The power of PR to boost growing QSRs
For years the Australian QSR industry has been dominated by major players that flex their marketing muscles to the tune of tens of millions of dollars each year, using TV commercials, sporting sponsorships and celebrity endorsements to build their brands.
However, new players like Grill’d, Crust Gourmet Pizza Bars, Souvlakihut, and Mad Mex are shaking up the QSR industry with ground-breaking concepts, and they’re not going unnoticed. Compared to the major brands these companies have limited marketing budgets, however they are investing in PR and communications to cut through, make some noise and get the attention they deserve.
For growing QSRs, public relations is a cost-effective way to attract not only customers but employees, suppliers and prospective investors. Public relations – often defined as the management of communication between an organisation and its publics – encompasses a wide range of communications activity and can achieve more bang for your buck than traditional advertising. Consider paying $5,000 to a PR agency to pitch your story to several newspapers, versus $50,000 for a newspaper advertisement – not to mention that with PR a journalist is giving your message credibility.
Across the board there is a shift to increase investment in public relations instead of traditional advertising as media consumption becomes increasingly fragmented. Target audiences are becoming more elusive and harder to reach, and companies need smarter, more targeted methods of communicating with their customers.
On the flip side, consumers are expecting more from companies than ever before, asking for a transparent view of where ingredients are sourced, your corporate social responsibility initiatives and even benefits for staff. It has never been more important to manage your company’s reputation properly, and this is particularly true for growing businesses in the early stages of building awareness.
Consumers no longer rely solely on press or advertising to decide what to buy. According to the Australian Centre for Retail Studies, about 50% of people research their next purchase online before they head in-store and purchase, and this is not limited to big-ticket items. Your customers are likely viewing your menu or nutritional information online before settling on what’s for dinner. Social media and online networks enable consumers to investigate their options, share recommendations, and give real-time feedback on their experiences with a brand or product.
Social media such as blogs, discussion forums, video sharing and social networking sites give companies a golden opportunity to cost-effectively communicate directly with their customers, and QSRs are increasingly turning to PR to manage these online conversations.
For growing QSRs, clever and effective use of PR can help your business stand out from the crowd.
By Carrie Morgan
Account Manager at Keep Left
[email protected]
