AURATALKHELPING SMES STAND OUT

ISSUE NO.5Image credit Laura Sutherland

BLOGGERINTERVIEW

@Thankfifi

VIRTUALREALITY

for SMEs

HOW MUCHDOES PR

cost?

EDITOR'S NOTE

E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F

Welcome to the fifth issue of AuraTalk and the first one for 2017!

Since the last issue, there has been loads of activity in PR and communications. Most recently,the issue of 'fake news' which has seen Facebook been accused of interfering with the USElection; Donald Trump, in his first press briefing as President, dismissed a journalist as his mediacompany was 'fake news'; and US Press Secretary, Mr Spicer, gave the worst first briefingin history, in his new role.

In Scotland, the second #PRFest has launched and will take place 15-16 June in Edinburgh.PRCA has been confirmed as a main sponsor. Early bird tickets are on sale via prfest.co.uk until5pm on 5th February.

I am undertaking the '30 day challenge', an initiative by Gini Dietrich of SpinSucks. So far, it's beenamazing, but I'll share all when I've completed the challenge.

I did a series of blogger interviews last year, which outlined how brands can work with bloggersto engage their audiences. Read on for one of the posts.

I've also included a feature about launching a brand in Scotland and what you need to knowbefore developing a strategy.

The cover picture is a photo I took in Jersey last October. Lobsters fascinate me and the pictureshows some really beautiful colours.

Enjoy this issue and get in touch if you want to discuss how I can help your business.

W W W . A U R A - P R . C O M

Laura Sutherland

BLOGGER INTERVIEWS #1 Thankfifi

Kicking off Aura’s blogger interview series, I spoke to Wendy Gilmour, AKA Thankfifi, and asked her somequestions about being a blogger, her style and being ‘PR friendly’.

The blogger interview series aims to give insight into some of Scotland’s top bloggers and how PRpractitioners and brands can work more effectively with them.

Aura engages with bloggers on behalf of clients as part of wider public relations strategy and we’ve learned alot along the way. In particular, as we work more in influencer relations, we now have to consider budgets toreach an ‘audience’ which we a) wouldn’t normally be able to reach and b) have to be authentic with.

The idea of using influencers to reach our audiences, put simply, comes from the way in which our audiencesconsume information and indeed trust the authenticity of bloggers, vloggers and of course via social media.

#1 You feature your four-legged friends in your pics a lot! Doyour followers love this?

Wendy: I reckon they’d have to – if you weren’t a dog lover thenyou probably wouldn’t be smart to follow me. I’m a huge dognerd so like to feature them as much as possible. Truth be toldusually a photo of them gets a far better reaction than one of me!

Laura: Well, I’ve always loved your dogs being a part of yourposts. It adds real character and tells a part of your own life story.

#2 What’s your favourite part of blogging?

Wendy: Having been able to build a career out of something Ilove is the best part, I feel very lucky. I love conceptualisingshoots and working with brands I love and respect. And thenthere’s the travel… lots of favourites.

#3 The blogging scene is vibrant in Scotland but bloggers up here are only just starting to be more likein London, with media packs and stating they are ‘PR friendly’. When we first met a few years ago youwere streaks ahead. What would you say has helped you to stand out?

Wendy: Perhaps professionalism? I am lucky in that I work a couple of days a week in PR/Marketing soperhaps I see it from both sides and know what PR’s are looking for. I also never set up the blog and put in30+ hours a week with the intention of it being a hobby… I knew for it to be viable long term I needed to take itseriously for others to do the same.

Laura: I know from doing the Aura blog and my own personal one, the time commitment to doing them isdemanding. It’s great when people love the posts though! Maybe I should do a blogger interview withsomeone who writes a PR blog?

#4 Do you think images and video are important for bloggers?

Wendy: Hugely. For me images are everything. Images are what draws me in and sells me on products. Iknow video is almost even more important but honestly it’s not something I’ve mastered and if I can’t put outcontent I’m happy with then I’d rather not share it at all – so photos for me at the moment.

Laura: I hope you like how I’ve laid this one out?! Your Snaps and Insta stories are great though. That’s aform of video and you’re always straight to the point, so people must appreciate that.

#5 How do you balance everything you do? You’re a bit of a jet-setter these days!

I don’t sleep much. Seriously though, I set my alarm for 7am eachmorning and I work really hard. I optimise my time and always travelwith my laptop – editing images and writing posts on flights isamazing because nobody can interrupt with you emails or socialmedia…

#6 Who is your favourite blogger and why?

