4 more quick tips for HGG pitching

More gift guide tips today! From the recent interview I did for Muck Rack comes another story with more detailed holiday gift guide pitching tips. You can read the whole story here, but meanwhile here are excerpts with salient bits from my remarks:

• Alice says she began receiving pitches in August and plans to wrap up her gift guide work around Thanksgiving. “Right around then, I’m even done with ‘last-minute’ gift guide pitches,” Alice explains. That’s when pitches start shifting gears to New Year’s wellness, resolutions, etc. so I recommend doing the bulk of your pitching as early as possible.”

• Be sure to note if there’s something different about your client’s founder or company story, especially if there’s a diversity aspect that makes your client stand out. "Unfortunately, I just don't really have the bandwidth to internalize a lot of detail about a founder or brand story, but if there’s something very interesting, include it in one bullet point,” Alice says.

• Alice says she likes to see a bulleted list of the crucial things she needs to know: what the product is, how much it costs, affiliate information and a live link.

  This ensures they have everything they need without having to follow up, making the process smoother and more efficient for everyone involved.

• “Holiday gift guides shouldn’t be valued as highly as they are relative to any other time of year when I'm constantly working on evergreen or seasonal product roundups,” Alice says. “I work on product roundups every month and can always save products for any other time of year where I’m probably getting far fewer pitches and your product is more likely to stand out and have a better chance of being placed.”

More HGG 2024 pitching resources

• It's HGG season again! 6 things you need to know before sending that pitch

• Stop! Does your HGG pitch include these 5 must-have features?

• Why do publicists still get this wrong when pitching HGGs?

• One surefire way to get me to delete your gift guide pitch

• The HGG 2024 pitching workshop recording is available! Thanks so much to everyone who came to the session I co-hosted with Aly Walansky and Jill Schildhouse. If you want to receive this recording right in your inbox (and you’re a paid subscriber to all of our Substacks), just reply to this post and we’ll send it your way.

Buy an ad and reach 5,100 engaged publicists

Do you have a coaching program, online course, service, platform, or anything else that makes sense to get in front of my highly engaged PR and media readers? Reach out to me at alice@alicedubin.com to discuss sponsorship in this newsletter.

Open press opportunities

• STILL OPEN/NEW DETAILS: For Travel + Leisure, I’m doing a roundup of holiday travel deals you can book right now — cruises, hotels/resorts, air, all fair game. I’m especially interested in hearing from larger entities as a whole — hotel groups, cruise lines, etc. — that are offering overarching deals across the brand. (For reference, here’s an example of how this type of story looks.)

Recently published or updated

• 15 Homemade "Gift in a Jar" Ideas for Everyone on Your List (Woman’s Day)

• How to Keep Coffee Warm Without Ruining the Flavor, According to Experts (Southern Living)

• The 24 Best Luxury Hotel Bedding Pieces of 2024 (Travel + Leisure)

• 30 Forgotten Songs of the 1980s That Will Take You Back (Woman’s Day)

• The Best Sweater Dresses for Fall Travel (Travel + Leisure)

• What Is It Like to Fly on Asiana Airlines in Business Class? (Business Traveler USA)

• 20 Plus-Size Wedding Guest Dresses for All Tastes and Seasons (Woman’s Day)

• The 8 Best Stadium Seats of 2024 (Travel + Leisure)

• How to Store Bananas So They Don’t Turn Brown and Mushy (Southern Living)

• 15 Amazon Items Flight Attendants Say You Should Only Buy on Sale — and They're Up to 50% Off for Labor Day (Travel + Leisure)

• Does Alcohol Ever Fit Into a Healthy Diet? (The Well)

• 8 best all-inclusive resorts and packages in Bora Bora (The Points Guy)

• I Hauled Dagne Dover’s New Suitcase All Over Japan — Here’s Why It’s My New Favorite Travel Bag (Travel + Leisure)

• The Best Hotels in Rio de Janeiro (Travel + Leisure)

• We went to the Amalfi Coast during peak summer season. These 4 tips made our trip better — but there's one mistake I won't make again. (Business Insider)

• The Most Stylish (and Comfy) Pieces to Wear to Disneyland and Disney World This Summer (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Sleepwalking: what causes walking in your sleep and how does it affect your health (Yahoo)

• What to Wear on a Plane, According to a Travel Writer Who Flies 50 Times a Year (Travel + Leisure)

• 100 Bar and Bat Mitzvah Wishes and Quotes to Write in a Card (Woman’s Day)

• How to Pack for Heat and Humidity, According to Style and Beauty Experts (Southern Living)

• What Is It Like to Fly Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787-9 in Upper Class? (Business Traveler USA)

• The best destinations to book an Airbnb this summer (The Points Guy)

• My family went to Rome during the peak summer season. Our trip would've been better if we'd known these 5 things before we left. (Business Insider)

• One of the Best Luxury Family Resorts in the World Is Less Than Three Hours From Hollywood (The Hollywood Reporter)

• First Look: Air France Opens its Largest International Lounge in Los Angeles (Business Traveler USA)

• The Best Backpacks for Disney and Other Theme Parks, From Character Bags to Versatile Powerhouses (The Hollywood Reporter)

