I get that question a lot. Certainly, there’s a lot of competition for eyeballs, ears and “butts in seats.” But the end of the year, from a PR and marketing standpoint, can provide some opportunities that are not available at other times of the year.
Why?
People are generally gearing up for a quieter work week around the Christmas and New Year holidays. It may be easier to arrange that sales meeting that’s been difficult to pin down.
Similarly, newsrooms are a little slower, and are receiving fewer pitches, but they still need to put the paper out. Ten years ago, it might not have been ideal to have, for example, an op-ed run on Christmas Day. Today, though, it’s perfect. First, you get the third-party credibility, as well as the readership, of the media outlet’s print and online audience. But even better, you can leverage that coverage through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, as well as your company newsletter, blog and website, extending the tail of the coverage. So people will see it later, as long as you direct them there.
Everyone’s looking for a timely news hook that offers something different. You see them every year—the annual news stories relating to philanthropy, holiday travel, spending, cute kids, “Grinches,” workplace celebrations, holiday-themed products, gift-giving…the list goes on. Find a way to appropriately tie into the holiday season, create a well-written and perfectly targeted pitch, and voilà! Your company is the focus of that annual story, instead of your competitor.
Holiday cards are one of the unsung heroes of the holiday marketing frenzy. While you can’t force something to go viral, something clever enough will undoubtedly be read and forwarded. Differentiate yourself with an electronic holiday card that delights and impacts your audience.
Give your company the gift of an extra marketing boost with a timely marketing opportunity…or wait 365 days for the end-of-year holiday season to roll around again.
What has been your best, most standout seasonal social media, professional media or marketing play?