Wendy: I have so many bloggers I really admire and they all have very different style. I think what NicoleWarne has built in Gary Pepper Girl is incredible, her images are top of the top, something to aspire to. Herstyle is simple yet beautiful and original. My only gripe is that she’s so successful now she barely blogs…

Laura: I love your blogs. I can picture myself where you are, eating what you’re eating and buying what youwear. That’s why you’re kicking off my blogger interview series!

#7 As blogging and vlogging has developed, what do you think bloggers will do to keep pushingforward with new ways of engaging the world?

Wendy: I have no idea! When I started Thankfifi five years ago Instagram wasn’t even a thing… it’s such a fast-paced industry that’s a bit like asking what travel will look like in ten years time… hoverboards? Who knows!But it’ll be fun to find out, on both counts.

Laura: Vine was fairly well used for a while and now it’s gone. It shows that even the platforms have to keepinnovating to keep up.

#8 When you work with brands, is there a process you go through?

Wendy: I usually send off my media pack and look to find out what the brand are hoping to achieve. Aftersetting rough budgets I’ll come up with a proposal that hopefully fulfills their brief and get signed off. Then Igo about coming up with the concept of the shoot from the visual point of view, especially if there’s a story tobe told – I like to do that through images so there’s some planning to be done…

Laura: As with anything in PR, it’s important to set objectives and goals. Otherwise, how can it be measuredand what’s the point?

#9 I know you’re ‘PR friendly’! Is there any advice or tipsyou’d give to PR practitioners about working withbloggers?

Wendy: It’s just really great when a PR takes you seriously.Bloggers pour out hours and hours of work every day andevery week of the year to be where they are and it’s greatwhen there’s a mutual respect for that. I prefer when a PR isup front if there’s no budget, then we can talk about whatthe options might be, more openly. The worst thing iswasting one another’s time talking around the houses!

Laura: It’s a business now and before anyone approaches a blogger they need to have consideredbudgets as well as objectives.

#10 Do you place a lot of value in trust between you and your audience?

Wendy: Yes I think that’s everything. I honestly turn down at least as many campaigns as I go forward withas I need to be true to my style and values. I can’t work on something or share something that doesn’t feelgenuine. I once started working with a phone brand but the image quality was so terrible I cancelled thepost and returned the phone (in the loveliest way possible!).

Laura: You’ve hit the nail on the head. It has to be genuine. I’m glad to hear you don’t just take on anything.That’s really the beginning of the end for those who do. The whole purpose of the blogger interview seriesis so people can learn from the very people who are influencing.

#11 Do you have any long-term relationships with brands you work with?

Wendy: Yes there are a few brands I have built great relationships with and I think that’s so nice, not onlyfor me, but for my readers. It’s feels much better to share brands not only when it’s a sponsored post, buton an ongoing basis, just because I love them. From the brand point of view, usually that means they’llcome back to me for another sponsored post when the time is right, they know I have a genuine love forthe brand, too. And so a long term relationship begins… I try to stay true to that as well. If I’m working with abrand on an ongoing basis, like Sassoon for example (my hair heros!) it’s unlikely I’m going to showcaseanother hair salon any time soon as I just feel it’s a bit of a conflict and also a confusing message forreaders.

Laura: That’s great to hear too. It’s something PRs and brands need to take into consideration and aquestion they should ask prior to agreeing any activity.

#12 The blogging community tends to be close knit. Do you think there is sharing and helping acrossthe Scottish community?

Wendy: Absolutely. We’re very lucky in that the community is relatively small compared to the likes ofLondon and also quite diverse. Perhaps there’s not that same sense of competition. It’s nice to be nice so Ilike to think we all try to help each other out, sharing contacts and making recommendations.

Laura: That’s the best attitude. It’s a new community too, something that will continue for many years, soit’s good to set the standard from the off!

Usingvirtualreality

Virtual reality isrevolutionising the waybusinesses communicateand connect with their

audiences.

This year some of the world’s largest techcompanies brought us virtual reality (or VR) throughthe likes of Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, and the HTCVive.

Although not in the hands of everyday consumers,the release of these headsets to consumers isgaining traction. According to Gartner, 25 millionvirtual reality headsets will sell by 2018.

I didn’t understand the hype over virtual reality; letalone what the potential was for businesses in themodern era. Laura asked me if I’d like to go to aGoogle Garage event as part of my internship withAura to find out more about virtual reality and whatthe opportunities for business, particularly thosewithout the big budgets.

