Friday: Greetings from somewhere at sea + a productivity tip + newly pending assignments!
Time's running out: You can still RSVP for our August Zoom webinar event.
Good morning!
First a daily dose of cuteness!
Meet Sailor, she’s the Chief Dog Officer on Star of the Seas, and we’re totally friends now.
Hello from …somewhere between Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. We’ve been at sea the last few days and arrive in the Bahamas this afternoon, and we have so much in store for today - but starting it off by sending you this note (because, really, I don’t think I could enjoy my morning coffee if you all were not a part of it!).
In OTHER cuteness, here’s one of Jill Schildhouse and I enjoying the very first martinis served on the ship!
OK..so you probably want to chat about some work stuff…
Here’s a productivity tip of the day! That’s an easy one! (I’m sorry, I’m in island mind mode today AND on deadline, which is a wicked combination): Do you use the Shortcuts feature on your phone? It’s free, and it lets you create shortcuts (hence the name), or automations.
So, maybe you can create a commute shortcut that can tell you how to get from one meeting to another or one event on your calendar to another (I totally do this myself!), but it’s. great way to manage your schedule and your calendar, get the aforementioned directions, maintain pre-drafted auto text or email responses for specific situations or even control smart appliances in your home! (Like maybe turn on the lights or AC when you are en route from an airport! Not that there’s anything smart in MY home. I live in an apartment that feels circa 1990.)
Reminder: Have you signed up for our big annual Zoom workshop webinar event where participants can ask us anything about all things related to pitching holiday gift guides (our most popular AMA session each year!) — seats are going fast and we have limited capacity, but you can still register!
Book your summer consulting session!
I still have some space available for August!
I can join your team on Zoom, a phone call, or in-person and do a team Q&A and answer any of your questions about planning events, mailers, trips, pitching, followups, etc — giving you a very necessary media perspective. Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com if you are interested in chatting more and setting something up :)
I’m now contributing to the Yahoo Creators platform: check out my author profile to see some of my most recent pieces!
Limited-time deal on ad placement!
I’m offering a seasonal special on advertising in this newsletter. I’d love to place your sponsored posts and advertising in this Substack, which goes out to nearly 10,000 media professionals every single day.
Note: I do limit advertising to only what would be of interest to my readers, but am open to both short paragraph blurbs and dedicated posts - if you are interested in chatting details and scheduling something, please email me at alywalansky@gmail.com today!
Tools of the trade
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!)
Press Hook is where journalists, newsletter writers, and podcasters source expert quotes, hi-res images, product samples, affiliate info, and brand story angles — all from vetted brands in one searchable hub. It connects journalists and brands in what feels like a really user-friendly, organic way and I use it often to browse for sources and products aligned with my current projects and I’ve often found precisely what I need, when I need. Give it a try!
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.
Yahoo Creators: Check out my author profile (I have several new stories a day across the lifestyles umbrella, so that’s the best way to stay updated!)
Food Network: IHOP Brings an Extra Layer of Luxury to Dubai Chocolate
Forbes.com: 14 Delectable Ways To Enjoy Oysters On National Oyster Day
Southern Living: We Asked Southern Chefs Their Favorite Brand Of Baked Beans—And This Brand Won By A Landslide
Travel & Leisure: 15 Amazon Business Casual Clothes for Summer Travel.
The Kitchn: These "Vintage" Mason Jars Are So Gorgeous, You'll Want One in Every Room
The Kitchn: This "Adorable" Mini Waffle Maker Has Over 4,000 5-Star Reviews
The Kitchn: These $1 Potato Chips Are So Good, Shoppers Are Buying 5 Bags at a Time
Forbes.com: 18 Burgers To Try When It’s Time To Kick The Classic Up A Notch
Forbes.com: 12 Delicious Ways To Enjoy Chicken Wings
Food Network: Popeyes’ New Signature Sauce Goes With Just About Everything
Apartment Therapy: I Bring These Brilliant Insect Repellent Wipes Everywhere I Go (They’re Travel-Friendly!)
Southern Living: The One-Pan Cheesy Meal I Make Whenever I'm Too Tired To Cook
Apartment Therapy: 10 Things I Got Rid Of After 45
Apartment Therapy: Summer Packing Tips from People Who Travel for a Living
Travel & Leisure: 6 Best Business Travel Airplane Outfits, From $12
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and I Swear by These Packable Ballet Flats for Comfort, Support, and Long Days on My Feet
Travel & Leisure: I Found the Perfect Walking Shoes to Prevent Sore Feet During Travel — Score Styles on Sale Up to 62% Off
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.
Southern Living
I’m working on a story on why early morning is the best time to go to the grocery store - even if it's the last thing your body wants to do. (I have my own reasons for this, of course!) - but I’d love if any experts want to weigh in as well.
Forbes
Before pitching: Please be sure to refer to my photo submission guidelines for help with photo submission best practices!
National Potato Day and National Hot & Spicy Day are both approaching - please pitch me the best potato dishes or SPICY dishes at your restaurant or bar (and yes, fries are totally allowed for potatoes if they are fun presentations!). To pitch, please always use this format and don’t skip any parameters:
Name of dish
Restaurant, city, state, website
Description of dish
Quote from chef about dish (plus name and title of person quoted)
Image and photo credit (I prefer links to attachments!)
Note, for spicy: I want hot and spicy with lot of flavor, not just a bunch of heat, please.
thanks so much, and have the best day <3
aly
Enjoy your trip, Aly & Jill!