When the weather warms up in the New York City area, what do I think of? Food, travel and flowers. Spring is officially here, and so are the holidays. While my favorite is Mother’s Day, Easter and Passover aren’t far behind. For a luxury travel PR agency, that means pegging travel PR and luxury stories to these special days of celebration.
What are simple ways to secure punch from a boutique travel PR firm?
- Food Glorious Food – Grand repasts are the order of the day, so peruse such outlets as Martha Stewart Living, Bon Appetit and Cook’s Illustrated. But don’t forget the newspapers like The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. They are all places for exposure.
- Recipes – All the food oriented publications and newspapers are interested in how to create delicious dishes for guests. Make sure you get them from a reputable source that have been tested. If you’re adapting them from Europe, conversions from metrics to our cups and ounces is necessary. That takes time, so bear that in mind if you find a recipe when traveling that you find overseas.
- Television – The Food Network is one of the best places to go for inspiration, but don’t forget to tape morning lifestyle oriented TV shows like Good Morning America and Fox and Friends. Both of these frequently have chefs on the air to share their tips on how to cook the perfect Easter brunch or Passover brisket, both classic.
- Chefs – Sending out press releases with pictures of your chef at work in the kitchen creating his specialties with clean and simple surfaces are sure to draw in the reader. Online and print media are driven by image-rich content, and that is a way to put your cuisine front and center.
- Food Bloggers – Yes, there are a million, so how do you decide which ones to reach out to with your story? Alexa is the best source that rank’s bloggers, so after you do a general search, rank them. You want to place your content on sites that are at least four out of six.
- Press Events – In New York City, the media capital of the country, you can invite your chef for a tasting menu with a group of top editors. While this can run into money, if you keep them small, and work with a well-known eaterie then yours can be a successful gathering.
- Fresh Content and Pictures – Add cuisine oriented pictures and content to your website. Nothing catches the eye more than a yummy looking spread or a beautiful table setting ready for the dishes to come. Make sure you have a variety to keep the reader on your pages.
- Sending a Creative Gift Basket – While there are a number of outlets that are not permitted to accept gifts of any kind, plenty will be happy to receive your food offerings. Break out-of-the-box and make yours completely special. Add a personal notecard to the editor. These are usually hand delivered.
- Loyalty Programs — Partnering up with online food apps as part of your dining through gamification which breeds loyalty. Offer visitors a free purchase or discount for visiting a certain number of times.
- Social Media – Promote like crazy on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Foodies scour these channels for ideas, and since cuisine often drives decisions on travel, make sure to get your content exposure on these venues. Try hashtags like #foodies #yummy #brunch, and you will surely gain followers and likes.