VR used by brands we know

The New York Times recognised the importance ofcreating virtual reality content. It now brings itsaudiences to the centre of their stories and events inan immersive virtual reality experience. In apartnership with Google, The New York Times sentGoogle cardboard headsets to subscribers. Thisallowed them to follow campaign trails and exploredistant Pluto in a 360-degree video.

Topshop has also explored virtual reality and hastaken the idea of a traditional fashion show to a newdimension. As a way to engage and excitecustomers, Topshop invited shoppers to don 8Oculus Rift headsets, placed in the window of theirflagship store in Oxford Circus.

Playstation VR box

What is virtual reality?

VR is a computer generatedexperience where users caninteract and view content via aspecial headset.

As soon as you put the headseton, there’s a whole new world toexplore where you can look, feel,and witness something so realthat you would want to touch it.

Virtual reality benefits both brands and consumers. It enables brands to spotlight their products andservices through mesmerising and lifelikeexperiences. It also allows consumers to interactwith brands. Companies like The New York Times,IKEA, Coca-Cola, and Topshop are already takingadvantage of this trend.

This allowed customers to experiencea 360-degree virtual world. Thiscomprised of a live feed from the TateModern of the Topshop Uniquefashion show, backstage access, andVIP arrivals.

The Oculus rift is priced at £549 perheadset and while not all businesseshave big budgets to spend on testingout virtual reality, smaller brands canstill incorporate virtual reality tacticsinto their PR strategies.

Live video is a way of promoting brands, and virtualreality is live videos next phase. This will allowsbusinesses to communicate inspiring content on acompletely new level. Audiences can experiencenew product launches or events without having tobe there in person. Google cardboard headsets arepriced as low as £5, allowing anyone to experiencevirtual reality in a simple and fun way.

Virtual reality also allows audiences to gain abetter understanding of a businesses’ culture.Google Street View allows viewers to see insidethe workplace. Companies can now take this onestep further and take their audiences on tripsbehind the scenes. This shows them exactly whatthe company does and what they stand for. Thisis powerful and will build brand loyalty.

VR offers opportunities

It is clear the future of VR is bright. Industry analystfirm CCS Insight, published a report estimating thatthe market will be worth a $4 billion in three years. Some of the most exciting opportunities for virtualreality are:

> It will improve the online shopping experience.Being able to see clothes or furniture to determinethe fit will remove the need to buy in store andmanage online shopping expectations. Wouldn’tit be great to see how a new sofa would look inyour living room before you buy it?

> It will improve entertainment. Imagine sitting inyour living room and watching Wimbledon withvirtual reality. The viewer will be transported rightto the court! Virtual reality will have a similar impacton gaming music, and movies.

Image courtesy of Popular Science: Oculus Rift

> It will offer on the job training experiences. Virtualreality apps will help with learning and relationshipbuilding. Staff will be able to speak face to face withtheir boss from across the country, or master publicspeaking in front of a virtual audience. The skills andmentors you can access will be endless when thereare no geographical or practical limits.

It is clear that virtual reality offers a world ofopportunities for business. Embracing this technologyallows companies and consumers to benefit from theexperience.

After attending the Google Garage event I feel excitedabout what the future holds for virtual reality. It ismuch more than a gimmick and is something that canbe core to a business strategy.

Guest article by Carly Fleider, former Aura Intern

Google Cardboard. Self assembly.Image courtesy of Gigaom.com

Image courtesy of Google Store

How muchdoes PR cost?Businesses don't always understand how PR is costed. Aura

tries to explain how costs are calculated

Firstly, it's important to point out value. The value of public relations to business. Here's what the CharteredInstitute of Public Relations says about the value of PR.

You can’t choose whether or not you want public relations. It happens whenever you communicate withothers. Left alone, you may achieve good or bad relations. However, by using PR effectively, you canbuild strong relationships and maintain a sound reputation at all times and in all circumstances.

Perhaps ironically, it is during difficult economic times when you are looking to steel yourself for thechallenges ahead, and are contemplating cut backs in certain areas, that you should be looking to investin public relations.

Whether your customers, suppliers, employees and regulators chose to buy your product or service, orto be associated with you depends on your reputation – and, perhaps more importantly, how they rateit compared with your competitors. Public relations will help you to build the reputation you want andto differentiate it from others to give your organisation a competitive edge.

With this in mind, the argument for doing more rather than less communications work in a downturnappears to be a ‘no-brainer’. When times are good there is money to go around but when thingsbecome tight people become far more selective about what they spend money on and who they want togive it to. In the battle for market share, and amongst the buzz of competing voices, you are going tohave to communicate more ‘loudly’, not less.

