Several years ago, a restaurateur whose approach to marketing could best be described as “old school” told me that “marketing and public relations come down to the quality of food and wines, and above all, to the service we provide to our patrons.” In a time ruled by social media, is this focus on quality smart or short-sighted?
Today, marketers and publicists have many tools at their disposal: from targeted newsletters to invitations to exclusive events. Not to be outdone, the next generation of restaurateurs, chefs and sommeliers have social media accounts where they can share their special recipe creations, a rarely found bottle of wine, or photos of their redesigned million-dollar cellars.
Although social media can be effective for some, it’s no silver bullet. The rate of restaurants going out of business after the first couple of years (or earlier) remains high despite the rising influence of bloggers, foodies and social media experts. The paying public may turn to Facebook for a first impression, but it’s the quality of the food, wine or service that will make the lasting impression.
The challenge of PR
“It’s tricky,” says Paul Decampo, a teacher-turned-winery marketing director. “I believe in earned PR rather than paid PR, but PR surely has a role, especially when you over-deliver and exceed expectations.”
Food and wine make you think. Therefore, we have to consider the intellectual value of our product, its message, and how that message is communicated. In Decampo’s case, “advocating good, clean, fair and sustainable” gastronomy, as well as “treating the staff fairly,” is the righteous way. I couldn’t agree more about this healthy philosophy. Perhaps it is what has kept him in the business for so long and still going strong.
As Decampo reminds us: “What other people say matters more than what you say about yourself and your business. You can’t fake deliciousness; everything comes down, ultimately, to what’s on the plate.” And, I would add, what’s in the bottle, and how we make guests feel about their dining experience.
Focus on quality
When it comes to marketing a foodservice business or product such as wine, well-executed PR campaigns can be expensive. There are still ways for even the most budget-conscious restaurateurs to promote their businesses, though, provided they’re willing to do some of the work in-house. Creative, homegrown publicity opportunities will always exist provided the focus stays squarely on the quality of the product being served.
At the same time, any restaurant that thinks that quality will make up for a missing marketing campaign needs to be mindful of the competition. As Toronto chef Michael Pataran told me recently, “Standing behind the sheer quality of one’s product is no longer enough. Quality will always be important, but advertising and marketing have become the way of keeping restaurants relevant, socially cool, and most importantly, busy.”
Remember, in 2015, there’s equal access to information between buyers and sellers. The stories we tell about the products we sell must always be true – our reputation depends on it! It only makes sense that we’d want potential customers to think the best of us, and the easiest way to ensure that is to deliver a high-quality experience each and every time.
About the author:
Sommelier Zoltan Szabo is a hospitality consultant offering wine sourcing and staff training services to restaurants. Check out his website www.zszabo.com or follow him on Twitter @zoltanszabo. E-mail Zoltan at [email protected].
