Restaurant Public Relations Builds Credibility, Restaurant Advertising Breeds Skepticism
The late entertainer Will Rogers once said, �All I know is just what I
read in the papers.� Restaurant Public Relations generates news
coverage, and news coverage builds credibility. The objective of
Restaurant Public Relations is to tell your story through third-party
outlets, primarily the media. People believe what they read in
newspapers and magazines, what they hear on the radio and what they see
on television. People are skeptical of what they see in a restaurant
advertisement.
Many
restaurant advertising campaigns are mathematical successes
and marketing failures. Restaurant advertising may reach it's intended
mass audience with enough frequency and still not increase sales of the
product or service. The emphasis of Restaurant PR is not on reach or
frequency, but the credentials of the medium and the quality of the
placement.
A published article or a broadcast story on radio
and television is more credible than the most well placed restaurant
advertisement. Credibility is critical. Consumers will trust a feature
in Car & Driver or Consumer Reports describing why the Ford Taurus
is the best in its class more than they will a slick advertisement from
Ford claiming that it stands above the competition. Volvo didn�t gain
its reputation of safety through advertising. Instead, it gained
consumer trust through publicity from stories like its invention of the
three-point lap-and-shoulder safety belt.
In an attempt to fool
readers, some companies even attempt to create restaurant advertising
that is designed to look like features. These are known as
advertorials. Publications; however, make sure readers are aware the
advertorial is paid restaurant advertising thus eliminating credibility
in the minds of readers.
Restaurant Public Relations Is Not Intrusive, Restaurant Advertising is
In
one of Aesop�s fables, the sun and the wind disagreed about who was the
stronger of the two. They saw a man walking down the road, so they
decided to settle the dispute by seeing who could make him take off his
coat. The wind took its turn first. The harder the wind blew, the more
closely the man wrapped his coat around him. The sun then began to
shine, and it wasn�t long before the man felt the sun�s warmth and
removed his coat.
Like the wind in Aesop�s fable,
restaurant advertising is often perceived as an imposition.
The harder the sell, the harder the wind blows and the harder the
prospect resists the sales message. Restaurant public relations is like
the sun. It leads to action and produces results subtly by presenting
its message through an objective third party � the media.
Restaurant Public Relations Is Cost-Effective, Restaurant Advertising is Costly
Some
business executives have the wrong impression that, because it appears
on television or in a slick, glossy magazine, a restaurant advertising
is worth the expense. History has shown that, even though a commercial
may have entertainment value, it doesn�t move consumers to purchase the
product. People enjoyed the Pets.com sock puppet, but apparently not
enough to purchase their pet products online. David Leisure was funny
as Joe Isuzu, but his comedic advertisements did not cause a rush at
Isuzu dealerships.
It would be difficult to find an executive
who would prefer seeing his company�s ads on TV instead of a news
feature in Forbes or Fortune. The article builds credibility, positions
the company as an industry leader and generates awareness without
costing a penny.
Some people believe that the higher the
price, the greater the value. In the case of restaurant advertising,
figures indicate companies pay Rolex prices for Timex value. Brands are
best built with a long-term public relations plan, not a short-term
advertising blitz.
Restaurant Public Relation�s Life Span Is Longer than Restaurant Advertising
To
the typical consumer, an ad is like a butterfly. Its life span is
short-lived. This isn�t the case with restaurant public relations. A
well-placed story can reap benefits for an extended period. The
fundamental restaurant public relations strategy is to place a story in
one publication and move it up the ladder to another magazine or
newspaper, or transfer it to another medium such as radio or
television. A story can also be sent down the ladder. For example, an
article in the Wall Street Journal often later appears in smaller
publications, further enhancing the story�s effectiveness.
When determining whether to spend your marketing budget on restaurant public relations or
restaurant advertising, weigh the importance of credibility,
cost-effectiveness and a positive corporate image. Though your
restaurant public relations campaign may not be as expansive, the
figures show that in the eyes and minds of consumers, what they see and
read in the media is has more of an impact and is more viable than what
they see and read in advertisements � making the phrase, �Restaurant
advertising you pay for, restaurant public relations you pray for,�
fact and not just an old adage. High-volume restaurants, chain
restaurants and leading supplier companies looking for cost-effective
marketing should first consider restaurant public relations as a tool.
Effective restaurant public relations can create record sales for your
company and often for less than the cost of a single newspaper ad or
billboard.
If restaurant advertising isn�t working for
you, strongly consider appropriating 15% - 30% of your total
promotional budget on an effective restaurant public relations
campaign. You�ll find both short-term and long-term gains from this
approach that will have a positive cumulative impact far greater than
traditional restaurant advertising approaches.
Contact us to find out how Quantified Marketing Group can help your restaurant.
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