Planning for Commerce Pitching in 2022
By: Alyssa Ross, Media & Communications Manager
If you feel like this year is flying by before your very eyes, you’re not alone. While summer is only just winding down, people are already anticipating the inevitable chill in the air. Many reporters and PR professionals likely feel the same way, and for good reason. In our positions, the holidays are already upon us. One habit that individuals in both professions quickly develop is the ability to always be looking ahead. This especially comes in handy as many publications operate weeks or months in advance, meaning that the December edition of a magazine is already well underway right now in September.
While it might be hard to believe, reporters and entire publications have already started to plan for stories and guides relating to this holiday season. Throughout the month of August, our team noticed an uptick in both reporters and media outlets inquiring about the upcoming holidays. It started out with small mentions of gift guides within a few outlets' weekly newsletters; however, this quickly changed in a matter of weeks. Help A Reporter Out (HARO), a platform that connects reporters to potential sources on a daily basis, began to fill up with gift bags, niche products and sample requests all relating to the holidays.
Our team has fully launched into planning and pitching for this time of year. As I continue to navigate these opportunities, there are a number of observations that have really stood out to me, particularly as I’ve researched and interacted with commerce reporters. Here are the top three observations that our team is keeping top of mind as we pitch our clients for the holiday season.
Your research must go further than looking at reporters' general beats.
The commerce beat is like no other beat. When you reach out to a reporter covering a topic such as transportation or crime, you at least have a general idea of what type of stories are most likely to pique their interest. For commerce reporters, this is not always the case as the type of products and way of purchasing said products (in-store vs. online) is now highly influential. In the last several years, the commerce beat has changed. For example, some of these reporters only cover deals specific to Amazon or other large corporations. In this case, you would not want to reach out to an individual with a product that is not available on Amazon. Additionally, the subcategories of each commerce beat have also become more specific. When pitching a beauty product, you’re not just looking for a commerce reporter covering beauty. Instead, you may find yourself targeting your pitch even further by locating commerce reporters that strictly cover clean beauty brands.
All product details should be shared upfront with reporters.
This isn’t a new concept. It’s commonly known that reporters want the most relevant information outlined within the initial pitch; however, commerce reporters take it one step further. Based on a number of HARO requests that we have reviewed this year, there is one common trend. Your pitch needs to include more than just the general product details, a link to product photos or an offer for samples. Reporters want to be able to provide their readers with a variety of ways that they can access your product. They’re no longer satisfied with just a link to the product on your website. Instead, they want to know what other retail outlets are also stocking your product. I just recently responded to a gift guide opportunity that specifically requested links to the product on other sites such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc. While this might be upsetting to companies that do not have products established within major retailers, it’s important to note that smaller vendors and novelty shops are also accepted by reporters. This trend is all about providing the reader with options on where and how they carry out their holiday shopping.
Use your story to connect with consumers.
Reporters understand that purchasing and giving the perfect gift can be difficult. Most people determine what type of gifts to give their loved ones based on interests, wants and needs. This is why numerous publications create a number of different lists specific to gifts for mom, dad, a significant other, a grandparent, etc. This is truly where your story can come in and give your product a leg up this holiday season. When pitching your product, we often find ourselves searching for those differentiating factors between you and your competitors. This means assessing your background and company mission. Is the company a women owned, or a family owned business? Does the company’s mission give back in some way? What is unique about this organization and its product? By connecting your product to something that the consumer is passionate about, reporters are much more receptive to the request that it be included within their list or story.