Knowing how to give a great media interview – and get the most out of it for your brand – is key to bringing more exposure to your restaurant name, concept or initiative.

But wanting and securing more earned media for your restaurant business requires practice in planning, strategizing, connecting, and execution to get the best results.

As media specialists, our team of Marketing + Communications professionals, led by VSAG Vice President, Jennifer Motruk Loy, know the importance of sending a clear, concise, and consistent message through various media outlets to get the recognition your concept deserves.

Some of our top line strategies to achieving success through a great media interview are:

1. Know Your Brand: Inside & Out. Developing clear, concise key messages to illustrate your brand to your target audience is crucial. Create your pitch and subsequent interview talking points based on these messages. A quick bullet list of key terms, phrases, highlights, and notable facts that set you apart: What is your vision? What are the top five brand elements/points you want noticed? What makes your concept unique?
2. Know Your Target Audience: Who is Your Target Demographic? Researching area demographics, likes/dislikes of your audience, and such are key to developing your media package. Making sure your overall approach and pitch is on point, and knowing what to say to your audience will help get more bang for your buck. Then, strategically target media that speak directly to your demographic and craft talking points in a personal, familiar yet always professional tone.
3. Know Your Expectations: What Results Do You Seek? Whether your media pitch includes contacting media salespeople for purchasing traditional advertising in local newspapers, magazines, city/hotel guides, through auxiliary centers, local parishes, etc. or a more elaborate tactic, you need a plan. Connect with likeminded businesses to cross-promote, advertise and/or write a brand blurb and hyperlink on your website and theirs. Reach out to their audiences to create buzz for special events or promotions. Consider a more comprehensive local public relations campaign using social media. And no matter what: always have a simple and concise playbook to outline strategies, and stay targeted on results.
4. Know When to Get Help. If still apprehensive about creating a media pitch/interview playbook, then it might be time to invest in researching and hiring a reputable marketing + communications agency to provide consultation and initial advisory support and direction. With clear direction and best practices in hand, you can integrate tactics that work to create buzz for your brand into your media campaign strategies going forward.

Giving a great media interview and knowing how to leverage media coverage and potential exposure is about getting recognition for all the positive things you’ve done and are planning to do.

photo courtesy of journalism.org