Pub PR – How to Get Positive PR for Pubs?
Pub PR or pub relations is an important part of the marketing mix for a successful pub business.
PR comes in different forms, but one of the most important is getting in press related articles.
Not only do you get the traffic from these sources, but you get valuable backlinks to be able to rank on the search engines.
In the UK, pubs are the go-to destination for people of all masses and classes.
As pubs proliferate, adopting truly effective marketing strategies to carve a niche for yourself becomes imperative.
A highly recommended option is to implement PR for pubs.
With well-executed PR strategies, your pub will reap multiple benefits – gain traction, boost sales, and grow customers – to name a few.
If you are a pub business, you may think of this as an overwhelming process.
Read on to delve into some of the best ways to get PR for pubs and how to leverage them to achieve the desired outcomes.
12 simple yet effective ways to get PR for pubs to boost your sales
1. Don’t hesitate to update your customers
2. Get the support of journalists
3. Leveraging the benefits of local press
4. Exploit visual content to the maximum
5. Use paid media
6. Bring in social media influencers
7. Offer promotions and discounts
8. Adopt a customer-centric approach
9. Partner with other businesses
10. Train your staff to carve the best customer experiences
11. Track and respond to all online reviews
12. Leverage the power of events and partnerships
1. Don’t hesitate to update your customers
As a pub business, you must have an online presence.
Not just that, you need to keep your customers and prospects abreast of your milestones or any significant improvements.
Whether you recently celebrated your venue’s anniversary, donated to a charity, or at the least wish to introduce your top staff, bring it to your audience’s notice.
You have multiple channels – newsletters, social media, or website – leverage the medium and let your customers stay tuned to your “ways” of working.
Additionally, even the prospects get to know a flavor of your pub, which might increase your chances of turning them into long-standing customers.
2. Get the support of journalists
When it comes to PR for pubs, the role of journalists can’t be overstated.
There are various options out there that let small businesses gain visibility by responding to specific queries of reporters wherein they seek industry experts’ guidance.
Through these techniques, you build your brand and enhance the popularity of your venue.
3. Leveraging the benefits of local press
While pub PR certainly involves reporters, narrowing it down to those in your local area will boost your pub further.
Try checking out bloggers and reporters in your area who are experts in crafting engaging articles, blogs, and reviews. Reach out to them and target getting more outreach for your pub through their influence.
Additionally, involving local press to cover your events relating to charity or other community welfare initiatives will significantly bolster your presence, ensuring a strong PR for your pub.
4. Exploit visual content to the maximum
It’s a known fact that audiences are more attracted to vibrant photographs and images than heavy chunks of text.
Always use great visuals of your pub’s interiors and exteriors on your online platforms.
Besides, it makes sense to include eye-catching pictures of delectable dishes from your menu on your website.
This will attract customers and let you garner the attention of reporters who usually like their news stories to be accompanied by a great visual.
5. Use paid media
Quite often, pub businesses ignore an option that’s actually much more effective.
This is the medium of paid advertising.
Through both pay-per-click ads and paid content on various major local and national dailies and magazines, you can bolster your unique selling proposition, expand your outreach, and boost your business.
6. Bring in social media influencers
As social media took center stage, the popularity and importance of influencers have considerably increased.
Reach out to influencers who you know love your pub’s dishes and will strongly endorse your brand, thereby expanding your audience.
Word-of-mouth advertising still dominates all other forms, so it’s an amazing idea to get an endorsement from a trusted local influencer in your area whose words will significantly impact your audience.
7. Offer promotions and discounts
Providing offers and discounts to customers is a great way to bring in more prospects and increase your visibility.
Use schemes like “Buy one Get One Free,” or loyalty programs to capture your audiences’ attention.
Most importantly, post these on social media to spread the information and establish your strong online presence.
8. Adopt a customer-centric approach
Most pub businesses create and post content targeting their achievements, products, and such on their channels.
The rule is to go for customer-oriented content focusing on their challenges, tastes, preferences, and options.
That doesn’t imply that you must not showcase your items or services, but the secret to boosting your brand lies in developing content that resonates with their interests and psychology.
As a result, a “you” in your website and other channels will produce a much more positive impact than a “we.”
9. Partner with other businesses
As a business intent on pub PR, it makes sense to join hands with other organizations and form mutually beneficial partnerships.
For example, supporting a college’s fundraising initiatives, say, through selling tickets for their upcoming event, can prove to be a smart yet effective way to build your brand.
PR for pubs can be carried out in multiple ways by partnering with other companies or organizations with little investment but maximizing returns.
10. Train your staff to carve the best customer experiences
Customers are the key players in amplifying your pub’s PR.
How your staff caters to them at the venue, their gestures, and their best demeanor all significantly contribute to the impressions they form on your guests.
Make sure your staff exhibits a perfect demeanor that aligns with your brand and creates remarkable experiences for your customers.
11. Track and respond to all online reviews
Yet another powerful tool to enhance PR for pubs is to promptly and earnestly respond to customer reviews of your pub posted on various online platforms.
With pubs growing, your potential customers are likely to rely more on reviews of your existing customers to make a decision.
While some reviews may be a little away from “positive,” they always exhibit your business sense and professionalism by being responsive to all your customer comments.
That way, you will attract new customers while forging stronger relationships with existing customers.
12. Leverage the power of events and partnerships
One of the most effective ways to generate buzz and positive PR for your pub is to host or participate in local events and partnerships.
This can involve anything from sponsoring a neighborhood festival to collaborating with other businesses to create a unique experience for your customers.
For example, you could partner with a local brewery to host a beer-tasting event featuring their newest brews.
Or, you could collaborate with a live music venue to offer a special package deal that includes dinner at your pub and tickets to a concert.
These types of events not only provide valuable exposure for your pub but also create memorable experiences for your customers that they are likely to share with their friends and family.
Additionally, partnering with other businesses can help you reach a wider audience and tap into new customer demographics.
Wrapping up
PR for pubs is a proven strategy to boost sales, enhance online presence, and get more customers. While there are several options to gain traction,
In the case of pubs, focusing on PR is highly lucrative with relatively quicker results.
Follow some of the ways to get pub PR outlined in the blog and let your venue stand out!
