Few Basics of Launching A Store/Restaurant - PRoint of View

 There is something said about beginnings: they are hopeful. When you open a new store or a restaurant, obviously you expect it to do well; you want it to and you have faith in it. But do you have faith in your PR professional who asks you to change the date of your opening because another event is colliding with it?

Press is a prerequisite for any launch. Any business needs people to know about it – you have opened a restaurant but no one knows you are in business or where you are located. What’s the point when your customers are oblivious? To incite good response from the media (so that they cover your launch and inform people about your store), you need to keep a few things in check.

Ready? Here is a check-list for you: 

·         Be aware of any other event in town on same date –Always, always make sure that there is no other event happening in town of your genre that could take the limelight away from your launch.

·         Place and time: It may seem like a simple or small detail but even the place and time could obstruct the success of your launch. Both the things should be according to the availability of the journalists you want to bring to your launch. Obviously, you can’t keep everyone happy so try to score majority of them.

·         Share the confirmed guest lists with journalists: In case a celebrity or socialites are going to make an appearance at the launch, make sure you let the media know beforehand so as to make the launch more appealing to them. Celebrity association wins brownie points as a thumb rule.

·         Press Kit is an unsaid rule: Keeping the press kit ready with photographs, press release and a CD is always a good call. Journalists appreciate if you are fast on your feet. Don’t miss out any opportunity of winning a story due to tardiness.

·         Prepare your client for media interaction: Media would want to talk to your client about his future plans and vision. There are things he should say and things he shouldn’t. Prepare him beforehand so that you can avoid blunders that day.

This is your pre-launch checklist. Now we proceed to the things you should keep in mind on the day of the launch.

                                                                                                   Image courtesy: Anita Dongre 

       Photographer is a must-must: You can’t hold a launch without hiring a professional photographer. He needs to be there all the while and capture the moments for media as well as you (but mostly for the media). No story is newsworthy without photographs – it is the first rule of journalism. And if you have a celebrity on board, photo-op is your best shot at getting the coverage!                                     

                                                                                           

Be punctual: Start the event on time. Nothing puts off the guests and journalists more than someone messing with their schedule. They have things to do, people!

No Street-like promotion: Avoid lame flyers and advertising leaflets for openings. This ruins the brand image. Rather hire a professional graphic designer to design your ads and copy.

Check, double check and recheck: Is your press kit ready and in hand? Is your celebrity here? Do you have a candle to light the lamp (or scissor to cut the ribbon)? Is AV set-up and functioning? Do you have power backup? If the answer is yes to all these questions, you may proceed.