A Real-Life Example of an HGG Product Pitch Format That 98% of Writers Will Delete (and we see it far too often!)
Plus: Tips on which format works better, so you can perfect your seasonal pitches
Hello subscribers!
Who’s getting excited about our upcoming Holiday Gift Guide Workshop? Judging by our inbox, a lot of you! We already have a TON of signups and we’re really looking forward to hosting the session.
During our hour together, we’ll be sharing HGG best practices, a checklist of everything your pitch should include, advice for how to stand out from all the other pitches writers are receiving, tips for getting your sources some coverage in gift guides and examples of great HGG pitches we’ve received so you can follow that format. Plus, we’ll save some time for a Q&A at the end (and if we have to stay on an extra 15 minutes to fit that in, we’re happy to do so).
We still have some room, so RSVP today! Even if you can’t make the live event, we’ll have the recording available immediately afterwards to watch at your leisure … so if you want to get on that list, you’ll still need to RSVP!
This Week’s Topic: An HGG Pitch Format No Writer Has the Bandwidth to Read, Let Alone Respond To
When it comes to pitching a client for a gift guide, there are many ways to do it (and we’ll be covering that in our workshop next week!). But there are also ways to not do it — we covered some of those in last week’s What Not to Pitch in a Holiday Gift Guide.
This week, let’s look at a pitch that we recently received … unfortunately, it’s a great example of one that would likely get deleted right away (names and clients changed to maintain anonymity!).
“Hi! Have you begun working on Holiday Gift Guides for this year? If so, please let us know if you see a fit for any of the clients listed below. Samples, high-res imagery, and any additional information about these brands are available upon request. Looking forward to hearing from you!”
Then the rest of the email was a HUGE copy and paste dump of alllll the clients that this publicist is currently working with — in no particular order.
What’s that look like on the receiving end?
First up, a brand that looks like it makes evening wear gowns, robes, and costume jewelry. There was a photo of some of the items followed by a few sentences about the gifts they have available and a link to the brand’s website.
Next: A food brand that was selling a cookbook and some snacks.
Next: A company that makes cowboy boots.
Next: Maternity attire.
Next: A hat, sweater, and accessory company.
Next: A bottle of flavored whiskey.
Next: Craft beer-infused pastries.
Next: Foodie lovers gift boxes that included everything from cheese and crackers to pasta and chocolates.
Next: A humidifier company.
Next: A denim company.
Next: A jewelry line.
Next: A women’s shapewear line.
Next: An essential oil diffuser.
Next: Hot chocolate.
Next: A celebrity makeup line.
Next: A lingerie line.
Next: A bourbon brand.
Next: Another cookbook.
Ok, let’s dive into what specifically doesn’t work about this type of pitch from a writer’s point of view (there are 6 specific things wrong here) — and how you can fix it while still using a multi-client pitch approach! Yes, it CAN be done, with the right formatting.
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*Note: Our consulting sessions, workshops and Substack newsletters are strictly educational and signing up for either has no bearing on landing coverage in any of our outlets. Our role is to fine-tune your approach and tactics so that you can apply these learnings when pitching other journalists.