It's July, the sun is shining, and nobody wants to hear the “Jinglebell Rock”. But for savvy brands who want to target the media and influencers for gift guides, summer is an important time to start thinking about the holiday season. Here's why:
The Early Bird Gets the Gift Guide Feature: Believe it or not, major publications, websites, and yes even in-demand influencers finalize their coveted holiday gift guides months in advance. By getting your product in front of these people late summer/early fall, you increase your chances of landing a coveted spot, putting your brand in front of millions of potential customers during peak shopping season.
Beat the Rush: The closer you get to December, the fiercer the competition becomes. Securing media coverage and influencer partnerships takes time and effort. Starting early allows you to develop a strategic plan and execute it flawlessly.
A Head Start on Holiday Cheer: Planning ahead reduces holiday stress for you and your team. By having a strategy and materials prepped in advance, you can spend less time scrambling.
Top 5 Tips for a Stellar Holiday PR Campaign:
Identify Your Target Audience: Very few brands have unlimited resources when it comes to sending out media samples. So be very intentional with who you are trying to reach. Do your research and tailor your outreach to resonate with their interests and needs.
Curate a Compelling Gift Shipment: First impressions are crucial, so create a themed package that highlights your brand's story, seasonal offerings and/or best-sellers. Focus on quality and presentation. (Bonus points for a handwritten note to the journalist or influencer.) Also note that editors are sensitive to excessive or environmentally-unfriendly packaging, so when possible, use recyclable materials.
Craft a Winning Pitch: Highlight why the item(s) are the perfect holiday gift and how it aligns with the publication's audience. This is also a great time to paint a picture of your target audience to the journalist such as, “this is great for the Dad who has everything” or “pet owners living in small spaces love this!” Also make sure to provide high-quality visual assets. A high-res product image on a plain white background is essential for editorial coverage.
Have an Affiliate Strategy in Place: As much as we like to maintain a separation between advertising and PR, today’s media and influencers are influenced by affiliate commissions they receive on the links they publish in gift guides. If not already, getting acquainted with the affiliate PR model and setting up your program in the summer will save a lot of scrambling later on.
Measure Your Success: Track your media coverage, website traffic, impressions, engagements, and sales to gauge the effectiveness of your campaign.
By taking these steps in July, you'll be well on your way to a successful holiday PR campaign that boosts brand awareness, drives sales, and positions you for a happy and prosperous new year.
Stay cool, and Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals.