Friday: A little bit about desksides in the modern era + newly published content and an admin reminder.
Plus: Featured ad space is now available. Also: A job lead + A 20% discounts on my virtual consulting/lunch & learn sessions!
Good morning!
Take a deep breath, you guys. We’ve survived this week and made it to Friday.
As a fun social share for today, last week I participated in Havas Formula’s Meet the Media session and they’ve shared some of the takeaways on their Instagram. You can check it out here (and let me know if you ever want to arrange a session with me for your own team!).
A little administrative reminder for you all that is a result of an email that popped into my inbox this morning. I received an email from an agency who said that one member of the agency was subscribed to the paid version of this newsletter, and that person was out of the office today and those who were in the office wanted access to stream some paid video content in her absence. I reminded them that one person’s individual paid account is not meant to be shared by an entire agency. That individual account is for an individual person. If you want a group subscription rate, there’s actually substantial discounts available (and agency-wide subscriptions available as well — email me if you need more info on that!).
Because I hate to play scolding school principal ever, I wanted to follow-up that little section with something I thought may be useful and serviceable.
Last week, I was on a webinar panel, and a few questions came up about desksides in the modern era - do journalists still do them, and how to get journalists to accept them.
I thought it may be helpful to address some quick thoughts on this.
The concept of a deskside goes way back. Years ago, it literally meant coming to someone's office and sitting by their desk. Desksides were a way for publicists and brand representatives to come and introduce themselves and their product to a writer or editor and hopefully build a relationship in the process.
Of course, with time, that concept has evolved and became more of a social thing. Often desksides, rather than happening by the side of said desk happen over coffee or a glass of wine. Making it more informal (and, honestly, a bit more fun and social) is a way to build an in-person connection with someone you may previously have known only over email over the years.
Now all that background said and done, times have changed. Between the pandemic and changing priorities, desksides in the past few years (both in practice and interest) are not what they once were, and as with everything else, we need to learn to evolve.
In the past, I was most often asked to do a deskside when a PR contact or their client was in town, perhaps doing a media tour and arranging a series of meetings with writers and editors. In the past, I said yes to a fair degree of coffee and drink meetings. Not so much traditional desksides since that would not really work that well - my desk is inside my studio apartment. They'd maybe have to sit on my bed!
Awkarddddddd....
In the current era of my life and times, I say yes to far less of these types of meetings and I thought it might be helpful to share what it is that makes me say yes to a deskside invite.
See below!
1 - Subject/Client/Product: Quite simply, your time is limited, so is mine. I'm not going to waste your time (or your client’s time) or mine by accepting a deskside for a product I won't be able to cover. If you represent something that is in my general area of content - dining, drinking, travel, budget lifestyles type things, nutrition, wellness, kitchen products - I'm far more likely to say yes than if you want to talk to me about, say, a jock strap.
2 - Timing: I'll be honest. I never do daytime meetings or events. So much of my work is that which I am assigned, write, and publish the same day that I can't risk being away from my desk mid-day and missing out on an assignment. If I do a deskside, it's going to be late afternoon or early evening.
3 - Location: This is something that I have felt strongly even in before-times. If you are going to ask me to meet with you and/or your client, I'm way more likely to be able to do so if you are willing to come to me. This isn't ego speaking. But it can take me an hour each way to get to many parts of the city (not to mention costs of transportation.) That means an hour-long coffee meeting becomes a three hour one when you consider travel time. If you are willing to meet for a bite or a drink somewhere near me (I live in a really fun part of Brooklyn, so it's not a hardship!), I'm a lot more likely to be able to say yes. And, if you want me to come to you, that’s not out of the question if scheduling allows, but Uber voucher will be super appreciated.
4 - Consider the virtual deskside: and be creative about it. During the pandemic, a few brands did something I really loved. They asked me to gather a few writer friends together to do a group virtual deskside. Perhaps it was to all do a cheese tasting or all learn about a sustainable wine brand together. This was so much more fun than the traditional deskside, and I feel like it was great for everyone because the brand got so much more value out of their own time! Six writers for the time allotment of one! I recently did a call with a consulting client where we planned a series of virtual coffee desksides for her pastry chef client and it ended up being a really fun concept.
The core job of publicists is relationship building, right? And these sort of meetings are absolutely about building a relationship - that’s something in which we all find tremendous value. There's no denying that there's no way to connect quite like face-to-face..but learning how to adapt for a person's schedule and work interests is a big part of being able to make that connection!
Lots of newly published content to share today. For Forbes, A Hot Dog-Inspired Cocktail Takes Summer Cookout Season In A Savory New Direction. For Food Network, two new pieces today: Uber’s New Student Membership Program Makes Delivery Deals Sweeter and I Tried the New Pizza Hut Cheeseburger Melt and While It’s Not a Burger, It Has Everything You’d Look for in One. And, finally, for Clean Plates: 7 Blue Zone Foods That Help Increase Longevity.
