Gift Guide Marketing can be one of the most powerful and easy to achieve forms of marketing and public relations for small business owners with unique products. While traditionally these gift guides are thought of as just a holiday phenomena, gift guides happen year round. If you aren’t taking advantage of this form of marketing then you are probably missing out on some great opportunities.

Valentine’s Day (February)

Gift guides will focus on products that guys and girls can give to each other. While this is traditionally a great time for “romantic” items such as perfumes, underwear, sex toys, flowers, hand-made cards, chocolates and clothing, increasingly gift guides are including personal tech items like digital music players and video game systems.

Mother’s Day (May)

Gift Guides for Mother’s Day obviously are centered on gifts for mothers. These can include gardening, cooking, clothing, makeup, jewelry and perfume items. In addition, like Valentines Day gift guides, women are increasingly becoming interested in personal technology gifts.

Father’s Day (June)

Items considered for Father’s Day gift guides are really important if you have “summer” products like grills or high-end electronics, but can include a wide range of other items including personal technology, video games, home recreation items such as pool tables and arcade games. Additionally, if you market cars and automotive products this is probably your best chance to get it in a guide.

Graduation (May / June)

This is a great place for items appealing to people going into the workforce, but doesn’t need to be totally serious either. Good items for Graduation gift guides include briefcases, pens, computers, cell phones, portable electronics, urban furniture that is perfect for small apartments and of course, video games.

Winter Holidays – Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza etc. (November / December)

The Winter Holiday Gift Guides are the super bowl of gift guides. Virtually every media outlet from the USA Today to niche cable channels and most magazines will have at least one gift guide. Large media such as national newspapers and online magazines usually have more than one. Additionally, this is a great time for high-end as well as items that anyone can afford.

Planning for all gift guides should begin at least 3-4 months early, except for the Winter Holidays. Since the Winter Holiday Guides are so huge, planning usually starts in July or August for large magazines and national newspapers such as the USA Today.

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