Alpine Communications Every year it seems that retailers begin showing holiday products earlier and earlier.  We all  complain about seeing Halloween in August or Valentine’s chocolates before all the New Year’s champagne has been finished.  But as businesses, we have to begin planning early if we want to take advantage of the marketing boost that the holidays can give us.

Some businesses are identified with or lend themselves to the holidays with ease.  Health/wellness companies, fitness businesses or exercise gurus can jump right on the perennial weight loss and New Year’s resolution stories which always come out in January.

But what if you are a manufacturer, or deal with decidedly un-holiday subjects such as mental illness or divorce?  For our divorce consulting client, we may suggest a story on how to cope over the holidays, typically a rough time for people who are going through or contemplating divorce.  For our client that serves people with developmental disabilities, mental illness and drug addiction, surviving the holidays with mental illness or an addictive disorder could be a topic to consider.

Helping the needy is a holiday staple.  Many social agencies have the names of needy families that can be “adopted” by a business or company.   Even my yoga studio has thought creatively. They have decided to buy fresh foods, cook them and serve them to the needy on behalf of a local homeless organization.

And what about serving our non-human furry friends and family?  Most of the time we do things over the holidays for humans but why not pets.  Businesses could do something to help support the local ASPCA, Humane Society, animal shelters or rescue organization.

Many newspapers will have “round-ups” on what companies are doing to get in the giving spirit.  But if you or your company is doing anything out of the ordinary, that’s always a story that will be considered.

In an unusual twist, our client, Avita Community Partners,  guided a group of people with developmental disabilities, who are used to being on the receiving end, to donate funds to Heifer International.  Through this organization, they purchased livestock to help a family in a third-world country.

With it being a slower time for news, many reporters are looking for stories to cover, especially those that work weekends. Start asking your clients now about holiday angles and other story ideas.

Happy pitching!