The holidays are upon us and while many are taking time off, the press does not. Digital media outlets need to fill their sites with stories and television stations will be, as they call it, “light” for stories.  

Reporters and editors are not getting inundated with press pitches as many are on vacation, so your pitch has a chance of getting read and potentially picked up. 

As hard news slows down, reporters need story ideas. And this is where you come in! Here’s what journalists are looking for. 

Secret #1: Feel Good Stories

I think most of us agree that after this year, we all need a feel-good story. Reporters are looking to share a special story that warms the hearts of their viewers or readers. This works great with your local media. If you have a special story that will resonate with your audience pitch away. 

Secret #2: Food. Food. Food.

Food is a big part of the season and prior to COVID television stations would have in-studio cooking segments. But that doesn’t mean that they are not looking for this type of content. Pitch a unique cooking/entertainment segment that you can do remotely. Think about what people will be doing this holiday season as it is a bit different and create a pitch from there. For example, maybe folks aren’t doing the traditional holiday dinner, so give them ideas to create fun and less stressful meals or snacks. Remember, think outside the box and what is important to the audience. 

Secret #3: Be Topical

Pitching topical newsworthy stories is always the best way to reach the media, even during the holidays. Pitch a story that connects your organization to a news topic or current trends, such as the economy, COVID, health, or other trends.

Secret #4: How To’s

The media loves to interview experts about tips. From how to stay healthy during the holidays with COVID to how to avoid gaining weight from all the amazing food and cookies...these are great ways to reach the media.
  

Secret #5: Gifts Ideas

We all struggle with coming up with unique gifts and the media loves to provide unique ideas to their readers and viewers. If you have a specific product that would make a good gift before you pitch the idea think about what sets your brand apart and why it would make a good story. It is American made, inexpensive, easy to get last minute, great for moms, dads, kids, co-workers..whats the hook?

Secret #6: Trends 

This is the time that journalists are working on 2021 predictions. The media is looking for experts in their industry to talk about what we can expect over the next year in that field. This is the case in multiple areas. From health and wellness to finance and style. The key here is to pitch this ASAP. 

A great place to see opportunities regarding these stories is HARO (Help a Reporter Out) I talk all about this and how to use it in my online course Land Your Own Media Coverage and Increase Your Brand. 

While national media exposure is the goal for many, I highly encourage you to start on the local level, especially with these holiday stories. And once they interview you, your chance to do more interviews will increase significantly. 

I’m excited to hear about your success.

Have a wonderful holiday season!!

Your business just won an award or your company is part of a huge project in the area. You have a story to tell. A really good story. You’ve told the press about it, but you haven’t heard anything. Okay, don’t give up. You may just have to tweak a couple of things.

Today we’re talking about how social media and PR work together. Before twitter, facebook and snapchat, the only way to let people know that you and your company were going on to be on the 10 pm news is an email blast or a phone call.

The role of public relations continues to change for the beauty industry. There are even more opportunities to get in front of your audience, but the key is to be strategic and focus heavily on social media.
 

Before you begin your PR campaign you must first ask yourself these questions:

• What makes your brand different?
• Who is your spokesperson? Are they energetic and good on camera?
• What media outlets do you want to be in?
• What social media influencers do you want to reach out to?
• Do you have a strategy?

1. Craft Your Pitch
Your pitch should be short and sweet. Beauty journalists receive hundreds of pitches a day so you want yours to stand out and get them interested in featuring your product. It’s always a good idea to include stats, studies, or trends in your pitch.


2. Create an Attention-Grabbing Subject Line
Your subject line is extremely important. As I mentioned, journalists are constantly receiving pitches and that's why your subject line needs to attract their attention. Your subject line should be a quick summary of what your pitch is about. Don’t use exclamation points or be too dramatic.


3. Understand Lead Times
Media outlets have long and short lead times. National print magazines have long leads which means that beauty writers and editors are working on stories three to four months in advance. If you want your product to be featured in a summertime roundup then you should pitch in January or February. Digital media outlets have shorter lead times, usually about a month in advance. This is why it’s extremely important to have a strategy in place. 

Trends and ‘the next big thing’ change nearly every few days, so stay on top of what everyone is talking about.  Beauty brands should also follow makeup artists, influential and magazine editors, and more traditional influencers who focus on beauty. This can all help you when coming up with pitches.


4. Establish Relationships with Journalists
Forming a relationship with a journalist takes time, but once you do it will pay off. Following and engaging with writers and editors on Twitter is a great way to connect. Journalists love Twitter and always post their stories on this platform.  It is also a huge compliment to them if you share their article on Twitter and other social media platforms.

If you get news coverage, it’s always a great idea to mail the journalist a thank you card and then keep them updated on any new story ideas you have. It’s important to foster relationships with the media, always keep track of your conversations, and follow up with friendly emails. Relationships are not built overnight, but with the right attitude, pitches, and quick response it will happen. 




5. Create PR Packages
There is something to be said about seeing and trying a beauty product. You can create a beautiful PR package with samples of your product and send it to key journalists. This significantly helps the journalist write about your brand. Even though it’s an additional expense, beauty & makeup brands should be prepared to set aside a certain amount of samples per month to give away to writers and editors.

6. How to Find Journalists
If you have a decent budget you can invest in a PR database such as Cision. This will give you journalists’ contact information and what they specialize in. You can also find their contact information on Twitter. Or you can go to the specific media’s website and search for their contact information. There are lots of ways to find writers and editors, you just have to put some time into creating your list.


7. Connect with Influencers
Influencer marketing is one of the biggest tactics in public relations lately. Since influencers have smaller and more loyal audiences, they are a place for brands to reach their audience. Especially in the beauty industry, influencers can help your brand get widespread exposure more authentically. You can find their contact information on their social media handles or their website. You can also use some of your PR packages to send to the influencers and then follow up to see if they would like to work with you. 

The idea of using PR in the makeup industry is extremely effective. The companies that get media attention will not have to spend all their money on advertising.  This is a simpler and far more effective way of promoting their products. The key is to have a strategy, craft a unique pitch, establish relationships with journalists, connect with influencers and be authentic.