Monday: Back from Ireland and lots of new content to share!
Good morning!
I’m back from Ireland and I survived pretending I was an outdoorsy person for a few days!
Foraging is totally fun and Ireland is a beautiful country filled with amazing people — and now that I’m back from that whirlwind trip, we’re in countdown mode for London (just about a week and a half away!).
In today’s gift-guide related news, I’ve wrapped up and published all the Mother’s Day gift guides I was working on. The links are all in the newly published section below. While it’s still possible a few more last-minute Mother’s Day pieces will pop up in the next days and weeks, we’re in Father’s Day realm now (and a few pieces are pending in the current assignments section…)
And now I have a LOT of catching up to do (my inbox looks vaguely like a bomb hit it), and tons of newly published content to share…so lets get to it!
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!
In case you missed it, I was recently a guest on a podcast. Check it out here — I share some easy-to-follow tips on how emerging brands can get the attention of busy editors.
Speaking of podcasts, I was a guest on the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ podcast last month (I ADORE Lexie Smith!), and you can still catch it here. We chatted at length about pitching, the ever-changing landscape of the editorial process, and more.
(Also, if you host a podcast that has anything to do with media/PR/writer content or food/bev/travel content and are interested in me coming on as a guest, I’d love if you reach out!)
Forbes.com: Mother’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Mail-Order Dinners
Forbes.com: Mother’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Pantry Staples For From-Scratch Cooks
Food Network: Panda Express and Cult-Favorite Fly By Jing Join Forces On New Menu Item
Clean Plates: 13 Low-Lift, Fast Trader Joe’s Lunches You Need to Buy
Eat This, Not That: What a Professional Chef Orders at McDonald's
Eat This, Not That: 7 Fast Food Restaurants That Serve The Best Mac and Cheese
Forbes.com: Mother’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Grilling Gear
Taste of Home: Cottage Cheese Ice Cream Is Taking Over the Internet
RetailMeNot: 10 Gorgeous Pieces of Mother’s Day Jewelry Under $100
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
Father's Day Gifts for Every Type of Dad: This is an update of last year’s story, and I’m looking for great gifts that are affordable ("affordable" obviously varies by budget, but I’m trying to stay under $200 and have a wide range of prices) for a variety of categories. The categories I’m going for in this guide include: Foodie dad, Techie dad, The dad who has everything, fashionable dad, outdoorsy dad, indoorsy dad, bookworm dad, handy dad, the Dad who's trying to downsize and doesn't want clutter, for the fitness-obsessed dad, so keep this in mind when pitching.
Cheap Baby Shower Favors (Under $5 per Person): Shower favors aren't a requirement, but if you're hosting a shower and find them fun, or you've been put on favor duty, you are likely on a budget and looking for some inexpensive options. "Cheap" is relative, but I’m trying to stay under $5 per favor. Note: Consider when pitching that these favors do not need to be a single product – can be several items put together. Could be "Bags of Candy" (which requires you to buy some candy and bags) or "Cute Baby Succulents")
TODAY.com
I’m rounding up Cinco de Mayo food deals at chain restaurants. I’m not looking for free delivery or reward point type of deals at this time but more BOGOs, freebies, discounts, etc. Please be sure to tell me how to claim the deal (i.e. coupon code, downloading app, etc) when responding.
Forbes.com
I’m looking for spots (in London and otherwise) that are doing fun coronation watch parties - be it hotels, bars, pubs, etc. If you will be watching Wills pledge his liege to his dad on a big screen while having a specialty cocktail, I want to know all about it!
I’m looking for bars/restaurants that are doing special cocktails for Cinco De Mayo or Mother’s Day. If you are, please tell me what the cocktail is, what’s in it, why it’s great for the occasion, and include a link to an image of the cocktail) - also be sure to tell me where your bar/restaurant is located and its name/URL and give me the name/title of anyone quoted with commentary about the cocktail.
Finally, I am looking for bars/restaurants around the world that have created specialty cocktails in honor of the coronation of King Charles III this May. I’ll need the usual — where it is, what’s in it, why it’s a perfect cocktail for the occasion, a quote from a bartender/owner/chef, and a high res image. I’m really excited about this one, so lets try to find some great cocktails!
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've been popping into a lot of PR team virtual meetings and some other fun stuff and making myself available to answer all sorts of questions about pitching, events, and trips from a media perspective. I like to keep these things chill and comfortable and relaxed all by sharing perspective and learning from one another. Note: I’m also available to travel for consulting sessions as long as travel expenses are covered. We can chat!
If you are interested in setting anything up for your own team in the coming months, please email me and we'll get something on the books! This is available for entire agencies or smaller group lunch and learn type concepts. If you are a freelance publicist and want to join in with a few other freelance publicist friends and set something up, we can do that as well!
Have a great day!
Thank you and have a great day yourself 🙌🏾