MaciasPR has just published a holiday guidebook for businesses trying to increase their holiday sales, titled: Publicity During the Holiday Season: How to Use PR to Increase Holiday Sales.

The PR guidebook written by media insider, Mark Macias, reveals tactics he learned during his career as a journalist, writer, producer and Executive Producer with the news organizations NBC, CBS, KTVK, King World Productions and the Arizona Republic.

Consumers can download the PR guidebook for free by clicking here.

The guidebook, Publicity during the Holiday Season, identifies 5-tactics business owners should apply when trying to get the media to cover their business. The guidebook elaborates on the following tactics:

Identify your Story Narrative

A good story idea will drive coverage in any market. Many business owners have a misconception that who you know is better than what you know. This section of the guidebook explains why a creative idea is more valuable than a reporter contact in the world of journalism and PR. The guidebook also gives business owners tips on how to identify a timely narrative for the holiday season.

Pitch the Ignored Reporters

Every newsroom has reporters or writers who never get the plush assignments. These may be journalists working weekends or the overnight shifts. In many situations, these are the best reporters to pitch since they have the most to gain from your good idea. This section of the guidebook explains how to come up with unconventional pitches for these reporters.

Identify your Holiday Gimmick

If you want to stand out at a holiday party, revelers need something to push you above the crowd. It’s no different with the media during the busy holiday season. This section of the guidebook teaches entrepreneurs and business owners how to identify a gimmick for coverage.

Establish Credibility with the Media

This section of the guidebook explains how business owners can position themselves as “experts” in their industry, leading to potential publicity. But before a business owner tries to position himself as an expert, he or she must first establish credibility in the community. This section reveals how business owners can establish credibility.

Preparing for the Interview

If the first four tactics are executed properly, the chances are higher that a reporter will be interested in your holiday story. But now what? Is your business prepared for the media coverage? This section of the guidebook explains how to prepare for the reporter interview.

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR or MarketYourFund.com