Small Businesses, This Is Your Visibility Season.
The “Ber” Months Are Here.
We have officially entered the “Ber” months.
SeptemBER. OctoBER. NovemBER. DecemBER.
Which means three things:
Stores are going to somehow convince us that we need both a decorative pumpkin and a Christmas tree at the same time.
Small business owners are about to get very, very busy.
If you want people talking about your business during the holidays, now is the time to start showing up.
Not November, not when you suddenly realize Black Friday is next week, and definitely not December 15th when you email a reporter asking if your company fits for anything that they are working on. I say this with love, by the way!
The “Ber” months are your visibility season. As a publicist and social media coach who works primarily with small businesses, I want you focusing on three things right now:
Pitch it. Plan it. Show it.
PITCH IT.
If you have a product that could make a great holiday gift, start pitching it. Actually, depending on the publication, you may already be late; don't panic. Some print publications work months ahead, so their big holiday issues may already be planned. I want you to hear me: that doesn't mean you've missed every holiday PR opportunity.
Think beyond “holiday gift guide.”
This about the story around your business and/or product:
Minnesota-made gifts?
Gifts for teachers?
Gifts for the person who has everything?
Hostess gifts?
Last-minute gifts?
This is where I want small business owners to stop thinking:
“How do I get my product featured?”
And start thinking:
“What story could my product help a journalist tell?”
That tiny shift matters. Reporters aren't looking to give you free advertising; they're looking for a good story. Help them tell one!
PLAN IT.
Do not wait until November 1st or, even worse, the Monday before Thanksgiving to decide what you're posting for the holidays. Future You does not need that kind of stress. Take an hour and look at November and December.
What are you selling?
What dates actually matter to your business?
Are you doing a holiday promotion?
Do you need photos?
Do you need video?
Do you need B-roll?
Are there products you know you're going to want to talk about?
What questions are customers going to ask over and over again?
Write. It. Down.
You don't need 47 perfectly planned Instagram posts sitting in drafts. You need a roadmap. Because when you're packing orders, answering emails, helping customers, and trying to remember whether you bought your own kids Christmas presents, content creation is probably going to move pretty far down your list.
SHOW IT.
This might be the most important one. Don't wait until the holidays to start talking about your business. I’ll say that again for those in the back: Don't wait until the holidays to start talking about your business. October is a great time to remind people who you are, what you do, and why they should care.
Show us behind the scenes.
Show us how something is made.
Introduce yourself again.
Answer the question customers always ask you.
Tell us why you started the business.
Show us the product being used.
Give us a peek at what's coming.
And PLEASE get some B-roll while you're doing it all. Future You will thank you when it's November 30th, and you need to make a Reel but haven't washed your hair.
The goal right now isn't necessarily to scream:
BUY THIS FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!
It's to make sure people know you exist before everyone starts screaming:
BUY THIS FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!
There is a difference.
You don't have to do everything.
This is where small business owners get overwhelmed. Someone tells you to pitch the media, and someone else tells you to post every day, and the next person says to start an email list. Then apparently you're supposed to make TikToks, optimize your SEO, start a podcast, and become best friends with the algorithm.
No.
Pick what makes sense for your business. But whatever you choose, don't disappear during the exact season when people are looking for businesses like yours.
You don't need to be everywhere. You need to show up intentionally.
So before October gets away from you, do three things:
Pitch it. Plan it. Show it.
Send the pitch.
Open the calendar.
Take the video.
You don't need the entire holiday season figured out today, but you should probably start before Mariah Carey starts defrosting.