Aly's Newsletter: Tuesday Edition

Happy Tuesday!

When I do my virtual consulting sessions, I always bring up that I tend to avoid daytime events.

This was true in “before times” as well. You may have noticed that much of my work is same-day turnaround (some is few-hour turnaround, actually), and if I say yes to a luncheon or a mid-day launch event, be it AM yoga or afternoon pedicures, I end up cutting out half the workday and missing out on potential assignments. No one is going to wait till tomorrow for breaking news because I decided to go for a facial and a latte at 11 am. They’ll just assign the story to someone else.

I also build in this consideration when weighing whether to accept press trips. As much as we like to pretend those trips are vacations, they are not, and most of us are still juggling unrelated deadlines each day. The trip that incorporate time to do other work and don’t schedule you from dawn till dusk will always be refreshing and easier to make work.

While virtual events do remove the commuting aspect of the issue (I live about 45 minutes out of the city, so I have to figure that amount of time in with all plans), it still doesn’t take away from the truth that the daytime hours is when I try to be laser focused on my day’s to-do list.

I am writing content, answering emails, pitching new stories. As much fun as events are — and I do love those virtual happy hours and cooking classes so much — I prefer to see them as a reward for having had a productive day of work rather than something that is in the middle of that work and takes away from it. So, that is why historically you are way more likely to see me at a dinner or early evening cocktails than breakfast at lunch.

I bring this up because I have found that maintaining a schedule and sticking to it is a key to success when you are working for yourself. This came to mind today when I read a great piece by one of my dearest friends, Lisa Richards.

This morning, Lisa shared her first piece for the Forbes Business Council, about setting a morning routine as a way of keeping on track for the rest of the day. As Lisa is one of the. busiest people I know and somehow manages to fit an insane amount of work and activity into each day, we can all learn from reading this!

I too greatly rely on my daily routine as a way of staying on top of everything I need to get done each day. (But I honestly don't get up nearly as early as Lisa, she's a champion!)

What's cooking, good looking?

Last night, I tried my hand at a Moroccan-style chicken with spinach and olives. It was the first time I made this recipe (though it's similar to a dish I order sometimes in restaurants) and I was very nervous I would not do a great job at recreating it-- but it came out yummy! Check out my Instagram stories if you want the recipe before it expires. (And please don't shoot me if I fall short as far as authenticity. It tasted good!)

So what was that big package?

Anyone remember the giant package I had posted about last week? The one that was 50 pounds, unsolicited, and from an agency I'd never heard of? Well, it arrived yesterday! It was...exactly what I was expecting to find. A canned hoppy water. Think a beer/seltzer hybrid. A lot of it. 

And, no card, no note, no contact information of any kind inside the package. While this sort of beverage is not my thing, I'm sure it IS someone's thing...so doesn't it make sense to send it to those who may actually want it? And, no matter what sort of package you send media, include contact information! If I DID want to write about this beverage, I have no one to contact for images or retail info.

Close the loop. Leaving loose ends is best way to...let all your potential coverage fall through the cracks.

Job leads

Whole30, a leading wellness brand is looking for a freelance publicist to join the team for 5-10 hours per week to help with pitch writing, media outreach and pr-related efforts. Must have 5-7 years experience. Please inquire by sending email to jackie@whole30.com for job description and details.

samantha slaven publicity is looking for a media-savvy, research-loving PR Coordinator to join its team in LA! They are a boutique PR agency coming up on their 20th anniversary, and we focus on beauty/skincare, health & wellness, fashion and fitness clients ranging from female-founded start-ups to large corporate brands. Core responsibilities include industry and competitor research, clippings, heavy admin, showroom support, and participating in creative brainstorming and pitching. Must love all things beauty, health/wellness/fitness and lifestyle! See the job description and apply here.

GreenRoom has an immediate opening for an Account Supervisor to join the public relations team in their Miami office. The position leads the development of strategy for multiple client programs, serves as the primary client contact, and not only provides support but drives development of the junior account team. They are looking for a team leader with a can-do attitude, is executional by nature, has a track record of generating measurable results that exceed client expectations, able to mentor junior team members and fosters meaningful relationships with client partners. Previous agency experience of 6+ years is required for this position. They have clients in a range of sectors from food & bev to lifestyle goods and some of the coolest tech aiming to improve lives here and abroad. One thing is an absolute must: a great sense of humor and a working knowledge of 90s and early 2000s pop culture! Bonus: a love for creating in the kitchen! They love to eat and share dishes for pot lucks and other fun events on days in the office! Anyone interested can reach out to info@grnrm.com.

Here's what I'm working on today:

For SPY.com, I'm working on the following: 

a - President's Day Sales: This is an update of this story from last year - if you want an example of the kind of deals I'm looking for, and NOT looking for (so don't waste your time) check out the link to the previous version.  But as you can see, keeping it pretty comprehensive.

b - I'm also rounding up science fiction books written by women. If you are pitching for this one, please include the name of the book and a link to where it's sold and a description when pitching. Also very open to expert commentary discussing the importance of the role of women in the sci fi genre.

For any of these stories, please start a new email thread and email alywalansky@gmail.com. 

Here's what has published since yesterday:

Retailmenot

11 Statement Candles That Are Too Pretty to Burn

Are you confused about affiliate marketing?

If you are having trouble learning how to navigate issues of affiliate marketing (trust me, we've all been there!), you may want to try out my friend Sarah Karger, a publicist, and former editor Dana Baardsen (and all-around fab girl!)'s Ultimate Masterclass and Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Publicists. It's a brilliant course and it'll answer all your questions (including some you didn't know you had!)

Have a great day

<3

aly