Money spent on PR is money well spent, so long as you get what you need from PR and the best adviceavailable…

"The head of PR is perhaps one of the most important people in acompany and a good chairman will have them by their side. They

are critical for managing the brand and save millions inadvertising; people talking about your company is much more

important than anything.” Sir Richard Branson

So, bearing that in mind, what comes into costing public relations?

These are just a few questions, some of them tough, which you will need to be prepared to answer.

In order for PR to work for your business, you need to be open, honest and transparent with your PRconsultant/team/agency. They need to know EVERYTHING so they can be prepared for any eventuality.

Other points to consider:

Some practitioners will give you an hourly or daily rate and tell you they will bill you for what they haveworked. In my view, this demonstrates a lack of coherence and strategy. If a strategy is agreed and the workplan has been developed from this, then you should be able to work out a project fee or retainer fee, basedon the work to be done. Yes, sometimes things run over. You and your consultant can work out how youwant to be billed for additional time.

This fee should also allow time for monitoring and evaluation. PR work isn't static and it needs to constantlybe adapted to changing circumstances. Monitoring and evaluation should be carried out regularly. Be sureyour PR practitioner/team/agency used AMEC's Integrated Evaluation Framework from the outset. Afterall,evaluation starts at the beginning! See AuraTalk issue 4 for AMEC's framework.

When working out what value PR has added to your business, you will need to relate all activity back to thegoals and key performance indicators set. Did you achieve what you set out to?

What factors could have been figured out in advance to help achieve the goals? Did you do anybenchmarking?

The long and the short of it is, different practitioners and agencies will charge different rates, have expertise indifferent areas and potentially will take a different amount of time to deliver on certain aspects of a strategy.There is no silver bullet. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

If Aura can help you achieve your business objectives drop Laura an email laura@aura-pr.com

Have you provided a clear brief, outlining the business, warts and all?Have you explained the short, medium and long term business objectives?Have you identified challenges and opportunities for your business relating to the above?Do you know your audience? I mean really know them?

What data and analytics do you have?What PR objectives have been set, relating to business objectives? I don't mean write us a list of tactics.The PR objectives must be SMART and must relate back to what the business is trying to achieveDo you know the purpose of your business?

How experienced and skilled is the practitioner or team?Do they have excellent credentials, such as being a Chartered Practitioner?Do you have risk and crisis plans in place?Do you have processes set up or will new ones need to be developed?The practitioner will need to develop an outline strategy before being able to give a cost for the work - it'sthe only way to estimate how long each element will takeThere will be a period of research and planning - this is not wasted time. It's what allows the practitioner tobe able to have the insight to inform the strategy, ensuring it's relevantDid you tell the practitioner what your budget is? Often businesses don't and can be taken-a-back whenthey receive a quote. It's better to be upfront about what budget you have available so the practitionercan then prioritise activities to suit

NEWS... in briefAura has been appointed for a second year to workwith Eden Project on its activities in Scotland. Workincludes the research report which outlines thecost of disconnected communities in Scotland,The Big Lunch and other key initiatives.

Aura continues to work with The Lighthouse,concentrating on an event which takes place inMarch with Fashioned in Glasgow.

Laura was re-elected to the CIPR's Council foranother two years. Her work includes leadinga team to engage and activate the CIPR's400+ volunteer community, with three keyactivities.

Laura was given approval to progress in Aprillast year.

A new initiative by the West End Festival, the Glasgow's StAndrew's Day Torchlight Parade was attended bythousands in November.

Fellow independent practitioner Mhairi Clark supportedthe on-the-day activity in Laura's absence. She was living itup in NYC!

Harnessing Facebook Live, Instagram Stories andPeriscope, the event reached over half a million socialaccounts.

Full evaluation being worked on.

Aura has been appointed by independentfashion boutique, and Glasgow institution,Solo, to carry out an integrated brand refreshand develop an engaging strategy to attract anew audience.

The west end shop has been on Hyndland Rdsince 1984.

Plans are evolving and we're experimentingwith some new ideas!

A successful recipe for restaurant marketing

Devising strategies for restaurant marketing shouldcome from the business plan and setting SMARTobjectives is a good place to start.

But before you do anything, it’s always a good idea tolook at budgets! It’s all very well having good intentionsto tell the world, but you need to be realistic about thiswill cost.

Here’s a helpful post I wrote recently about the cost ofPR. It contains some points for you to consider.

