Beginning in November and running through the holidays, every publication imaginable runs a holiday gift guide. Even with a down economy, it is the time of year when consumers are actually ready to buy and they look to their favorite publications for recommendations. These guides can act as a beneficial publicity strategy for new and old products alike.
From consumer electronics in Wired, teen gifts in Seventeen, unique gifts for women in Marie Claire, the green gift guide in USA Today and even the ultimate gift for your pooch in Modern Dog Magazine, there is a place for almost every product on the market.
Here are a few of our tips to consider when pitching holiday gift guides.
- Traditional Media. Local media coverage is just as significant as national coverage in this case. Know your top markets and find ways to tie your product to that market. When going to the national media have a unique angle for your product. What makes the product stand out amongst its competitors?
- Social Media. According to the Blog World Expo, more than 57 million Americans read blogs and with that kind of statistic your online presence is just as important as traditional media placement. In most cases, targeting an online community or blog is much easier than in the traditional sense with audience targeted blogs. There is something out there for everyone whether it is the Mom on momslikeme.com, the electronics junkie on Gizmodo.com or green lover on treehugger.com. With more and more people turning to social media for their news, this form of media is one that can’t be overlooked.
- Timing is key. Lead time is an important aspect to keep in mind when pitching holiday gift guides. Long lead publications like Good Housekeeping, Real Simple and Men’s Health magazines need to be pitched six months in advance, typically the beginning of the summer. Bi-weekly and weekly publications like People and Newsweek prefer two to three months of lead time with holiday gift guides. Daily publications and blogs should be pitched starting in November but you’ll find a handful still accepting submissions throughout December. Using websites such as Twitter and helpareporterout.com are also great ways to follow the needs of your targeted publications.
- Know your product’s placement. Make sure that you know the publication’s target audience and that your product is a good fit. Also, ask if the publication will have a theme to the guide i.e. gifts under $50, outdoor gifts, toys and so on.
- Seeing is believing. You could have the perfect pitch, ideal publication and theme, but if you don’t have an eye catching image or actual products to send, you can pretty much kiss the opportunity goodbye! Your product image is the most important thing. It must be visually appealing to the reader, something that will stand out from the rest.
By Christy Olliff and Layne Mabry
