Friday: My exciting exclusive for Forbes! Also: How to stay connected in our media relationships.

Also: Here's how referring friends can get you fun benefits and rewards!

Happy Friday!

So much to share today, from a fun exclusive I got for Forbes - I broke the news on The Pasta Queen’s new line of pasta sauces - and they are pretty exciting. Also new today, for RetailMeNot, I shared some of my favorite meal prep products that are actually worth it.

I also wanted to take some time on this Friday to talk about how to feel more connected at a time that we’re all maybe feeling a little disconnected.

On the ever-changing landscape of media and PR, we've all spent a lot of time discussing how it's more imperative than ever to nurture and maintain our relationships. But while that sounds really great in theory -- it may be hard to quantify that in day-to-day engagement terms. 

So, in today's email, I thought I could give a few quick tips on little things we can do to stay connected in our media/PR relationships and maintain optimum networking potential as well as the utmost mutual respect.

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1. Stay on top of updating your contact list

While this doesn't necessarily sound like a part of the equation when building and maintaining a relationship, trust me, it very much is.

I can't tell you how often I am pitched for beats I haven't covered in years, or outlets that I either haven't written for in ages or haven't existed in years. Updating your contact list, as far as what they write about, and where, as well as their pitching preferences will not only make your job easier but avoid wasting everyone's time.

Keep updating this list as you get more information. I am always hearing about media friends who moved a year ago and emailed their contacts with their new information and yet keep getting packages at the old address. If their address has changed, their email address has changed, their outlets or coverage areas have changed, it's important to always add this to your contact list as soon as you have the information.  I remember years ago when I was a beauty writer, we'd see people at events who themselves hadn't covered beauty in a decade...while other people who currently were would not be thought of to invite. It's so important to stay on top of updating those lists if you want the most current people to pitch your clients and their news to.

2. Make the best of social media

Social media can be a hornet's nest, I know. It's full of self-important people who think they know best about everything -- and live to argue with you at all times about all things. BUT it also is a powerful asset in making, building, and maintaining connections. 

There's lots of ways to use social media in networking. Many editors and writers will use Twitter (ahem, “X”) or LinkedIn to share information about career moves or what they are working on. They may use Twitter for a call for sources or an editor may use the same app for a call for writers to pitch. 

You can use this as informative in your pitching -- of course. But you can also use this for relationship reasons. Take an opportunity to make that connection and congratulate them on their move or news. But also use it to see what they are working on. I share my new stories on Twitter and Instagram stories and Facebook regularly. It lets you know if I included your client or news in something -- but it also lets you know the TYPE of things I'm working on, which helps in your future pitching needs.

It's a great way to maintain a relationship in non-pitching ways too. I made so many friends over the pandemic, as I would often cook live on Instagram and would end up sharing recipes and tips over stories and DMs with followers. It became something of a virtual dinner party, and helped to build a community, and those are connections that exist to this day.

Be sure to make use of hashtags too -- tags such as #journorequest #prrequest #pr can be great resources on Twitter, but be sure to check tags relevant to your specific client and industry as well.

3. Stay in touch

This comes up a lot - and it's something I'm very committed to. You may remember that last year, I co-hosted a happy hour in NYC for hundreds of local publicists and newsletter subscribers.

I try to do more intimate meetups in various cities every time I travel - and I love connecting over a cocktail or coffee whenever possible. But it's not always possible - we're always all swamped and busy and have hectic schedules. That's why it's important to stay connected in other ways.

Try to make your emails more personal and more targeted and less feeling like a giant blanket mass bcc. Ask about what is going on with them and be cognizant of any important life moments. If you can tie that in with a pitch -- that's great - but also remember at the end of the day, people connecting with other people is really what it's all about.

Of course, there’s a lot we can do to respect and nurture that connection once it’s made and maintained — from meeting deadlines to not ghosting on interviews/sources/deliverables to honoring boundaries — but we’ll chat about that another time!

Did you know? Here's how referring friends can get you fun benefits and rewards!

If you enjoy my newsletter, it would mean the world to me if you invited friends to subscribe and read with us. If you refer friends, you will receive benefits that give you special upgraded access.