The following process is for you to determine what youneed to do to have a successful restaurant marketingstrategy and have an idea of the time you need todedicate and funding for activity.

#1 Setting objectives

Before you start thinking about restaurant marketingtactics, you should note your objectives. I’ve draftedsome for a fake restaurant marketing strategy, launchinga restaurant in Glasgow:

Specific – to successfully launch the restaurant withmaximum awareness in Glasgow

Measurable – to gather data, achieve press coverage,engage through social media

Attainable – and getting reviews from the opening week

Relevant – reaching diners in Glasgow

Timely – within the first month of opening

As this is centered round a launch, we assumethere is no awareness currently and there are noperceptions about the restaurant. If you’re doingPR and marketing for an existing restaurant, you’llwant to consider the following:

Once you have this nailed the objectives/and oridentified recent trading conditions, you can geton with the first phase:

#2 Research and planning

What you’ll need to do:

Current turnoverCurrent staff turnoverCurrent menu and customer feedbackCurrent effectiveness of advertising, socialmedia etcWhere are your customers fromHow has your business changed from year toyearWho are your competitors and is the local areachangingWhat have recent reviews said

Who are your competitorsWhat specific market are you targeting e.g. pre-

theatre, corporate lunch, ladies of leisureWho do your competitors target and are theysuccessfulDefine your audience – know how they are,where they hang out, what they talk about.Know as much as you can about who you aretargetingIs the location of your restaurant an issue? Isthere parking nearby?Do a SWOT analysis of your restaurant andyour competitors (strengths, weaknesses,opportunities, threats)

So you’ve done some market research, how about yourbrand.

#3 Developing your brand

When you’re devising a restaurant marketing plan, youneed to know what your brand is, does, how it acts andtalks. Think of it as a person.

We know the audience and where they hangout and what they talk about. So where dothey engage with their friends online? Thinkabout social platforms like Instagram andFacebook. Now go and experience what theydo and say on those platforms. You’ll learn alot!Write a brief for a designer to get your brandidentity developed and ensure you list all thethings you’ll need along the way – website,menus, business cards, adverts, loyalty cardetcThink about your website from a customerpoint of view – what do they want to knowwhen they arrive on your site? Probablyopening times, menus, booking online andcontact details. What else? We’d highlyrecommend working with someone who canwrite copy for online, to ensure it’s well written,search engine optimised and can do all ‘things’

it needs to doWhat are the timelines for the launch? Who isdoing what and when? The restaurantmarketing plan will need to incorporate timingsfor various different stages including pre-

opening, opening and post-opening

Developing a brand is important. It’s what will setyou apart from the competition and will speak topeople when they come into contact with it,whether it be online, an advert or even whencalling the restaurant to book.

How will your brand translate from an identity, tostaff, to the way staff serve customers, to themenu all the way through to specific phrases orstandards you may develop which are unique toyour restaurant?

A relevant restaurant marketing strategy isessential. The word to focus on is relevant! If youhave similar values to your customer then you’reonto a winner. The key is to identify how you canmake your restaurant unique and make iteverything your customer wants.

#4 Activate – develop a strategy

So we’ve now done research, developed theoutlines of what the brand is we now need to thinkof how we can actually make it all come alive anddo the job.

Here’s a list of things to consider adding to yourworkplan:

What is unique about your brand?Define its vision, mission and purposeWhat words would you use to describe itWhat values does the brand have?What is its personality? If you were to emailsomeone and didn’t have your name or logoon it, how would someone clearly know it wasyour brand?

Earlier we identified SMART objectives which kickof the restaurant marketing strategy. Now weneed to think about how we will achieve theobjectives.

Positive awarenessDataPress coverageSocial media engagementReviews

First we need strategy, then we need tacticsand then we need to monitor and evaluateactivity at key milestones.

The strategy may be very simple to begin with –

keep it local. Local advertising, local participationin festivals, local data collection. Then it can scaleup, once you’ve got the reputation you need toattract people from further-a-field. Or, you mightsolely focus on developing relationships withinfluencers, such as food bloggers.

Key messages

Communicating ‘why’ someone should dine in yourrestaurant is important. Again, think of it from theirpoint of view. If you’ve had any previous reviewsand endorsements, you should be using them toreinforce why other people enjoyed the experience.

Key messages should be developed which will beused across all your activity, for consistency inmessage, but also to let the brand speak for itself. Inyour brand development you’ll have identified it’sown personality.

Activity

Let’s take awareness. We want to generate positiveawareness across Glasgow. Well, the other pointsare going to help us get there!

