The adage “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” comes into play so many times a day but it is so true when it comes to launching a wine, spirit, or beverage brand.
In the competition of beverages – from water to enhanced spirits to RTDs to full proof spirits, it’s more difficult to stand out in a crowd. And in the age of celebrity backed spirits, your story needs to be strong.
In the most recent episode of The MHW Mark Podcast, three industry veterans, Amy Sherman, editor in chief of Alcohol Professor, Ferron Salniker, writer/editor at BevNet and Laura Baddish, owner of The Baddish Group, a public relations agency, talked shop including best practices, where and how to start, and how to best interact with editors for PR success.
Amy and Ferron addressed the dos and don’ts of framing your story, approaching a writer or editor, and how to spot trends. They also shared the elements brands need to have in their tool-kit: concise facts, what makes your brand stand out, photography, and recipes if applicable.
They started by describing how each of their publications is catered to their readers. Amy shared how they refer to their readers as enthusiasts, which include both consumers and trade professionals. Ferron spoke about BevNet focusing more on industry professionals from every part of the business ranging from entrepreneurs to distributors looking for data, news, and more. Both of these perspectives provide listeners with a wealth of information to start on their journey to PR success.
We all know what it’s like to get hundreds of emails a day. Both Amy and Ferron talk about emails they open, emails they ignore, and how they prefer brands and members of the PR persuasion to approach them. They admit they are hungry for news – but only if it’s news and it contains something interesting, unique, and authentic.
Here are 2 of their best practices:
- When pitching your brand story, come prepared.
- Brands can stand out by presenting something that’s DIFFERENT. Provide editors with a unique spin to make their writing process easier.
Laura Baddish adds her own real-life advice on how to create a relationship with media, provide editors with something that’s usable, balance the expectations of your client as their PR partner, and give writers the information they really need – without the fluff. Working with a PR professional is a great way to get your brand story out efficiently. They can guide you in the right direction and have the connections to help secure placements quickly.