The holidays, aka gift guide season, are upon us – though PR teams hardly need the reminder. While a longer lead time is optimal for getting products a prized gift guide spot, it’s not too late to land your client on the right list. We tapped our network of pitching pros for their advice and uncovered the essential questions to ask yourself when crafting pitches for gift guide placements.
Is there an affiliate program?
Affiliate links have become an integral part of gift guides, and it’s something editors not only appreciate, but are looking for. “Having an affiliate program, especially one of the major ones like Sharesale or Skimlinks, is more important than ever. Editors need affiliate info up front before they can even consider you for their guide,” says Lauren Glazer, a publicist at Wolf PR. In fact, affiliate networks and links are so important for gift pitching that the Wolf PR team created a whole guide on it here.
Photo: Wolf PR
Lindsey Smolan, founder of VLIV Communications, doubles down on the make-or-break power of affiliate programs. “Most outlets won't cover a brand not part of an affiliate program, so make sure these are set up and ready to go," she says. "Consider offering certain outlets a higher commission if they are ‘dream’ publications.”
Is the price right?
The current economic climate means shoppers are being more mindful with their money, so price is a particularly important factor to get right this year. “For holiday gifting, it’s more important than ever to classify gifts by price,” says Kelly Marks, co-founder and director of PuRe PR. “Editors are being tasked to find gifts that are mindful of the cost of living. It’s also key to include affiliate links so onlines and creators know which gifts they can earn from.”
That’s not to say that editors aren’t also open to high-end gifts. Consumers are simply being more selective with what they spend money on, so PR teams need to make the value of a product crystal clear. “Editors are looking for brands and products that either will help consumers save money (think budget-friendly hair care and makeup), or that are long-lasting investment pieces (such as high-end shoes and outerwear),” says Smolan. “With inflation and a potential recession top of mind, consumers are being a bit more discerning with price when gift shopping. They'll either be spending a little less, or splurging on something they know the recipient will get great use of.”
VLIV Communications
Is my pitch creative and/or helpful?
As we learned in our recent PR Net media pitching workshop, research, personalization and creativity are pillars for successful pitching. That means having a little fun with it (this is the most wonderful time of the year, after all).
The Press Hook team reminds us that, “While pitching top-tier outlets for gift guide season, it’s easy to get caught up in the seriousness of securing the placement. Remember to have fun with the pitching and get creative. It’s the season of giving, receiving, traveling, eating, drinking, and beyond—use all of those themes to your advantage. Think outside of the normal ‘gifts for your mom’ gift guide box and offer editors something fresh and titillating. ‘This Candle Will Say 20+ Years of Thank You to Mom,’ is probably a more exciting email subject (and headline). Pair up different products and clients to organize a pitch around a color, scent, personality theme, travel destination, trend, or anything else.”
Photo: Press Hook
Another best practice for pitching: providing editors with a solution. “When pitching to editors do try and find out where their gaps are and sell in your product with purpose and relevance,” says PuRe PR co-founder and director Cara Ward. “This is solving a problem for them and will make them respect you as a valuable service. Each year, editors change the remit to suit their specific audience, SEO and the economic consumer sentiment, so the more you know the better results you will get. And label your images with full credits to ensure accuracy when the content goes to the subs and picture editors!”
Is this a good gift?
It may seem obvious, but in the hustle of the holidays, teams can get caught up in landing that client placement without really considering if it’s a right gift guide fit or not. With such limited space in these stories, giftability is a key factor that both brands and PRs must consider. “Media gravitate towards easy-to-buy gift sets (think advent calendars or specially created holiday gift boxes),” says Smolan. “It shouldn't be too much of a stretch that someone would actually give the item as a gift.”
One of the perks of our digital-first publishing landscape is the quick turnaround time, which means you still have an opportunity to land your client in the perfect gift guide. Follow the above strategies to get your email opened, editors engaged and your client in the spotlight.
