One of my go-to pitches for clients revolve around holidays. You know what’s better than the major ones? The bizarre holidays.
Bizarre Holidays
If you’re a small business owner who accepts American Express, Small Business Saturday is your day – not only for business but for publicity too!
I’d be willing to bet just about every TV station and newspaper in your market is covering this “holiday,” so why not pitch them as the owner of a small business to be interviewed?
You could talk about
- the importance of shopping small,
- what you’ve done to prepare for this day,
- what impact holiday shopping has on your business and the local economy, etc.
Remember, it’s all about finding a way to insert yourself and your brand into what is happening in the news.
Two days later, it’s one of my favorite bizarre holidays, Cyber Monday! (It’s the day I do all of my Christmas shopping.)
Earn Publicity on Bizarre Holidays
Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday aren’t exactly holidays, but they also aren’t that bizarre.
In March, there is something called Pi Day. (It’s 3/14… get it?) Even though it’s math related, “pi” sounds the same as “pie” and the restaurant I worked with made pizza pies, so I pitched a cooking demonstration on a morning newscast for Pi Day. It worked!
Remember, you need to look ahead and pitch the story before the day arrives.
These kinds of pitches work best for those newscasts that share more features and lifestyle content than hard news.
For TV, local newspapers, and online, I suggest pitching about two weeks in advance. If you don’t hear back, follow up one week later, then two days before the “holiday.”
If your goal is to be featured in a print magazine, you need to look ahead three months.
Planning for Bizarre Holidays
Plan ahead by making a calendar of all of the bizarre holidays, like
- December 7th, Cotton Candy Day
- January 29th, Puzzle Day
- February 9th, Toothache Day (Dentists – this one is for you!)
By implementing these days into your marketing strategy, you will not only be better prepared, but you will also increase your chances of earning media coverage.
Do you want me to create a calendar for you that outlines all of the bizarre holidays every day of the year? Let me know and I’ll create something just for you!
