5 Things Brands Can Do Now to Prep for Holiday Gift Guide Placements
If you’re a consumer brand hoping to land holiday gift guide placements, now is the time to start. While shoppers may not be thinking about the holidays yet, editors and writers are already planning their holiday coverage.
The good news? A little preparation now can make your holiday PR outreach much more successful. Here are five things brands should do now to get ready for holiday gift guide opportunities.
1. Define Why Your Product Makes a Great Gift
Before pitching, get clear on your strongest gift angle. Is it a great gift for moms, travelers, hosts, foodies, outdoor enthusiasts or someone who has everything? Is it under $50 0r $100, sustainable, new or maybe a great stocking stuffer?
The more specific your holiday gift angle, the easier it is for the media to see your product in a gift guide. And remember, the digital gift guides are being written and optimized specifically for AI engines so focusing on the potential recipient or price point is key.
2. Have Your Media Assets Ready
Make it easy for editors to say yes. Gather high-resolution product photography, lifestyle images, product descriptions, pricing, retailer information and direct purchase links.
A complete media kit can save valuable time when an editor is working against a holiday deadline, and can help your brand stand out during a busy season of holiday PR outreach.
3. Check Your Inventory and Fulfillment
Holiday media coverage can drive a meaningful increase in interest and sales. Before pitching, make sure you have enough inventory to support a potential spike in demand and that your website, shipping and fulfillment process can handle holiday shoppers.
If a product sells out immediately after a gift guide placement, you may miss out on the biggest opportunity: converting that media exposure into sales.
4. Research the Right Media Opportunities
Not every gift guide is the right fit for every brand. Start researching publications, websites, newsletters, blogs and influencers that reach your target customer.
Look at their past holiday gift guides to see what types of products they feature, their typical price points and whether they organize guides by category, recipient or budget.
5. Start Your Holiday Gift Guide Outreach Now
The biggest mistake brands can make is waiting until too late to think about holiday PR. Most editors begin planning holiday content months in advance, so early gift guide outreach can give your brand a significant advantage.
At 143PR, we created the 143PR Holiday Gift Guide Sprint to help consumer brands get in front of relevant media during the critical holiday pitching window. Our 12-week program focuses on targeted gift guide outreach and product placement opportunities designed to get brands on editors’ radar before holiday deadlines hit.
Ready to get your product in front of holiday shoppers? Reach out to us for a consultation call.