With the explosive impact that social media has had on Irish society in recent years, building a brand through storytelling continues to increasingly be a fundamental element of creating awareness and driving sales for food businesses in Ireland. More often than not, public relations can be an essential piece to the marketing jigsaw for any Irish food business that is engaging in digital and social media marketing efforts or indeed any other traditional marketing strategies.
Choosing to hire a public relations agency can seem like a daunting move for Irish food business owners as it can often be difficult to understand how they measure the return gained from engaging with these companies. In order to determine which of the agencies will be the best PR agency in Ireland for your food business to work with, we’ve put together a list of points to consider to help you make your decision.
Outline What You Want To Achieve
Before you endeavour on your quest to find the best PR agency in Ireland for your food business, take a moment to outline what your core goals and objectives for the partnership will be.
What is the core focus of your campaign – are you looking for guidance on how to develop the brand of your food business from the ground up or do you want to foster the growth of the brand awareness of an existing product/business?
If you don’t have previous experience of public relations, communications or marketing and are starting out in business, then working with a public relations agency with a proven track record of clients in the startup phase will be crucial to the success of your campaign.
Choosing an agency with this experience means they will better understand your position and have the existing knowledge on how to help you build the foundation you will need in order to develop an understanding of marketing your business. Similarly, if your aim is drive engagement between your customers and your existing food business you should seek a PR agency with experience in this field – one who have the contacts and know how to help you execute a successful campaign with quantitative results.
With the importance of social media and digital marketing in marketing strategies on the rise, choosing an PR agency in Ireland with an expert knowledge of this field will also help to give your food business that competitive edge.
Decide On Your Budget
Often PR agencies in Ireland will require retainer fees or minimum length contracts so it is important to have an idea of what you type of financial commitment your Irish food business can afford. For example, an Irish restaurant owner who is simply looking to promote a once-off event is not going to fit well with a PR agency which requires a yearly retainer fee. Instead they should aim to find a PR agency in Ireland which has flexible packaging.
Choose A PR Agency That Knows Your Industry
If you are a food business owner, then choosing a PR Agency which specialises in the Irish food industry means they will have a better understanding of what makes your food business unique. In a successful PR Agency, Irish food business owners will find a partner that is equipped to develop a plan that keeps everyone on track, accountable and provide direction to maximise emerging opportunities.
A food marketing agency which specialises in working with businesses in the Irish food industry is more likely to have the relationships, expertise and sense on how best to pitch your story effectively to the publications and journalists who are most influential in the Irish food industry.
Ask For PR Results
When deciding which public relations agency is the best choice for your Irish food business, it is important to ask for evidence of past campaigns to ensure they are capable of getting you the great PR results you are looking for. It’s a marketers job to be able to talk the talk so by asking them for solid samples of past media coverage, portfolios of past client work, examples of successful events or clips of broadcast interviews you will be able to make sure you are making the right choice for your Irish food business. Explore their website and look for evidence of what current and previous clients (add hyperlink) they have worked with and find out what they have to say about their experience with the public relations agency.
Find An Agency Which You Trust
Finding a PR agency that shares similar values to that of you and your food business is probably one of the most crucial elements in choosing which PR agency is the right fit. It is also often the one that is most forgotten.
By selecting a PR team that are there to work with you and help you achieve your business goals, you are far more likely to achieve the objectives you have previously outlined for your Irish food business. A PR Agency should feel like a supportive business partner rather than an external agency, so it is important that the relationship feels right making it important for you to trust your intuition.
By following these tips, selecting the best PR agency in Ireland for your food business will allow you to find a public relations company that understands your brand and will work best with you to achieve your business objectives. Speak to the agencies which you feel are suited to your business and then find out how they think they can help you achieve your needs before making a decision.
If you are a food business owner looking for a public relations company then, Food PR & Communications may be the right choice for you so feel free to get in touch with us by emailing [email protected].
