The Colab Brief: 026 - 🤫 Silent Night - Avoiding the Dreaded Holiday Drought ❄️

It’s mid-November, which means the holiday season is already upon us (and, according to Home Depot, it has been since Halloween). For most, this is a time of rest and relaxation. For those of us working in PR, for agencies, or in startup-land, it’s still full steam ahead. 🚂

After all, the holiday season is one of the most challenging times for securing those precious media placements. 

Or, is it? 🤔

Today, we’ll give you our best advice for snagging press attention, even as we enter the dreaded winter dead zone. 

Read Time: 4 minutes

We’ve all heard the same song and dance. 

“The holidays are extremely slow for PR, so we should save that announcement for later.”

“We can pitch, but most media are OOO.” 

Before we launch into our tactics for getting extra creative this time of year, we also want to challenge the assumption that November/December HAS to be a slow time for press. 

Yes, we’re working with fewer in-office days than the typical month. 

But also:

1. There are likely fewer people pitching - so strike while the volume is low.

2. Media STILL have quotas to hit - while they might be padding their writing earlier in the month, the actual volume still stays relatively the same. 

So, if you’re feeling a case of the winter media blues, we have a few suggestions for you. 

It’s Not Over, Til It’s Over 🎅

Holiday pitching, that is. 

If you have a holiday-related topic you’re seeding, you still have WEEKS to capitalize in the online pubs - this includes gift guides. While the general sentiment is that gift guides are wrapped by September, we’ve had great luck getting super-relevant clients added to digital gift guides later in the year. 

We also still have all the major retail sales to leverage. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday have yet to be written about in full detail, and that coverage will continue well into the first part of December. 

Scan your target pubs to see what they published last year near the holidays. Often, you’ll find relevant themes you can aim for this year, too.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…for Predictions 🎁

IYKYK. 

Yes, predictions are still a thing, and yes, they’re still a great way to slide a thought leader’s quotes into a relevant publication. But get moving. Submissions for predictions typically wrap around the first week of December, so time’s a-ticking. 

Our best strategy for making an impact with your predictions? Think outside the box, and don’t be afraid to be wrong. 

Deck the Halls with Lots of Bylines 🌟

Our media friends would love a long holiday break, and one way you can help them out is by padding their calendars with articles they don’t have to write themselves. 

Most vertical publications feature more bylines in November and December than in any other month, which means there are more opportunities for your thought leaders to contribute. 

Our favorite method for securing bylines is by pitching a short abstract first (although no longer an option for TechCrunch+ - we miss you, Walter). The abstract ensures everyone is on the same page before you spend hours writing a full-length article. 

Look to the Future 💞

It’s all holiday cheer at the moment, but print pubs are already well into their 2024 editorial calendars, so use that to your advantage. We know several editors who have already penned Valentine's Day pieces, and the online publications won’t be far behind. This time of year is a whirlwind, so plan ahead and get in front of those Jan-Feb pitches before the winter break. 

Don’t get frozen out this holiday season. By leveraging impactful predictions, taking advantage of last-minute opps, and securing valuable bylines, you can turn the holiday season into a holly jolly time of year (couldn’t resist). 

Happy Pitching -

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