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Getting your original product or service featured in a gift guide can bring a boost in sales, broaden awareness of your business, and lead to new, happy customers who are eager to share how much they adored the gift from your store. It also gives you a nice piece of press to post on your website, share with your fans on social media, or use in email marketing to validate that yes, what you are selling is unique, in high demand, and gift-guide worthy.
Gift guides are often relevant year-round, so there’s ample opportunity to be featured in guides from Valentine’s Day to Mother’s Day to Christmas. But getting featured often requires a plan (and sometimes a bit of luck). Here are five tips to help you build a plan to get your product or service featured.
1. Your online store MUST be ready.
Every holiday gift guide features a hyperlinked item that allows shoppers to purchase from an online store. A gift-guide placement is only powerful if it can lead to sales, so make sure your featured item is ready to be sold online. Even if you offer services, you can create digital gift cards on Square to target holiday-specific sales, like a Valentine’s Day updo, a relaxing massage, or a special photo shoot. Making the services feel more timely can help drive more digital gift card sales.
Don’t miss the opportunity to turn new visitors into repeat customers by promoting your Square Loyalty Program and letting customers use their first purchase to build toward future perks. You can help drive more sales by optimizing your email lead-capture pop-up and by offering a coupon for signing up.
2. Get specific. Like, really specific.
Gift guides are hyper-targeted toward specific audiences. Some gift guides are targeted toward people who travel, toward people who enjoy edible gifts, or toward people looking for gifts under $10. Other gift guides are more seasonal in nature and are targeted toward to those looking for Valentine’s Day gifts for her, Christmas gifts for dad, or Mother’s Day gifts for the mom who has everything.
Decide which type of guide would work well for your business and create a short list of publications and editors to whom you’d like to pitch your product or service. Also include the name and contact information of the writer or journalist who handles the gift guides. Since your product or service is likely to be beneficial year-round, be sure to have a healthy mix of evergreen and seasonal guides on your list so that your business can benefit throughout the year.
3. Pitch, pitch, pitch.
Once your short list is ready, the next step is to craft an eye catching pitch. Editors are often inundated with businesses trying to get their products featured, so it’s important to make your pitch stand out. Craft pitches that are quick, snappy, and straight to the point. Be sure to identify the product or service clearly, where it can be bought, the cost, and why it’s unique. Clear, focused photos of the product or serviceshould also be included in the pitch to give the editor a clear visual understanding of the offer. Customizing each of your pitches toward the publication and writer can increaase your chances of standing out.
Some seasonal gift guides have specific cut-off times for pitches that may be months before the guide goes live. Consider building out a calendar and timeline to keep you on track with your deadlines, submissions, and progress.
4. HARO: Help a Reporter Out.
If you’re looking for another way to get your product or service in front of reporters beyond cold submissions, considering joining HARO. This paid service sends twice-daily emails seeking content to help fill reporter inquiries. It costs $20 a month, but it’s worth it during the holiday grind to help get your product into the hands of journalists looking for a new gift to feature. Reader’s Digest, Bustle, and dozens of other outlets rely on HARO to find new sources for content.
5. Build relationships.
Getting into a gift guide may not always be as simple as short-listing, pitching, and being featured. With competition growing every year, it’s important to keep trying, to diversify your lists, and to vary your approach to find success. Consider finding other ways to build your relationships with reporters to broaden visibility for your products or services. Reach out to reporters who cover the industry that covers your products. If it’s financially workable, send them free product so they can see, feel, and love your item — and then write about it in their next gift guide or piece.
