When food truck owners develop a business plan they often include advertising but neglect to include a media relations program, one of the most cost-effective methods for food trucks to create awareness about their businesses.

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t think you have the time or resources to invest in a full scale media relations operation. Use the following tips to build a media relation program that is small but strong and one that you can manage yourself.

Building A Media Relations Program For Your Food Truck

  • Create A Media List. Create a list of media outlets and journalists that cover the food truck industry (including mobile-cuisine.com). A good place to start is with Twitter or Facebook. Are there mobile food industry trade publications, blogs and local newspaper writers that you consistently read? Write down the names of one to five outlets and the journalists who cover food and food trucks.
  • Get To Know The Media. Now that you have a targeted media list, it’s time to introduce yourself. Get to know the journalists you want to pitch to by reading, commenting and sharing their articles. Use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to engage with them and build a relationship. Ask questions and offer sincere comments.
  • Give Them Your Pitch. When you’re ready, you want make your pitch. Make sure it’s relevant and of interest to the journalist and their publication. Put yourself in the shoes of their readers: Why would you want to read this story and why should readers care?

2 Online Tools To Help Start Your Food Truck Media Relations Program

  • Help a reporter out (HARO). Help A Reporter Out gives food truck vendors direct access to reporters, bloggers and journalists from all types of publications and media properties who are looking for sources with your expertise. The best part is that it is FREE. Sign up as a source and HARO will send queries from journalists to your inbox in batches throughout the day.  If any of the queries is a good fit for your expertise and business, pitch your response and qualifications directly to the journalist by email for a possible interview or direct quote.
  • PRWeb. PRWeb publishes press releases across the Internet on search engines, blogs, major news sites and websites. The best part is that there are no tech or PR skills necessary and only costs start at $99 per press release. Write an engaging press release for your food truck announcement or event. Add video, keywords, extra distribution channels and other optional features. Plug your press release into PRWeb’s template and hit Submit.

RELATED: 10 Tips For Food Trucks Responding To Media Inquiries

The Bottom Line

Media relations is a powerful way to increase your reach as a food truck. Use these proven, highly affordable marketing tips in your PR strategy. Taking marketing offline may just be the way to reach your target customer and boost your truck’s credibility in your area. Even on a small budget you can score some huge media wins with a focused media relations program.