How To Shout About Your Success In The Food And Drink World

With a flourishing food and drink scene in the region, how should bars and restaurants differentiate themselves from the competition – Karol's communications and events team offer their top tips

The nation’s palate has developed a taste for eating out with new restaurants and bars at an all-time high across the UK. The North East has an abundance of quality food and drink establishments, so fortunately, we’re never short of new places to visit.

With the enormity of choice, the challenge for business owners is maintaining a high level of demand in a market offering consumers every type of cuisine or dining experience imaginable. The solution? Take the time to distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd. Competition in the food and drink and hospitality industries is incredibly fierce so you need to be creative to ensure your offering remains fresh and current. Unfortunately there isn’t a ‘one time fix’ – it’s a constant work in progress as the industry moves at such a pace. With the post-festive lull upon us, diners tightening the purse strings and opting for home-cooked meals and dry January in full force, it’s an ideal time to evaluate where your business is positioned in the market and put plans in place for the year ahead.

To get started, follow these three steps: 1. How has your business evolved? It may sound obvious but spend time getting to know your business. Has your target audience changed? Get to know them and the media they consume: print, online, radio, TV and social media. Determine who your local competition is. Who are they reaching with their offering? What are they doing differently to your business? Analyse past events you’ve held and projects you’ve been involved in to see what worked and what didn’t.

2. What are your newsworthy stories? Having a consistent ‘drip-feed’ of positive news in the media helps to keep you at the forefront of people’s minds and attract new customers. This could be something as simple as a regular column in your local newspaper mixed with online news and opinion pieces. Think about your business as a whole and pick out the stories that make you different. Perhaps it’s the launch of a new craft beer that no one else serves in the region, a one-off collaboration with a high profile chef, or a themed whisky and chocolate

tasting evening. You might not have all the ingredients for newsworthy hooks as such, but use what you do have as a foundation to build upon either through collaborating with other businesses or working with local events.

3. Build your presence in your region The lure of national press is always tempting, but it’s vital to build your presence in the region. Think about who your customers trust – whether that’s local press, bloggers or influencers, who are the advocates you need to cultivate for your brand. Think of ways to engage these advocates. Events like NE1’s Newcastle Restaurant Week provide great opportunities as journalists and bloggers will be looking for participating businesses to profile. Make sure you stand out from the crowd. The personal touch always helps. Personalise invitations to events or take the time to pick up the phone. Remember your USPs – what makes you different. Finally, don’t forget about visitors to the region. Make sure your business is profiled in local tourist and travel guides.