Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – How to Tap in to the Holiday Publicity Bonanza
If your item or support can be offered as a present, a publicity
windfall awaits at the finish of the year – but you require to begin
working in June. Each December, media outlets cover the newest,
the hottest and the most uncommon Holiday gifts. The reporters
assigned to develop these pieces typically depend on two resources
of info:
one. Teleph interviews with local store proprietors
- and –
two. Press materials that have been sent by publicity seekers.
Let’s offer with Point one. Here is a cool trick: In early
November, write a letter to stores and main web sites that carry
your item. Remind them that they may be hearing from
journalists quickly about hot present suggestions, and request that they
think about mentioning your item when that happens. Point out a
couple of factors why your item is the newest, coolest, greatest or
what ever. Ask the vendor to drop you an e-mail or give you a
phone if a tale outcomes that mentions your item.
Now, on to old-fashioned publicity. When to get in touch with the media
depends on the publication or program’s lead time (how much in
advance of publication or airing the material is created).
Magazines like Woman’s Day have a lead time up to six months, so
get materials to them now. Newspapers have a lead time as brief
as a week for feature material, so send materials in November. In
in between are wire services, medium-lead magazines, “in-flight”
magazines and other people. To learn the lead time of a particular
media outlet, phone the editorial department. If that doesn’t
function, attempt the marketing department.
What you send ought to be stored simple — a press release about your
item/support, a pitch letter explaining why it’s these kinds of a fantastic
present idea, and, if applicable, a disk with colour item pictures.
See our content articles “How to Write a Fantastic Pitch Letter”
http://www.publicityinsider.com/pitch.asp and “How to Write a
Fantastic Press Release” http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp
for more details.
As you craft the materials, believe about where your
item/support matches. Based on its nature, price, rarity or
usefulness, it may function with a variety of typical Christmas Present
stories these kinds of as: Fantastic Stocking Stuffer Ideas, Presents for
Teenagers, Presents for the Individual Who Has It All, Presents for
Executives, Presents that Relax, etc. By suggesting a class for
your item, rather than merely stating “Here is a item that
would make a good vacation present”, you are making yourself stand out
– and perhaps even giving the journalist an idea for a tale angle
that he or she wouldn’t have believed about or else. Either
way, your chances of getting protection are greatly enhanced.
Bill Stoller, the “Publicity Insider”, has spent two decades as
1 of America’s top publicists. Now, through his web site, eZine
and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for
PR-Hungry Companies http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp ,
he is sharing — for the very first time — his secrets of scoring
large publicity. For totally free content articles, killer publicity ideas and
much, much more, go to Bill’s unique new website:
http://www.publicityInsider.com