Oy to the World! It's Hanukkah (Eve) - Here's Some Important PR Takeaways

Hi, friends!

It’s Christmas Eve — and also Hanukkah Eve. (Yes, a RARE year where they overlap!)

And, as I know Christmas is going to get a whole lot of attention (Don’t get me wrong, I love a Santa hat and a mistletoe as much as anyone else), I figured it was my duty to give some love to my holiday, which tends to get a whole lot less attention — but has an incredible story behind it.

While I’m no theologian, I do like to chat about all things PR and media, and I’d be amiss not to share there’s some pretty epic PR takeaways from the Hanukkah story!

Related: My latest for Forbes — Latkes And Caviar Combine For A Dream Hanukkah Collaboration

(And yes, I’m totally looking forward to making caviar latkes for annual Walansky family latkes fest tomorrow…)

But onto today’s topic:

Have a great product/trend to pitch? Make it last.

A part of the story of Hanukkah is one day's worth of oil lasting eight nights...we're at a time now in the media and PR industries that resources have to be stretched increasingly thin. Lets try to use those resources more wisely and responsibly whenever we can and never waste them by targeting the wrong outlets or journalists or pitching a lawn mower for a gift guide for tea lovers.

The lighting of the menorah.

During Hanukkah, an additional candle is lit each night. This is a progressive approach to lighting the menorah (one candle and then two and then three, and so forth), and the same can be said about great PR pitching and targeting - build that message and that audience over time.

Consider the power of small acts

Think back to that single day's supply of oil, and think of that with your own pitching plans and targeting...start small and build momentum whenever you can, wherever you can.

Challenges will come, they always do.

Persist, and stay resilient.

A big part of the Hanukkah story is fighting and prevailing against what seemed at the time to be an insurmountable force.

We all face challenges every day in our pitching, our relationships, our deadlines, our resources ...believe in yourself, and keep at it. It’s the long game. I just published a story this week that was a result of a pitch I had gotten last summer. Just because I can’t use your pitch today doesn’t mean I can’t next week, next month, or next year.

The power of a great story

Isn't that what all historical and cultural moments in time are?

There's a great story behind Hanukkah. When doing your pitching, try to create a compelling story behind your product, news, or event. Make the people thirsty for more (much like all those fried latkes I'm making tomorrow will do!).

<3

aly