You also need to think of crisis plans – whathappens when someone claims on Trip Advisorthat they got food poisoning last night from yourrestaurant? Again, Aura can help develop policiesfor this type of scenario. It should all be part of theplanning process. To help build awareness of theopening or to help get the right people along to thelaunch event, social media should be used as earlyas possible.

Tip: Use Facebook ad planner to help you target theright audience. People can be targeted by location,age, interest, sex etc. It’s highly useful and you don’thave to buy an ad to use it!

Don’t forget influencers! Influencer marketing is a hugepart of the food scene. Who are the bloggers who arerelevant to your brand? If you invite them to a previewevent for bloggers, will they come? What will do youfor them that’s special? Bloggers love an ‘experience’ –

consider creating something for them to get involvedin, like a cook off.

Reviews. One thing Aura has learned is never to invitea ‘big name’ reviewer to review your restaurant. Oncethey’ve heard about it, they’ll make their own mind up.You can however include them in press releases,images and videos etc so they are kept in the loop.Remember though, through social media, everyone isa reviewer! Think of the impact Trip Advisor can haveon a business.

What now?

An official launch is important. It creates an opportunityto engage. Some restaurants like soft launches, sotheir new staff can be trained and get to know therestaurant better. It also allows customers to givefeedback before going to town on promoting theopening. Maybe consider a friends and family eventfor this?

If you’ve already launched and your restaurantmarketing strategy is to give your business a boost,then you’ll need to think about all the points at the startand go through the same process. Once you’veworked everything out and redefined your brand andstrategy, then you can get on with developing youractivity. Your previous experience should count for alot. If something didn’t work, why? Turn it on its headand make it into an opportunity.

Data – collecting customer data is going tohelp you engage with them via email. Consideremail marketing a key part of the restaurantmarketing strategy. We need to start doing thisbefore the restaurant opens! Make sure youuse a platform such as MailChimp to gathercustomer names, emails, numbers etc and sothat you can turn the data into a channel toengage with them. You can email out recipes,offers, new menus etc

Press coverage – what press do you want toknow about the restaurant and what are yougoing to tell them? Think of all the things that thepress cover in print and online – news, features,competitions, reviews etc. Aura regularly workswith the press so have tailored lists. We’drecommend of course that when dealing with thepress, you engage a PR consultant who knowwho, where, what and how to engage them

Social media engagement – the biggestopportunity of our time. Social media has openeda can of worms and everyone is now a reporter.Not only can you reach people on social mediaplatforms, but you can also expect them to sharetheir experiences.

Coming back to the research you did earlier,think of all the things you could do to engageyour customers – ensuring it’s all relevant andtailored to them and you. You also need to

How to measure?

The new AMEC evaluation framework is what weuse. We use it from the very start of planningthrough to the end evaluation. It’s a great tool,which is being developed, and it is worth spendingtime using.

We also use the CIPR’s measurement andevaluation toolkit. It’s a free toolkit for members.

Maintaining momentum

Once you’ve launched, it’s important to maintain thepositive vibes.

Aura worked on a project for a restaurant openingand did a huge amount of work for four months. Wesmashed the KPIs and achieved a massive amountof social engagement and following, data (we beatby 350%!), the launch events were full and therewas a huge buzz. The restaurant was full for weeksafter.

In the opening week we had managed to secure 4major reviews!

Aura finished the project with the client and then thebuzz died. The quality had gone down in thecontent. There was no follow through on thehugely successful launch. It was disappointing. Ihope you can learn from this.

One thing to remember. Customers are people.Human beings, just like you and me.

Now if you’re not a PR or marketing guru this is a lotto take in! There are also many other skills you needto be able to use a lot of data, analytics and translatethat into actions which turn into business. I’m nothere to turn you into a guru but the aboveprocesses and tips will help you get a relevant,bespoke strategy developed for your restaurant.

How does Aura know all this?

Laura Sutherland was not only trained in hospitality,but she worked in-house for City Inn, Bouzy RougeGroup and Restaurant Rococo and has led onclient accounts for Urban Bar & Brasserie, Gamba,The Partners Restaurant Group (now disbanded)

and most recently the launch of Miller & Carter inGlasgow.

It’s fair to say all aspects of hospitality run throughLaura’s veins! She’s also a keen cook and entertainsa lot.

If you’d like to chat over how Aura can help youmake your restaurant a success, please get in touchwith Laura. Aura has no conflicting clients atpresent.

Lobsters, Jersey

Miller & Carter photos - Martin Shields for Aura

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