PUBLIC RELATIONS
Part three of three
e m a G t n e r e f f i D A P l ay i n g
Written by Jason Barrett
he modern craft spirits industry is an incredibly dynamic, ever evolving, and competitive market. Growth in our industry is being driven by several factors, including consumer interest in craft spirits, popularity of craft cocktails, and an increased interest in premium products. Today, competition remains high, both within our industry and from other beverage categories. All these factors mean that there is a constant need for craft beverage producers to differentiate themselves in this increasingly crowded and volatile marketplace. One way to help your brand stand out is through a solid public relations strategy. But what is PR, really? According to the Public Relations Society of America, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” PR can be an incredibly valuable tool for craft spirits and distilling companies of all sizes and one that we at Black Button Distilling have used extensively — and we see the results. One of the reasons we utilize public relations is because of its high return on investment (ROI). The cost per customer impression is much lower than most opportunities to buy media. PR also carries significantly more impact with consumers than traditional advertising. Any solid public relations strategy should be aligned with your business strategy, as PR can help achieve specific business goals. So, before you jump into strategy, determine your objective.
Common PR Objectives
Build brand awareness: First and foremost, PR can help craft spirits producers raise awareness of their brand and, with time, establish their brand as a leader in the craft spirits industry. This can be done through a variety of strategies and tactics, such as pitching stories to the media, organizing events, and developing social media campaigns. PR can help earn positive media coverage in local, regional, national, and/or trade publications that helps create “buzz” around your brand and can also be especially helpful around the launch of a new product. Expand into new markets: PR can help craft distillers expand into new markets by building relationships with media, influencers, and other stakeholders in those markets. But remember your target audience. There’s no point in sending a press release to the media in Texas if your primary customers are in California. Always keep your intended audience — and their preferred communication channels and media consumption habits — in mind. W W W . ARTISANSPIRITMAG . C O M
Generate positive word-of-mouth: PR can help get people talking about your brand and related products and partnerships. This can be done by securing positive reviews from reviewers, influencers, and consumers. When we launch a new product, we actively seek out reviews and then use those reviews to help us and our partners sell the product. Introduce new partnerships: What good is a new partnership with another brand if no one knows about it? Use PR to get the word out among the media and other key audiences. But, before you communicate about your partnership, make sure that both brands sign off on the communication to avoid confusion and make sure everyone is on the same page. Be sure that the way you describe your partnership aligns with the way your partner would describe it and be sure that the timing of your announcement works for both parties. Build relationships with key stakeholders: PR is vital to building relationships with stakeholders like the media, distributors, and retailers — relationships that can be key to success in this industry. To build these relationships you could be prepared with earned media placements and backstories that you can share to demonstrate knowledge, connections, and status in the industry — which in turn shows that you can be a trusted partner. Managing Crisis: PR is also helpful during times of crisis, something we learned at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when we were called upon by our state government to make hand sanitizer on a massive scale. We used our connections in the media to source new suppliers of critical ingredients, and to direct consumers on how to purchase these much-needed supplies in a safe and sane manner. We also worked with local and state legislators to get key laws changed in short order so our team could conduct this important work quickly and efficiently. If we had not had many years of trusted relationships built up with the local media, I do not think that these things could have happened. Increase sales: PR can help companies to increase sales by raising awareness of the brand and in turn, driving traffic to the brand’s website and retail locations. Our distillers have been featured on numerous local morning shows to demonstrate how to make cocktails at home. Each time, this has driven an increase in placements in the local area as well as an uptick in DTC orders in that location.
PR can help achieve specific business goals
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Once you know what you want to achieve through PR, there are several different PR strategies and tactics that craft spirits and distilling companies can use. The best strategy for any company depends on a range of factors, including the company's objective, target audience, and budget. 93