and gift cards to give away on the air. Likewise, most local TV stations have morning and noon news shows with a feature segment. Offer to prepare a dish on air for free exposure.
VIP tasting parties for new menu items not only spread the word among the influentials in your community, but where the mayor, city council, school board members and local celebrities go, a reporter usually is sure to follow.
"The media see how popular your place is, and then you need to follow up with a phone call to thank them for coming and offer photos. It's really about creating a relationship with your local media," Duke said.
Sinelli drew reporters from local news channels when he made an over-the-top statement that his new Wicked sandwich would be as iconic as the Big Mac or Whopper.
"Part of having an attractive PR story is standing out from the crowd," he said. "There is a lot of vanilla out there. You have to have flavor to attract different people."
That's why Which Wich? uses different social networking mediums to reach its various audiences. For instance, Sinelli pushes the restaurant's story to his own 1,500 employees via Facebook while MySpace clearly speaks to his customers. Meanwhile, Web sites and blogs address diners and insiders such as vendors and franchise owners.
"How the message is pushed downstream is unique to that channel, but they all have common threads and that's what the brand is based on," Sinelli said.
Best of all, Web 2.0 tools are dirt cheap. When Sinelli reported zero dollars spent onPR during his first year of operations, his accountant just nodded and said, "That's a real nice number to multiply and balance."
Public relations no-nos
When working to get the attention of the press — and ultimately their readers — avoid these common mistakes:
1You can't buy editorial coverage. Just because you forked over some cash for an ad with a newspaper, don't expect them to write a separate story on you, said Sanderson.Yes, small newspapers in particular do use advertisers as sources when they can, but they lose credibility with readers — and take your reputation with them — if they only feature the advertisers. Consequently, if the public doesn't trust the paper's ethics, they won't pick it up to see your name there in any capacity.
2You can't buy a reporter a meal. Inviting the local police or fire chief to a free meal is a smart business move. Extending that invitation to a journalist threatens his objectivity. Most newsrooms won't allow their employees to accept even a cup of coffee from a commercial establishment, says Will Wellens of Quantified Marketing. Instead, include the reporter in a tasting party, where everyone receives samples.
3Most print media shy away from writing reviews of fast-casual chains, but that doesn't mean you won't find an occasional negative review in the newspaper's or consumers' blogs. When possible, contact the negative blogger, ask for details and then answer them, Duke said. "Thank them for the feedback, and give them the background information in an educational, not defensive way," she said. Then walk away. The public realizes this is a platform for opinions and will form theirs on your professional behavior.
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