• What to Do When You’re Too Hot to Sleep (Sleep Doctor)

• The Best Hawaiian Shirts for Men of 2024 (Travel + Leisure)

• I'm a Frequent Flier, and These 15 Genius Items Have Helped Me Outsmart Checked Bag Fees — From Just $10 (Travel + Leisure)

• The Best Kids’ Luggage That's as Tough as It Is Adorable (Parents)

• The Best Hotels in Martha’s Vineyard (Travel + Leisure)

• The 8 Best Zipperless Luggage Pieces of 2024, Tested and Reviewed (Travel + Leisure)

• The Best Hotels in Phoenix (Travel + Leisure)

• Mushroom Magic: Nutrients, Flavors, and Cleaning Tips (The Well)

• I’m a Frequent Flier, and This Amazon Matching Set Is My Hack for Being Stylish Yet Comfortable During Travel (Travel + Leisure)

• The Best Hotels in Kauai (Travel + Leisure)

• Where celebrities travel: 11 under-the-radar or perennially hot places to visit in summer 2024 (The Points Guy)

• The 10 Best Hotels in Palm Springs for 2024 (Travel + Leisure)

• What Is It Like to View Path of Totality Onboard the JSX Private Jet? (Business Traveler USA)

• The Best Museums in New York City Where Kids Get in Free (Elle Decor)

• 50 of the Best Things to Do in Vegas Under $50 (Esquire)

• Springtime Event Ideas From Janie and Jack’s Cheerful Garden Party (BizBash)

• Spring Cleaning: This Whimsical BÉIS Pop-Up Created a Car Wash for Your Luggage (BizBash)

• These 40 Best NYC Hotels Are the Epitome of Luxury and Elegance (Bazaar)

• The best all-inclusive family resorts where you can vacation without ever opening your wallet (BabyCenter)

• Ahead of ‘White Lotus’ Season 3, Book These Luxurious Thailand Resorts Before the Reservation Rush (The Hollywood Reporter)

• How I got $2,900 of expenses covered after the 737 MAX 9 grounding stranded me in Hawaii (The Points Guy)

• The 25 Best Hotels in Hawaii for Families of All Ages and Sizes (Elle Decor)

• After a Flight Cancellation Left Me Stuck for 4 Days, These Are the 12 Travel Essentials I'll Always Pack (Travel + Leisure)

• 20 of the Best Las Vegas Hotels for Couples on and Off the Strip (Harper’s Bazaar)

• Iconic Kona Village Resort Is Reborn as a Rosewood (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Obsessed With Staying In Bed? It Could Be Dysania (The Well)

• The Best New York City Hotels for Families to Make Everyone Feel Right at Home (Town & Country)

• 20 of the Best All-Inclusive Resorts for Teens Who Are Hard to Impress (Country Living)

• 16 Luxurious Florida Resorts That Take Relaxation to New Levels (Elle Decor)

• Is Real Estate Investing Still the Best Way to Build Wealth? Experts Say… (HomeLight)

• 8 Train Rides Around the World That Immerse You in Gorgeous Landscapes (AFAR)

Open jobs

Job posts in this newsletter are now a free perk for paying subscribers. Do you have an open opportunity you want me to promote? First, upgrade here if you need to. Then email me at info@alicedubin.com.

• BON Communications is hiring a remote account coordinator based in Los Angeles or Denver. “We specialize in earned media with a passion for telling our clients’ stories in impactful ways. BON works with inspiring talent in food and beverage, travel, and design.” Previous agency experience is required. Email your resume to hello@boncomms.com to apply.

• Quinn PR is hiring a senior account executive for its London office. The ideal candidate will have 3+ years of PR agency experience, an interest or experience in working on luxury travel and property clients, and in commutable distance to central London. Learn more and apply here.  

• AVE WEST PR is looking for a publicist in Nashville who has experience strategizing, creating, managing, and executing PR plans for multiple clients. The position will run point on Dolly Parton licensee accounts like Dolly Wines, Doggy Parton, Hoffmaster (paper and party products) as well as other celebrity brand clients. “In the always changing field of media, this individual understands traditional press goals but loves chasing/experimenting with innovative and fresh ways of connecting with audiences in the digital editorial, social, and print spaces. For this role, organization is key, but being able to think quickly on your feet and react with confidence is just as important.” All the info here: AVE WEST PR - Publicity Manager

Work with me

• I am always available for project-based consulting. Please reach out to discuss your needs: info@alicedubin.com.

• Here’s how to pitch: Simply respond to this email with a new subject line or pitch me at pitch@alicedubin.com.

• Are you a writer hoping to reach my engaged audience of publicists? A publicist hoping to connect with brands? A digital media type with a product or service for the industry? Maybe you’d like to sponsor this newsletter with a featured ad. I’m also open to well-matched affiliate partnerships. Let’s chat: info@alicedubin.com.

How to help

• Make sure you’re registered and have a plan to VOTE!!!!!!!!!!

• Donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross and Save the Children.

• Donate to the Anti-Defamation League to support the fight against hate.

• Donate to Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety.

• Donate to Planned Parenthood.