How to participate:

1. Share. When you use the referral link below, or the “Share” button on any post, you'll get credit for any new subscribers. Simply send the link in a text, email, or share it on social media with friends.

2. Earn benefits. When more friends use your referral link to subscribe (free or paid), you’ll receive special benefits.

• Get a 1 month comp for 3 referrals

• Get a 3 month comp for 5 referrals

• Get a 6 month comp for 25 referrals

To learn more, check out Substack’s FAQ.

Thank you for helping get the word out!

There’s just a few days left to take advantage of my special February-only RPZL x Aly Valentine’s Day headband and bow collection before it closes to make room for the next fun collab. Grab your favorite headbands and bows now at 25% off with code ALY25 through February 29.

In honor of it being the month of Cupid (as well as Galentine’s Day, as well!), I’m going to be offering 50% off paid subscriptions for the remainder of the month of February. This is the biggest discount I’ve ever done and is good on either annual or monthly subscriptions — meaning that upgrading and getting the value of AMAs and industry insights emails and all the other subscriber benefits will now cost you roughly as much as a monthly cup of coffee, as my Valentine’s Day gift to you!

Check out my appearance on this week on the Behind The Media podcast, with my gal Juliana Martins. We chat about A BUNCH of stuff, such as how brands can stick out to editors in a saturated market, how I decide which events I will attend vs decline, what startups, new venues, or brands with minimal budgets can do to get media attention, PR/pitching do’s and don’ts and more…including our mutual celeb crush and some of our favorite places to eat and drink!

So honored to see Muck Rack included me in their 2024 list of top ten most popular freelance journalists. Check out the list here.

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.com: The Pasta Queen’s Coveted Pasta Sauces Are Now A Grocery Jaunt Away

• RetailMeNot: Meal Prepping Products That Are Actually WORTH It

• Food Network: How to get a free doughnut if you were impacted by the cellular network outage

• Forbes.com: 40 Creative Cocktails To Enjoy On National Margarita Day

• Forbes.com: Wonder Brings Celebrity Chef Cooking To Home Dining Rooms

• Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and This Is My Secret to Packing for a Week in a Single Carry-on Bag

• Southern Living: A Guide To Enjoying Leftover Salmon

• Travel & Leisure: In-flight Theft Is Unfortunately a Thing, but These 12 Items Give Me Peace of Mind When I'm Traveling by Plane

• RetailMeNot: 5 Superstar Ingredients for Your Meal-Stretching Pantry Starter Pack

• Today.com: Say goodbye to wrinkles with these expert-approved drugstore creams — starting at $12

• Clean Plates: The Healthy Trader Joe’s Sauce I Use in *Everything*

• Martha Stewart: 8 Storage Mistakes That Are Keeping Your Home From Being Organized

• Today.com: 27 healthy fast food items at popular US chains, according to dietitians and doctors

• Southern Living: Can You Freeze Brussels Sprouts?

• Clean Plates: 7 Mediterranean Diet Dinner Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less

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.

RetailMeNot

I’m rounding up the Best Easter Sales that Shouldn't Be Missed for 2024. I’m open to sales that aren’t necessarily billed as "Easter Sales" – there are going to be a ton of spring sales going on, too. So, really anything that helps you get Easter Basket stuffers, clothes, table decor, spring decor or whatever else for Easter is fair game. I’m trying to include these specific retailers - Target, CVS, Walmart, Michaels, Macy's, Kohl's, Carter's, but I’m open to others as well. Please remember to include the following in your pitch: When Do Easter Sales Start?, timing of Easter sales (when they begin, when the last-minute deals start, etc.), what is included in the sales, how to claim the deals, and so forth.

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.

Forbes

Are any bars/restaurants planning a fun cocktail in order of Purim or St. Patrick’s Day? I’m working on roundups for both these holidays. If you have something, please email me with the name of the cocktail, a description (not a recipe), a quote from the bartender or chef, and an image. (And please remember to consult my nifty photo guidelines here.) Please pitch me by March 1 for this one.

March is National Sleep Awareness Month and World Sleep Day is March 17, so I’m rounding up cocktails that can help you sleep…perhaps specific sleepytime ingredients or flavors? If your bar/restaurant has a potential fit, please email me with same parameters as above.

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...

Looking for 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, 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.

Have a great day!

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