Tag: PR Strategy

Should Podcasts be a Part of Your PR Strategy?

by Rebecca Strauss

With 41% of Americans listening to at least one podcast every month, it’s no secret that the industry is experiencing extremely high popularity at the moment. 

If you’re part of the 41% of listeners (or even if you’re not, and you’re just curious), you may be wondering if podcasts should be a part of your PR strategy. We’ll break down all the reasons why you should incorporate podcasts into your media outreach –- and a few key tips for getting started.

For the purpose of this blog, we’ll focus on four main benefits podcasts provide that play into key public relations activities: telling your story, establishing yourself as a thought leader, getting in front of niche audiences, and creating shareable content. 

Tell more of your story, in your own words

While a news story is often limited in words and your comments may be edited down to a few key sentences, a podcast can be anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour in length. If you get the opportunity to participate in a podcast interview, you can tell your or your brand’s story in an extended format. It’s a great chance to let potential customers or users get to know you in more detail and depth, through your own narrative.

Establish yourself as a thought leader

If you have knowledge of public relations, you know how powerful thought leadership can be. A podcast is an opportunity to position yourself or a senior leadership figure of your brand as a thought leader in your industry – an expert in their field who people can turn to for advice, insights, expertise, and wisdom. 

You can use podcasts as an additional platform to share your unique expertise and perspectives on a topic over time, which will help you build credibility in your industry and develop trust with your audience. Contributing your ideas to a podcast is a puzzle piece in the process of establishing yourself as a thought leader; the more you put your ideas out there, the more you will start to be seen as a go-to authority in your industry. As you build your brand as someone who can be trusted on a topic, it can ultimately lead to more speaking or comment opportunities.

Expose yourself to new, niche audiences

With over 4.1 million active podcasts registered worldwide, podcast series need to cater to a specific niche in order to stand out and attract listeners. A podcast can cover topics as broad as the daily world news, or as narrow as a microtrend in fashion, and listeners know exactly what kind of content they’ll get when they put in their headphones for the latest episode. If you can find a podcast series that fits your brand’s niche, you’re almost guaranteed a captive and interested audience.

Create evergreen, shareable content 

Once your podcast has been released, you can turn the episode into small, snackable audio clips that can be repurposed for a variety of things, including social media posts, supporting assets for pitches, or interesting content for your next newsletter. Some podcasts will even capture video while recording the podcast, which can be an even better addition to your social media calendar. 

This benefit also ties back into thought leadership, as sharing podcast interview material on your social channels can help you increase your executive visibility on social media.  

Recap and tips 

Whether you’re doing your own public relations or you have a PR firm or PR team helping you promote your brand, utilizing podcasts is a great way to find a captivated audience, create evergreen content, and share more of your story and expertise. 

If you’re interested in being a guest on a podcast, here are a few tips to keep in mind when getting started: 

  • Do your research — know the podcast’s audience, niche, and whether or not they interview guests in their episodes before you reach out.
  • Fine-tune your unique selling points — be ready to explain why you would be a great guest for this specific podcast, in just a few sentences. If you have them, include any relevant clips from other speaking engagements to showcase your abilities.  
  • Be patient — you most likely won’t land a spot on your dream podcast immediately, but getting yourself and your bio out there can be a great start.  

5 Strategies To Make The Most Of Your Restaurant (Re)Launch

by Sean Funkhouser

The restaurant industry is an interesting animal. It’s one of the most riveting and communal industries to be a part of yet also one of the most challenging. Though we’re all a bit fatigued by reflecting on the pandemic’s impact, so many restaurant owners are still hurting from this unpredictable era. So where is the silver lining? Despite the challenges, the past few years have shown an impressive level of grit, community, and nimble course correction, with employees stepping up to the plate to cover shifts of sick colleagues and go above and beyond their pay grade to adapt to operational pivots.

As the industry has finally begun to experience the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s more important than ever to build a solid foundation in every area of your restaurant business, especially if you’re getting started from the ground up or launching a new concept.

With a refreshed mindset in 2022 and restaurant fans excited for the next big launch, it’s crucial for restauranteurs to hone in and sharpen their plans when it comes to openings. We’ve pared down our thoughts to five essential strategies that will ensure your launch is a success and builds the momentum needed to stay in the game.

1. Timing is Everything

The media is one of the most powerful resources for restaurant owners, and timing out your strategy is something worth overthinking. Whether you’re an established restauranteur or an industry newbie, you have to keep your local, regional, and national customer base informed. From the moment you sign the lease on your new space, that’s your first opportunity for press coverage that helps build anticipation. Engaging with a PR firm to map out a timeline is one of the best investments you can make. Depending on your restaurant and existing reputation, your team will analyze the best (and most realistic) outlets, as well as your viability for exclusives, which typically offer a greater quality of coverage, along with more clicks and shares. Building out the right media/influencer list and release timeline takes a huge piece of the puzzle off your plate, so you can focus on the dozens of moving parts involved with staffing, design, and finessing your menu.

2. Do overbudget on photography

As mentioned, the restaurant industry is tough… and it’s notorious for slim profit margins. However, if there’s one area of promotions where you should never pinch pennies, it’s photography. Your competition varies depending on your location, but great photography should always be viewed as a bare minimum investment no matter who you’re up against. Think about how much money was poured into fine-tuning your space, design, branding, and menu. Your business deserves visuals that do it justice. Round-up coverage and ‘Best of’ lists are just important as reviews in driving traffic, and media always prioritize great photography when it comes to picking out lead images for their content.

3. Extend Your Launch Timeframe

Like any great vacation or celebration, longer is usually better. Don’t feel constrained to hosting one event and calling it a day. Consider one or two “friends and family” nights to kick things off, using those as the training ground for new staff to work out any kinks with service and the kitchen. From there, take a day or two to soft launch, keeping things quiet while staff continues to gain their footing. Then, depending on the size of your city and your invite list, set aside one or two nights for your official launch. Have your PR team build a list of key media, influencers, and industry stakeholders, with RSVPs to ensure your staff is up-to-speed on who will be in attendance on which nights.

4. Go Big With Your Invite List

Look to your PR team to optimize your invite strategy, but don’t be afraid to go big with your list. If you need to spread things out over a full weekend, it’s better to have more big names in attendance than less, and offering them the chance at exclusivity will maximize the quality of coverage and word-of-mouth impact (since you’re still the newest spot on the block).

5. Rub Every Elbow In The Room

Launching a new concept is one of the best times to network. The story behind your restaurant is most well-received and anticipated by key industry players during the launch phase. Take the time to float around and chat with every table, thanking them for coming in and asking for any feedback. If your team is doing things right, those in attendance will make for great lasting relationships. An influencer who had an enjoyable time and connected with the owner is much more likely to return in the future, continue to promote your business (often at little to no expense) and invite their other influential friends. The same goes for media and potential investors down the line.

Ready to get started with your customized PR program? When we work together, your brand does more than show up. It shows up with a story, a purpose, a unique reason for being – and it makes an impact.

[email protected]

Connect

  • San Francisco
  • ...And Anywhere There's Wifi