Restaurants and the hospitality sector were one of the hardest-hit sectors in the UK throughout lockdown with an approximate 10,000 licensed premises closing as a consequence of the pandemic. Now, with restaurants back open at full capacity, the objective for many businesses is to re-engage with consumers and to drive this sector forward. With competition fierce, we examine the benefits of PR and the ways it can help your restaurant to shine.
Increase your visibility
One challenge restaurants face from a PR standpoint is the sheer volume of competition. With many chains and individual restaurants enjoying loyal customer bases and plentiful press coverage, one of the benefits of PR is helping set your restaurant apart within this crowded sector. A benefit of having a good PR agency is that they are not only able to use their relationships with journalists to help you gain coverage in influential media publications, they can also help you formulate key messages around your restaurant and communicate exactly why you’re different.
Raising awareness on a national level can be incredibly effective when attracting tourists from further afield however regional targeting is key if you are opening a new restaurant. As well as a dedicated regional PR push, restaurant owners should also consider their social media strategy in order to target consumers in the region. Using an integrated PR & Social Media approach will help drive footfall and enable restaurant owners to focus on what they know best – food quality and the dine-in experience.
Increase trust and credibility
With the UK restaurant sector back on track and predicted to reach a market value of 11.7bn this year, there is no doubt that food lovers will be dining in and trying their favourite cuisines However, what is it that will make a consumer choose your restaurant over your competitors?
One of the benefits of PR and getting respected publications to review and write about your restaurant is the knock-on effect this has with consumer trust. Spotting a new restaurant that has been reviewed in a publication they trust is likely to not only influence how aware your target audiences are about your restaurant, it will also make them more likely to visit.
Supplementing a traditional media relations campaign with influencer marketing is also becoming increasingly effective in the restaurant PR industry. Engaging with influencers who are trusted and respected by your potential customers will help firstly drive social media conversations about your restaurant but also drive traffic through the door.
Build your personal image
Modern-day customers also want to know your story, and the face of the team/Chef behind the business. Chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Nieves Barragán Mohacho have spent years cultivating their personal reputations and their fame and popularity is one of the many factors that drives customers to their restaurants across the world.
Telling your personal story using PR can be a great way of engaging customers and communicating what it is that makes you stand out.
If you’d be interested in discussing how a PR or Social Media campaign could benefit your restaurant business, get in touch today.
