You're Loading Journalists Up with Product Pitches...But Don't Forget to Pitch Your Experts This Holiday Season

Even during gift guide season, journalists still need expert sources. Here’s how to make your clients part of the conversation.

Are you in the middle of holiday gift guide pitching? Hitting a wall? Listen up!

This week I’m diving into a hot topic on gift guides: How to get your clients featured as sources in a sea of product pitches and gift-guide oriented content.

But first, a quick announcement: If you missed our Holiday Gift Guide Workshop, the recording is now available

Make this the year your HGG pitches don’t get ignored!

Editors are already assigning; writers are yearning for solid pitches; and your subject line has about two seconds to earn a click.

Last week, we walked dozens of you through what’s working in 2025—timing, targeting, affiliate realities, and how to package products so a writer can drop them straight into a guide without hand-holding.

This replay is for the publicist who’s done the spray-and-pray thing and is done wasting time. You’ll get the field-tested subject line patterns that actually get opened, a body-copy checklist you can paste into every pitch, and a clear plan for following up.

Bottom line: if you want more “yes” replies between Labor Day and Christmas, this $49 hour will more than pay for itself in placements.

What’s inside (high-value hits you can use this week)

• Timing that reflects reality: the waves you can catch from next week through mid-December, and how to triage when you’re late.

• Subject lines that get opened: price bands, retailer signals, social proof, and affiliate keywords—plus concrete examples and why they work.

• Pitch packaging that respects a writer’s time: 3–5 curated SKUs, low-res inline art + non-expiring download links, and what absolutely must be in the first screen.

• Targeting that doesn’t burn relationships: how to group multi-client pitches so they feel editorial, not a dump.

• Affiliate truth serum: what networks/commission ranges move the needle, when Amazon helps, and how to pitch a product or service that isn’t on affiliate yet.

• “Missed the window” plan: what to do in August–November to land short-lead guides and last-minute staffer adds.

• Services, luxury, and edge-cases: how to pitch service offerings, $1,000+ items, and categories like pet, books, bedding—without getting auto-deleted.

• Print vs. digital lead times: how to stop guessing and tailor your calendar.

• Follow-up cadence that doesn’t get you muted: when, how often, what to say, and when to stop.

• Where to find live calls for pitches beyond the usual suspects—and how to be the helpful name in a writer’s inbox.

Who it’s for: Agency and in-house publicists shipping holiday pitches now; founders doing their own outreach; solo publicists looking for an edge; anyone who needs a pragmatic HGG playbook instead of platitudes.

Fee: $49

A few testimonials from attendees:

“Great session ladies! Thank you so much! You two always add so much value to every session. Much appreciated!”

“This session was SO good. Thank you both so much. Beyond helpful. Can’t wait to send out my pitches.”

“When you have been in the PR industry for more than 15 years, you may think there’s ‘nothing new’ to learn. As we publicists try to continue to work in partnership with journalists, I appreciated the advice that was shared by Jill & Nicole in their HGG Workshop where I did in fact learn many new things! Being able to hear best practices, share tactics, and ask questions in real time during the workshop was so valuable. A big thank you to them for taking the time out of their busy schedules to support our efforts, which in turn help our clients get more hits!”

Ready to get your copy of the recording? Email NCPajer@gmail.com and we’ll get you the recording

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Now onto this week’s topic: How to Get Your Experts Into Holiday Stories

The holidays might seem all about products (just ask my inbox, which is averaging around 1,000 product pitches a day right now!) but this time of the year, expert voices are just as valuable. Many stories rely on interviews with professionals who truly understand the trends, challenges, and solutions people are looking for. Plus, between holiday travel, colder weather, gift buying, family gatherings, pet boarding, etc. there is still plenty we’re talking about that’s not gift related.

Here are some tips on how to best position your experts for coverage.

1. Ask your clients what’s going on in their industries that they could comment on

Sit down with your clients now and talk through the season ahead. Ask them:

• What are you seeing in your industry right now?

• Are people coming to you stressed about family gatherings or gift-giving?

• Are there new apps, tools, or hacks people are trying this holiday season?

• Are clients asking about ways to maintain health, sanity, or productivity during a busy month?

• Are clients talking about specific aspects of the holidays like travel, colder weather, food?

• What can you talk about or comment on that makes sense and is timely right about now?

There are only so many gift guides a publication can feature. Pitch your sources around these angles to journalists and their editors will thank them for bringing them something fresh, relevant, and trending that isn’t just product related.

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2. Look beyond the obvious

Editors want fresh angles, not recycled advice. That’s where your client’s expertise comes in. Think creatively about how they can contribute:

• A therapist could discuss how to handle family conflict during a long holiday dinner, or how social media comparisons amplify stress.

• A dietitian or trainer could weigh in on surviving buffet season without derailing health goals.

• A veterinarian could explain how to integrate a new pet into a house full of holiday guests, or how to keep pets calm around visitors and noise.

• A chef could talk about throwing a dinner party with guests with various dietary restrictions.

• A dating expert could talk how to throw the perfect holiday singles mixer.

A publicist once pitched me a therapist on a story about “How to Get Along with Family Over the Holidays,” using their insights on coping with stressful relatives, managing expectations, and self-care strategies. The story landed in a major lifestyle publication because the advice was practical and relatable.

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3. Get those DIY experts ready

Never underestimate the power of a DIY expert! I had someone pitch me in the past, which turned into an article on how to make your own holiday gifts without breaking the bank. You don’t need an influencer or TikToker for this to work. One of the experts worked with the Salvation Army and was a marketing person who offered crafting tips using donated goods.

Times are tough for many right now and people are all about budget gift guides and not overspending on gifts. Bonus points if your source nails this plus suggests an eco-friendly angle.

You can also pitch a DIY expert for things like holiday decor, party decorating, and stocking stuffers for pets. The sky is really the limit here.

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Tips 1–3 are just the start. Subscribe to unlock tips 4–8 and see how to make your clients the experts every journalist wants to talk to this holiday season. To upgrade to a paid membership, hit Subscribe at the end of this post and follow the prompts.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Subscribing to my Substack does not influence my editorial decisions or what I publish in any way. This newsletter is strictly an educational resource where I share my perspective and expertise to help publicists improve their pitching. I’ve delivered presentations to hundreds of PR firms, spoken at media university classes, and bring extensive experience on this topic—I’m excited to share that knowledge openly and transparently.