The Purpose of PR in the Beverage Industry

A client once asked us, “Is PR just a hope in our hearts or will there be an ROI?” As a beverage branding agency, we’ve collaborated and worked with the best public relations professionals in the beverage business and we’ve seen a thing or two while assisting our clients with PR. We can tell you the answer is yes! To both questions. 

Sure, public relations begins as something you do with hope in your heart. You draft up that press release and distribute it or reach out to a few of your nearest and dearest press contacts with the dream of getting a little ink in a publication. However, if done right, it can have a huge impact – both on your bottom line and for your brand awareness.

According to Heather Jones, a publicity expert who owns Heather Jones Consulting in Portland, Oregon, PR done right can create a connection with customers in a unique way. “When working effectively, PR presents an opportunity for media outlets to share [customized] narratives and provide the valuable third-party endorsement that establishes a brand’s credibility and desirability,” she explains.

The right public relations tactics bolster and build up an alcohol marketing strategy of any size. So if you’re looking for the reasons – and the methods – to put into practice today for your distillery brand, we’ve pulled them all together right here. Scroll on for more.

First, Let’s Talk ROI. 

When you think about PR, you might think it’s just sending a ton of emails and waiting for a reply – or even a mention somewhere. Even if you land that big hit in Food & Wine or Eater, will it make a difference – can it sell bottles or maybe draw new customers to your tasting room?

It’s a great question and certainly one you should be asking on behalf of your spirits brand. 

“PR is brand building beyond viral or trendy marketing moments,” says Rachel Sandstrom Morrison, an experienced PR manager based in our home town of Portland, Oregon. “It doesn’t always sell directly, but it encourages customers to buy by making your brand top of mind with the right associations.”

Whenever you consider a public relations strategy, you need to consider your goal. And it has to be more than: getting mentioned on Kim Kardashian’s Instagram.

As you set out to build a public relations strategy, consider what you want out of the effort. Are you looking for straight awareness, impressions, traffic to your website – traffic to your location? Or do you want to see actual sales come through?

The answer you give to the above questions will shape how you approach public relations. If it’s impressions you want, you might take a different approach than trying to land a hit that will drive sales. It may also impact the types of publications you target.

If it’s sales you’re aiming for through PR and press hits, there’s a way to approach that and track ROI too. Many publications will link to your products – they may even send traffic to a direct-to-consumer destination or a product finder. This might be something you include in a press release or even a pitch. 

In order to track that ROI, you simply need to add a tracking code to the URL. When someone follows through with a purchase after clicking the link, you’ll be able to track that. However, you’ll also see how much traffic and interest the publication generates overall.

Samples: Worth It?

Beyond press releases and pitch emails, the best way to get someone to write about your product is to send them a sample. 

“Press boxes are a great way to get the product into the hands of the media to allow them to have a full-sensory interaction with your product, which is crucial for a highly-nuanced and competitive category like spirits,” says Heather. 

But for any small business owner, the idea of eating the cost of not only product but also shipping to enough press to land a hit can get pretty expensive. So is it worth the effort and cost?

While it might feel like you’re setting a wad of cash on fire, samples are actually a valuable tool – even if they don’t nab you press right off the bat. At worst, it gets your product in front of a writer. If you package your samples the right way, they’ll have a fond first impression of your brand and the next time you show up in their inbox, they’ll be more likely to pay attention.

“To keep it budget-friendly, make sure the journalist opts-in to receiving the shipment,” Heather Jones suggests. “Nothing ticks off the media more than having packages arrive unexpectedly, and sending out unsolicited shipments will tear through a budget quickly. Second, test your packaging and shipping containers before sending them out. It’s imperative that samples arrive leak-free and looking great. Some brands opt for mini sample bottles to keep the costs down as well. Also make sure all the packaging is 100% recyclable!”

In our experience, we’ve found that sending a sample along with a solid pitch could help boost the chances a writer will engage with your product right off the bat. Building a press box that feels more like a treasure chest is one way to do it. 

It doesn’t have to require a huge investment to pull this off – just a little creativity and a very select list of press contacts. Order a few pretty looking boxes off Amazon, pack them with merch and bottles and pretty packing materials – and a story that you want the press to tell.

Choose writers or other press who cover or have covered something akin to the story you’re trying to tell. It’s a good idea to work with a professional to really hone in on that list and get the best contact information for them.

How to Snag a Story

Getting that perfect story in print or online – or even on the local news – takes patience. Building the lists, fostering the relationships and sending the right pitches – it requires time and investment from your team and the willingness to keep trying. It doesn’t just pop up after you send that first press release.

“PR successfully leverages relationships with key media and a deep understanding of the media landscape (aka what stories media outlets want to tell and what people are reading) to land stories that spotlight your brand and position it where it belongs,” Rachel explains.

New product releases or small incremental growth isn’t the romantic story that hooks the press. Those contacts on your list – they want a tale. Something that ties your products and your brand identity to a beautiful plot line. But you need to know what that is.

Our founder Karen Locke shared a tip. “I use my experience as a writer to pitch it with an angle so writers are intrigued,” she says. “But at the end of the day if it doesn’t personally resonate with that writer, it can be difficult to gain coverage.”

So get your story straight and weave it into that product pitch, your press release – and your press box.

Why Do It?

Everything we just described above – it’s a lot of work. It feels like a huge investment of time and so many resources. You might be asking: what’s the point. 

“it’s a matching process,” Heather notes. “We are crafting a  narrative that communicates a compelling brand and product story, and syncing it with what the media is looking for, when they’re looking for it.”

So the point: Exposure. It’s good to remember we’re dealing with real people and we’re asking them to stop what they’re doing and care about your brand. So give them a reason to care and then give them room to fall in love with your story. The rest will follow.

“Determining how and where to position a brand starts with brand values,” Rachel adds. “By answering questions about the value your brand provides, who it serves or is for, and who you’re trying to attract, your PR professional will work with you to develop stories that reach your audience and resonate with relevant media outlets.”

If you need a hand tracking down a talented professional in the PR industry, we can help you do that. Set up a consultation with us so we can talk over your goals, your pitch and your brand story before we send it to the press!