Public Relations To Obtain Media Coverage
Public relations, or PR as it is known, is a superb way of marketing (though little used by licensees). It should be at the top of your list of ways to promote your pub. It is little used by licensees only because most of them think it is more complicated than it actually is. PR done well can generate media coverage free of charge, which would cost you an equivalent of hundreds or thousands of pounds in paid advertising. Two ways of obtaining free media coverage are:
- issuing press releases;
- building relationships with journalists.
Newspapers, magazines and radio stations are always looking for stories. By contacting them and providing them with details of something of interest about your pub, you can often get free coverage. To do this, send a press release to the editor or telephone their news desk. To stand a chance of getting coverage you will have to inform them of something that will be of interest to their readers or listeners. You will stand a better chance of publication if your news item is:
- weird;
- unusual;
- funny;
- frightening;
- linked to local issues;
- linked to local history;
- very important;
- about awards you have received;
- about famous people or celebrities;
- about animals.
When planning any events for your pub, try to add a twist to them in order to get them publicised. Run-of-the-mill happenings and events will be of little interest to journalists. For example, a worm-charming competition is much more newsworthy than a karaoke competition!
You have the option of notifying the press and local radio before the event is due to take place, in the hope that they will come along, or you can notify them afterwards. In which case you should include some good quality photographs for the press so that they can use them in any article they publish.
It is quite possible to ‘manufacture’ your own news stories, but you will have to be very convincing. Make sure you are not seen making the crop circles in your beer garden!