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Story plus belief plus commitment equals results.
That's the secret recipe for public relations success Liz Anderson shared at a recent meeting of the Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association in Sarasota.
Anderson is the senior public relations manager for Firehouse Subs. The Jacksonville-based company has more than 1,100 restaurants across North America.
Anderson says the start of Firehouse's public relations plan each year comes from the company's mission statement — “to carry on our commitment to and passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service and public safety.”
She also says the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 has become integral to the company's messaging. So far, the foundation has raised more than $31 million that will be put toward equipment for first responders.
Anderson says one of the company's most successful public relations efforts have been influencer dinners. At the dinners, one of the Firehouse Subs founders, Robin Sorensen, speaks with market and brand influencers about what makes Firehouse different, including his family's fire service and the foundation.
The dinners were held in cities around the country, Anderson says, and allowed guests to get to know the Firehouse brand on a personal level. The outcome? Glowing reviews and hundreds of thousands of impressions.
Another public relations tool that worked wonders for Firehouse was a familiarization tour for media, Anderson says. The concept, popular in the tourism industry, could be translated to Firehouse, too, she thought.
The idea was for members of the media to experience Firehouse Subs but with a twist — experience it at Sorensen's personal home in Montana. For two years, they invited media to come to the ranch for the weekend and be part of the Firehouse family.
During the weekend, the media and Firehouse representatives sat down and ate every meal together. The results were impressive: millions of media impressions and hundreds of thousands of dollars in media value.
Plus there were lasting results, Anderson says. The events helped the company form bonds and allowed it to create powerful brand ambassadors.
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