March 16, 2026

#074 - The AI-Powered Gift Guide Strategy Every Retailer Should Know with Gloria Chou

21 minutes

In this episode, Cathy welcomes back PR expert Gloria Chou to talk about one of the most powerful (and overlooked) ways small businesses can get visibility without spending thousands on PR agencies.

Gloria reveals why gift guides aren’t just for the holiday season and how entrepreneurs can get featured in them all year long. Even better, she shares how the rise of AI-powered shopping and search makes PR features more important than ever for getting discovered.

Gloria breaks down a simple, actionable process for pitching your products to journalists and getting featured in gift guides for occasions like Mother’s Day, summer, back-to-school, and beyond.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why gift guides happen year-round, not just during the holidays

The simple CPR pitching method Gloria teaches founders

Why media features are one of the strongest trust signals for AI recommendation

Key Takeaways

[03:27] Understanding Gift Guides and Their Importance.

[11:29] Finding the Right Audience for Your Pitches

[14:04] Action Steps for Small Businesses

Your Millie Moment

If you want to try this strategy, start here:

Block 30 minutes on your calendar to research gift guide angles.

Use Perplexity to identify trending topics and categories.

Write a pitch using the CPR method.

Send it to shopping or commerce editors who review products.

You don’t need to wait for the holiday season. Gift guide opportunities exist all year long.

Resources and Links:

If today’s conversation with Gloria lit a spark for you, she’s hosting a FREE PR Secrets Masterclass where she’ll walk you through exactly how to get featured in the media without needing a big budget or fancy connections. Grab your spot now! And put CATHY code to get a discount!

Visit her Instagram account.

Listen to the episode “Media That Moves Merch: PR Tactics for Store Owners with Gloria Chou” to learn more about these powerful PR strategies.

And if you’re ready to dive deeper into her proven PR strategies, check out her full program here.

Need an expert guide for your store? Apply for your free Gameplan Call, where we’ll identify your growth opportunities and map out the most profitable next steps to elevate your visibility, attract the right customers, and scale with confidence.

Want a behind-the-scenes look at how our top clients grow profit without burning out? Our free training, Beyond Busy: 3 Shifts to Reclaim Your Time and Boost Store Income, walks you through the exact method we use in our Profit Club, focusing on your role as CEO, CIO, and CFO to grow a business that’s both profitable and sustainable.

Giveaway

Love this episode? Make sure to hit the Follow button on the podcast!

Then take a screenshot showing that you followed the podcast and send it to us on our RETAILMavens Facebook page.

Once we receive your screenshot, you’re officially entered into the giveaway to win our powerful Clearance Sale Strategy, the exact system our clients use to move inventory, create more cash flow, and clear out products without hurting their brand.

3 winners will be selected every 30 days.

Remember: Visibility creates opportunity. You don’t need a massive marketing budget to get noticed, you just need to start taking action. The retailers who begin experimenting with PR now will be the ones showing up in search, media, and AI recommendations tomorrow.

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By RETAILMavens

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