Submitted by Sabina Hitchen on | 0 Comments
After a few days (or weeks) of holiday vacations and distractions it's time to slowly ease back into the world of PR and pitching, right? Wrong! January starts out with a bang in the world of hot topics and must-pitch-or-spin-your-biz-into-story-angles and we've got them (while they're hot) for you in our monthly Pitch Now series. As we always remind you, these topics aren't just media outreach musts, they're also golden nuggets for your blog and/or your social media feeds. Use them as inspiration as you brainstorm and create ideas for these buzz building platforms as well, because they'll ensure you stay current, stay relevant and magnetize readers and potential customers to your website!
CES Season is Upon Us
What's CES you ask? Why it's the International Consumer Electronics Show and it's the world’s annual gathering place (in Las Vegas) for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It's also a hot spot where entrepreneurs, startups, innovators and breakthrough technologies are introduced to the marketplace. How can you capitalize on this event - even if you're not there? Tie a pitch on must-have apps for entrepreneurs to it. Do a blog post covering the technologies your business depends on to thrive. Share your own tech-related innovations. Talk about the rise of women in tech. Include the hashtag #CES and #CES2015 in your posts on Twitter and Instagram if you're discussing or commenting on something related to the event. Sure, you want it to be an idea that makes sense and has a believable connection, but don't immediately discount your chances of spinning yourself into this trend story if you're not a 25 year-old Silicon Valley standout. Get creative, get innovative and you're already halfway to CES-inspired buzz!
Cold Weather Blast of Ideas
From coast-to-coast the country is finally getting a dose of winter. That means Californians are wearing raincoats and mid-westerners are digging out their cars. What can your business talk about that's related to the cold spell? At-home winter work outs? How to dress for cold weather without looking like a snowman? Yummy soup recipes to warm you up? Sledding safety? How to tame hair in rainy weather? Think about what you know how to do in cold weather, and share that information with the world. Do so by sharing it via your own blog, as well as the media (pitch a story or tips) and of course your social media followers. The more interesting, engaging and useful your tips, the more buzz it will generate!
Awards Season
You've heard us talking about it in our blog or perhaps in our Blog Planning Calendar for weeks now, and if you live anywhere near a television, magazine or Facebook feed it's hard to avoid it: Awards Season (Golden Globes, People's Choice, Oscars) is in full swing. This type of story can be used as a jumping off point for pitches, blog posts, social media engagement, sales promotions and more. You just have to find the right way to connect your business to this season, the movies featured or the actors and actresses nominated.
Valentine's Day
It's officially time to begin pitching Valentine's Day topics - from gift guides to tips and advice to services related to the holiday. "But it's only the first week of January!", you say. Yes, but in order for the press (and your customers) to get organized, make plans and get gift lists together and completed, the story planning begins now. Be sure your press outreach covers all forms of short lead press (TV, websites, newspapers, celebrity weeklies) and that your social media promotion of your offerings gives people plenty of time to order or learn from you and reap the benefit when the holiday finally rolls around.
Want to be sure you're pitching Valentine's Day press the right way? Join us for this week's live #TuneUp webinar about this hot topic, which you can sign up for right here! We welcome your questions and will answer them live "on air"!
Want to continue this conversation about hot topic story ideas, angles and your business? Join business owners like you and buzz building pros in our private forum!
