PR planning for Christmas

It's never too early to start your Christmas PR campaign planning.

In any other year, we’d have seen the launches from the supermarkets, we’d know what Christmas toys parents would be buying, Christmas in July would have taken place and editors would begin planning their content ready for the festive period.

This year Christmas has started a little slower but over the coming weeks it’ll begin to ramp up as more stores launch their ranges and the organised start thinking about present buying.

So, what do you need to make sure your Christmas PR campaign is a success?

Forward planning

Planning is key. Have your product ranges in place well before the festive season gets underway, know when you’re going to launch them to press and when they’ll be available for your customers to buy.

Images

Good images are important and worth the time and effort to get them right. Always get a mix – lifestyle shots will work for some press, others will need cut outs so they can drop the image straight onto the page.

Key products

Identify your bestsellers and your press worthy products. Which items do you think customers will love? Which items do you stock every year and they always sell out? Think too about what the press will like. Is anything slightly quirky or unusual? Do certain items fit a certain audience?

Samples

Always have samples available. If you specialise in Christmas food and drink, offer out products for review. The same with toys and pretty much any Christmas gift you’d like to pitch to press. Remember too that some publications – both print and online - like to take their own photos for Christmas editions.

Pitching in

Pitching the product early is essential but bear in mind not everyone will want to see Christmas land in their inbox in August. Factor in the lead times of publications and pitch to them when the time is right. It may feel like you’re selling in Christmas for months – you are – but it’ll all be worth it.

For more information on getting the media attention you deserve this Christmas, please read more on Motive's approach to PR here.

© MOTIVE