Grab the Dads and Grads Gift Guide Pitching Webinar Recording Now!
Thanks to all who attended our Dads and Grads Gift Guide Pitching Workshop last week. We had a full house and an hour packed with really great questions and conversation — and now the full recording is available to any subscriber who may have missed it (or wants to go back and give another listen.) You can check out how to grab that recording and what we covered right here.
Featured ads are now available!
This newsletter goes out to well over 8,000 engaged publicists, business owners, and journalists each and every day. If you are looking to sponsor a daily installment of this newsletter or place an ad (assuming it’s an organic fit for the interests of my audience!), that is now available. Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com to discuss.
The steepest discount I’ve ever offered on consulting sessions
In exciting news, I’m doing something I’ve never done before: I’m currently offering 20% discounts on my virtual consulting/lunch & learn sessions. Times are really tough and I am hoping to make these insights as accessible as possible to any of you who are interested. If you want to schedule a session for yourself or your team, to discuss anything from pitching to followups to events or press trips or anything else…drop me an email at alywalansky@gmail.com and lets chat!
Job Lead
Quinn PR is seeking: Account Supervisor - LA
Newly published or freshly updated
Since people are often asking about the status of stories from a while ago, and I only share stories in this newsletter that were published or updated in the current week, I have created a list of my author pages at various publications to which I contribute. Bookmark it and make your life a bit easier.
This list will live on my Substack URL and be updated as necessary. That way, you can see what I’m doing at any publication, at any time, from types of stories to general structure of stories to even volume and frequency of my content at that outlet.
This can also help you to target pitching a bit better. That makes your job easier, and mine too!
Forbes: A Hot Dog-Inspired Cocktail Takes Summer Cookout Season In A Savory New Direction.
Food Network: Uber’s New Student Membership Program Makes Delivery Deals Sweeter
Food Network: I Tried the New Pizza Hut Cheeseburger Melt and While It’s Not a Burger, It Has Everything You’d Look for in One.
Clean Plates: 7 Blue Zone Foods That Help Increase Longevity
Forbes.com: Celebrate Season 3 Of ‘Bridgerton’ With Regency-Inspired Cocktails
Forbes.com: Martha Stewart And Breads Bakery Collaborate On Martha’s Good Thing Babka
FoodNetwork.com: It Was Only a Matter of Time Before Velveeta Started Making Its Own Queso
Southern Living: What Is An English Cucumber?
Best Life: 11 Essential Kitchen Items to Always Have for Entertaining
Clean Plates, 11 Mediterranean Diet Foods You Can Get at Trader Joe’s
RetailMeNot: How Using My Air Fryer Makes Cooking on a Small Budget (and In a Small Space) Possible
Southern Living: How To Preheat An Air Fryer
RetailMeNot: How to Save on Food Delivery Apps: 10 Tips That Actually Work
Today.com: These affordable drugstore wrinkle creams are recommended by derms and makeup artists
Southern Living: My Recipe for Air Fryer Green Beans (these are so good!)
Clean Plates: The Healthiest Tomato Sauces You Can Buy at the Grocery Store
RetailMeNot: How Growing My Own Herbs At Home Has Helped Me Keep Meals Creative Without Busting My Budget
Clean Plates: How to Clean and Organize Your Fridge for Spring
HerMoney: The Best Timing For Hotel Bookings - How To Save On Your Stay
RetailMeNot: Savings Star Origin Story: How I Learned to Eat Well (In NY!) On a Shoestring Budget
If you or your client are featured in any of these stories, I super appreciate any social media shares! Please remember to tag @alywalansky and the outlet.
Here’s what I’m working on:
Be sure to read the below list carefully. Many are stories I posted about yesterday, but some of yesterday's stories are no longer listed and a few new ones have been added since yesterday. This (below) is everything that is still a currently open opportunity as of today.
Please remember when pitching me: Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com - do NOT just hit reply on this newsletter, or there’s a good shot your email will be lost in the heap. Give your email a subject line that makes it clear which story you are pitching me for — it’ll help you in the long run.
Please consult my industry insights guides on submitting expert commentary, sending emails that will catch a journalist’s attention, how to craft pitches journalists will say ‘yes’ to, and the right and wrong way to submit photos, if you need any extra guidance before sending your pitches.
Saatva
The Best Nighttime Dental Routine for a Healthy Smile: For Saatva’s blog, I’m doing a story on how your bedtime oral care routine can help ensure your mouth stays as healthy as possible. Would love to chat with a dentist for this one! Please don’t send commentary before emailing me first, I have specific questions I want to address for this one.
