Submitted by Sabina Hitchen on | 0 Comments
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, I know it's not time for Christmas carols yet (tell that to some of the big box stores who are already promoting it...) but Fall truly is my favorite time of year and the start of October means that Fall is in full swing and so are several new angles and hot topics you can use to build buzz for your business. Plus, we are covering these ideas and more in this week's live #TuneUp class! Join the call tomorrow for great strategies!
Not only are there "short lead" (read: of the moment, timely and running online, on television and in newspapers) stories to pitch to the press, but this month is also a good time to prep for a major long lead opportunity...Read on to find out about all of the themes your business should consider for its PR outreach.
#1 Fall is in Full Swing
Bring on the fall-focused stories. Whether you're talking "beauty products that use pumpkin" or "fall fashion for puppies" it's time to create story angles (and social media posts) that highlight the season we're knee deep in. Perhaps you're an interior designer who can discuss how to create the perfect DIY tablescape. Maybe you're talking about how specific fall vegetables are good for your health. The goal here is to see if you can tie your business, product, service or expertise into a timely fall-inspired story. Get creative, make sure the information is beneficial and useful to people (especially the audience that you are pitching) and be sure your story truly highlights your business and your skills, and you'll have a great pitch (or perhaps an idea for a blog post) on your hands!
#2 Breast Cancer Awareness Month and other Observances
A large amount of press stories across all types of platforms are dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness month during October. This means whether you have important health information and input or perhaps want to pitch a product to a "BCA Month Products that Give Back" type of round up, you'll want to act fast in order to be sure you get your spot in the posts and segments that are most likely already being created. If you haven't begun pitching these types of stories don't worry, there will surely be some people who haven't finalized their plans for this month long topic, and you can get advice on how to do that via this tip sheet.
Don't forget that every month offers a multitude of different observance, holidays and celebrations, from the serious to the silly. By doing a little bit of research online you can find the ones that work with your business and create a story around them, or perhaps use them for awesome content for your blog. Some examples of the other observances October brings include:
- National Apple Month
- Bullying Prevention Month
- Positive Attitude Month
Do some research, find your holiday, and it may in turn find you some press!
#3 Valentine's Day Preparations
Speaking of holidays, though Valentine's Day is months away in the real world, in the PR world several long lead (monthly magazines) outlets have already begun preparing and working on these stories - in fact some may have already completed them. In order to be sure you get as many opportunities to pitch your tips, products, service or expertise to these Valentine's Day Gift Guides and articles, be sure that at this very moment you're creating pitches that highlight your product and tips and you're reaching out to the outlets that you know you're a good fit for and inquiring about their plans for this romantic holiday's coverage.
In PR the early bird gets the worm, and this is especially the truth for holiday outreach when the opportunities are limited and the "playing field" is competitive. To start taking action I recommend you: get your product offerings and images together, create an email reaching out inquiring about the outlet's Valentine's Day story plans (send it to contacts that cover your beat) and when you get the information you need send a pitch out ASAP pitching your offerings.
Happy pitching!
Want to check out past Pitch Now articles for inspiration? Find them here!
