How To Build Brand Awareness
Is your business the first option your customers think of when they need meals?
That question kept me up at night when I ran my meal delivery business in Atlanta. When someone needed lunch, my goal was to be their go-to order.
Building brand awareness is crucial to becoming top of mind. In my case, we hired an amazing public relations agency to drive awareness. I got lucky because the agency was new, making the cost super affordable. What set them apart was their price, press connections, and deep knowledge of the food scene in Atlanta.
Within a few months, we were featured in Atlanta Magazine, which drastically propelled our brand recognition.
That was back in 2014. Today, there are a number of no-cost ways to get publicity for your brand in addition to hiring an agency.
Here are the things I would do to increase brand awareness if I were working in meal delivery today.
Create a list of every local news outlet and magazine. Then reach out to reporters who cover food and drink at those publications.
Start by finding reporters in my network, likely using LinkedIn, and get warm introductions.
Lacking a connection, I’d send a personalized cold email that compliments a recent article and request a connection.
Work to build a relationship and pitch them on covering my brand at the right time.
Find content creators and pitch them. Search for folks who host a Substack, blog, TikTok etc. about food in my area. Then reach out to connect. Build the relationship. When the time is right pitch them on promoting my brand.
Find a local pitch competition. Go and pitch my business. Offer to be the vendor for the event and serve an affordable meal. Press are usually at pitch competitions, so getting them to write about you / the event is easier when you make a splash.
Hire an agency that has deep connections amongst the food community in my city. Have them pitch articles not only about my service but also the impact we’re having on our customer’s lives.
Of Interest
Here’s a great post on hiring a good line cook. Worth a read if you’re planning to hire anytime soon. What I like here is the very thorough and personal approach they take to hiring. Read the article here.
Domino’s revamped their loyalty program in September 2023, offering more perks and more free food. Since launching, more than 2 million people have signed up. Offering cool, tangible rewards and surprises can make more people want to join and stay with your club or company. Read more here.
On Deck: Shipping w/ Eric Stein of Mama Meals
Eric Stein, co-founder of Mama Meals, will be joining us on 3/19 to discuss all things shipping. Founded in 2020, Mama Meals has become a powerhouse in the postpartum meal space. Eric will share lessons learned and best practices for shipping—from sending meals from your house to scaling to nationwide delivery.