Apartment Therapy
The One Thing I Never Remove from My Luggage (It's My Favorite Packing Hack) - The toiletries bag is the last man standing of packing and unpacking. We may plan for a trip by packing clothes and shoes days in advance, but as we need those toiletry items — those are often packed the final hours before departing. Of course, that last minute scurry and hurry has proven to be a great way of leaving items behind, so I've found a different solution. I keep a dedicated toiletry bag in my luggage at all times. That toiletry bag has everything I need as far as hygiene, skincare, and makeup as I travel — everything from a hair brush to a toothbrush, to moisturizer, cleanser, and all my makeup and styling needs. For this story, I’m going to cover why I keep a stocked toiletry bag in my luggage at all times and only replace things as needed. Would totally be open to a travel expert or flight attendant to quote as far as why this is good for people who travel frequently — and as I’ll be taking some photos of my toiletry bag and its contents in my luggage for this piece, am open to toiletry and toiletry bag related pitches!
We Asked Travel Writers for Their Best Packing Hacks: For this, I’d like to chat with a handful of travel writers to ask for their top packing hacks/tips — how to stay organized when packing for short/long trips.
Clean Plates
I’m working on a story pegged for July 4th/BBQ season, geared toward all my fellow Trader Joe’s lovers out there: Products at Trader Joe's RDs love for summer cookouts …I’m trying to focus on newer products coming out this spring that would be great for summer grilling or a summer cookout - obviously with a component that RDs are a fan, and why. So if you have a RD that will want to comment, please reach out!
RetailMeNot
Budget shopping and cooking/eating smarter: As you all know, I write a lot of content for RMN related to budget shopping and cooking/eating smarter. I’m going to be working on a monthly column on the subject of cooking/eating well on a budget, and I’d love you to pitch me products/ideas to consider for it - maybe a new meal-stretching product that is a good deal at a grocery store, an awesome product to try that may cut my meal prep time in half, other themes as far as saving money on food/cooking/eating and doing it in a way that is smarter.
For my next installment of my saving stars column on RMN, I’m going to focus on a summer-friendly angle of batch-cooking and meal prep — that’d be summer salads! Batch cooking in fall and winter is all about casseroles and roasts, when we get to the summer months, (at least for me!) it's more about salads. I’’m going to talk about how I save money on those crazy pricey create-a-salad options by buying a few staples on the weekend and meal prepping salads for the week..that includes making my own salad dressings or batching up- stuff like grilled chicken or salmon to go on it. It saves money and time on busy days. (Pre-building salads is also good for a grab and go meal if you are planning a summer picnic or road trip or travel day, too!) - I’m trying to work in some product suggestions too, so if you rep anything (ideally available on Amazon) that’s great for salad meal prep - please drop me a note!
Forbes
For Forbes, I’m working on FOUR Father’s Day gift guides. Here’s what I’m working on and how to pitch me. Please pay attention to ALL these details before pitching to save us both time (and if you want some tips on how to best pitch for Father’s Day gift guides, be sure to check out the webinar I linked to above!)
The best gifts for the culinary traveler: He loves to travel, but maybe his wanderlust can't be realized right now. Or at least not realized to his preferred frequency. These are food/spirit gifts that are globally inspired and related to travel.
The best gifts for the dad who thinks he's Bobby Flay: For the guy who doesn't just throw steaks on the grill but gets really into creativity and sourcing ingredients and the latest chefy gadgets, really unique spices/sauces/hot sauces, fun techy kitchen gadgets, celebrity chef cookbooks…
The Best Gifts For The Traditionalist Foodie: Maybe he loves steaks from Texas or bagels and lox from NYC. He appreciates the classics and knows where to find them and how to best enjoy them.
The Best Gifts For the Sandwich Lover: This could be meats, cheeses, sandwich lover cook books, fun breads and spreads…
To pitch for ANY of these gift guides, please include:
name of product
a few sentences describing the product so I know if I want to learn more
a LINK to an image (and any necessary photo credits)
a link to a major retailer where available (it must be currently in stock and not a presale link or out of stock or discontinued…people need to be able to click and buy it right now.)
Looking forward, my favorite culinary food holiday is soon upon us - that’d be National Martini Day! If you have a fun or unique martini going on, tell me more about it (and i’m of course also open to dishes inspired by martinis for this one!). I need name of drink, where served, a description, a quote about it, and an image of the cocktail. These cocktails MUST exist on a bar or restaurant menu in order to be considered.
It’s also National Burger Month and for Forbes, I’m looking for inventive and creative spins on the burger, available on menus at bars and restaurants. (Same parameters as above, please!)
Looking to up your affiliate marketing game?
Affiliate marketing is complicated, and it seems that the landscape keeps changing. If you are looking to be prepared for gift guide season and all other shopping-related content, you may want to try the 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!)
Virtual (and now in-person!) consulting sessions...
Whether you need a consult as you plan your next event or trip or just want someone to take a look at the pitches you’ve been sending and give some feedback, I’m available for PR team virtual meetings to answer questions about pitching, events, followups, mailers and trips from a media perspective. Note: I’m also available to travel for consulting sessions as long as travel expenses are covered. We can chat! This is available for entire agencies or smaller group lunch and learn type concepts.
<3
aly
Have a great weekend Aly!