You may hate the headline of this blog but, you cannot ignore the reality that winter and the holidays are, in fact, coming. Now is the time for PR pros to set their sights on this ‘most wonderful time of the year.’
Here at Franco, we have a lot of clients whose business peaks during the holiday season, so we need to be on our game and plan ahead. Here are some elements of a perfect holiday PR plan to add to your own list and check twice:
1. Start media outreach now
Would you like to get your brand into holiday related magazines, TV specials, etc? It’s likely that the deadlines for those publications are fast approaching. We know of one local holiday program with a deadline of July 1! It takes time for media to put those jolly programs together and if you don’t get the ball rolling now, it might be too late.
2. Nail down event dates
We all know the holidays are BUSY. If you don’t secure your event details now, someone could swoop in and take your perfect location, date or other aspects of your event. This could be something as small as client dinner reservations or even a giant fundraising event. Do not let this happen to you.
3. Giving back to the community
‘Tis the season for giving. If your client wants to make a donation to a charity or organization, now is the time to start doing research. Make sure there is a tie between your client and the group they are donating to. It could be something as simple as the founder being a long-time supporter of the charity or, if your client is the creator of children’s clothing, for example, a donation to a children’s shelter or education fund. The tie will allow your client to stay on the brand while showing that the company cares about their community and not just profit.
4. Know the players (Vacations)
Are you relying on a key executive or client for interviews throughout the holiday season? Get their vacation schedule now! This way you’ll be able to plan around the times they will be unavailable for interviews and focus your media outreach accordingly.
5. Use down time to plan for the year ahead
At the end of December, everyone goes on vacation and it’s likely that PR work will slow down. As tempting as it might be to take a break, the best way to spend this time is to plan for the coming year. You can even look on the bright side and plan for summer 2017.
Winter may be coming… but with these secrets you will have an Elsa attitude!
