Monday: Is that sample you are sending actually a loan? Here's why you need to disclose it. ALSO super timely story sourcing needs.
Plus: Final days to RSVP to our Mother's Day gift guide pitching workshop.
Good morning!
Quick admin note: I’m finalizing several story over the next day or so, and my Mardi Gras story should be wrapped up by later today — so if you want to pitch for that one, scroll down to the pending assignments section and see what I’m looking for, or forever hold your peace (and by forever, I just mean until next time. It’s not that dramatic!).
I’m also eagerly seeking Jewish southern chefs (I know that’s pretty darn specific!) for a Southern Living crowdsource — interested in learning more? Scroll down to the pending assignments section.
Related: Industry Insights: Avoid These PR Phrases That Are Sure To Make A Journalist's Skin Crawl
I’m beginning to feel like Steve Jobs in those old Apple announcement events. “But wait…there’s more!”
Anyway, we’re wrapping up RSVPs soon for this week’s webinar event on Mother’s Day gift guide pitching event (and you’ll want to act fast because we’re really truly nearing capacity), and those who did RSVP will receive an email confirmation with Zoom credentials in the next day or so…this is shaping up to be a packed house and a really good session! (If we must say so ourselves!)
Today, I wanted to have a brief discussion on a topic that arose out of an email exchange I recently had, that I feel like MOST of the people reading this will already 100% be in the know on, but may be a teaching moment for a few others (and that’s what we are here for, right?)
Recently, I was invited to what I thought was a pretty cool virtual event (yes, those are still a thing - and yes, I kind of love that they are!), that involved something we were pretty accustomed to during the pandemic - sending along some tools and a recipe and then baking together on Zoom during the event. The surprising aspect came into play though, when I received the items for this Zoom event and inside the box there was a FedEx label to return some of the contents after the event.
Now, let it be noted: Everyone is dealing with limited budgets these days, and everyone has every right in the world (a responsibility, even) to plan events within the confines of that budget. But they need to do so while providing full disclosure. That’s simply the only right thing to do.
Those of us who do not have access to a mail room or a car or a FedEx drop off location in nearby proximity (or exist in a walkup apartment with super limited space) may choose to not accept a product to be sent at all to use for this one hour Zoom if it means having to pack it up and send it back after and should have that knowledge informed in their decision making process. In this case, we were dealing with a sourdough starter container that retails for about $100 - arguably what this agency was spending in FedEx fees to send it back and forth. (But also begs the question: What are they going to be doing with all these used containers anyway after the fact? But anyway, that’s besides the point.)
I ended up just packing the item right back up and shipping it back and sending my regrets for the virtual session - and I explained why. But this serves as an important reminder: When sending a sample, whether for consideration, review, or for a class such as this one, ALWAYS say beforehand if you have expectations of it being returned. Loaners are fine - but ONLY if agreed that is the situation beforehand. Before someone has it in their home. It’s the considerate, professional, and responsible thing to do. Thanks for attending my TED talk!
Final Days To RSVP
These seats are filling up fast and we have very few left, so act fast: I am teaming up with the one of my dearest friends and work wives, the lovely Alice Dubin for our next gift-guide centric AMA Zoom webinar!
This session, which is historically very popular — we are pretty certain will reach capacity quickly — is limited to anyone who is a paid subscriber to either mine or Alice’s newsletter, and will focus on answering any and all of your questions related to Mother’s Day gift guide pitching season. But, feel free to ask anything else while you are there!
We’ll be holding the event on Zoom on Thursday, February 27 at 11:30 am PT/2:30 pm ET …and if you want to RSVP to attend, you can fill out the opt-in form under the paywall at the bottom of this email and we’ll get the Zoom link to you via email when we confirm. We’d love to have you!
February Zoom workshop: Pitching Mother’s Day gift guides 2025
Thursday, February 27 at 11:30 am PT/2:30 pm ET
To RSVP: Scroll all the way to the bottom beneath the paywall to register and ask your questions in advance!
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Related: Do you want me to host a private Q&A session for your team on the topic(s) of your choosing? That’s also available! Email me and we can discuss.
Limited-time deals on consulting sessions and ad placement!
Reminder: I’m offering a limited-time special consulting session discount for paid subscribers: If you are a paid subscriber, you can for a limited time, get 25% off a virtual consulting session (where we can have your own private or agency-wide AMA session on anything you want to chat about!) — I have some slots open in the next few weeks, so if you or your agency is interested in booking one, email me today and we’ll chat details.
I’m also offering a seasonal special on advertising in this newsletter. 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!
Thanks SO much to all of you who attended our webinar event last month, covering the upcoming ShareASale to Awin migration. We covered an overview of the migration process and timeline, pricing of networks, and choosing a network for your specific client needs. If you missed it, we do have a recording available. This recording is available for anyone who is a paid subscriber of my newsletter, as well as Jill’s and Alice’s newsletters. Email any of the three of us and we’ll get the link right out to you!
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!)
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.
Newsweek Readers Choice: Best Cruise Ship for Families 2025, Best Apres Ski Spots, Best Casinos with Live Music (outside Vegas), Best U.S. Wellness Resort, Best Packing Cube, Best Vodka, Best Gourmet Subscription Box, Best Mattress, and Best Outdoor Grill - more categories coming very soon!
Forbes.com: New York City’s New Members-Only Club Balances Approachability And Exclusivity
RetailMeNot: How to Save Money on Groceries in 2025: 10 Tips That Actually Work
Southern Living: The Unexpected Reason I Always Travel With Duct Tape—And You Should Too
Apartment Therapy: We Asked Experts for the Best Way to Store Sex Toys — Here’s What They Said
Saatva: Daylight Saving Time and Sleep: 5 Ways to Sleep Better When the Clocks Change
Apartment Therapy: I Tried the 30/30 Rule, and I Discovered Something Unexpected
Travel & Leisure: A Travel Writer's $10 Amazon Packing Hack for Shoes
Travel & Leisure: I Travel Solo Often, and I Won’t Stay in Another Airbnb Without Packing This 1 Safety Device
Southern Living: The 9 Best Bottles Of Bourbon, According To Southern Chefs And Bartenders
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 seeking Jewish chefs (and either southern in origin or currently in the south) to crowdsource for a story: We asked Jewish chefs their favorite Passover food/ingredient — please tell me what your fave Passover food/ingredient and why - and feel free to share any special memories or stories attached to it!
Saatva
I’m working on a story on NASA Naps: What Are They, and What’s the Best Amount of Time to Nap? — daytime naps can help you get better sleep at night, and there's one type of nap, the NASA nap, that is specifically trending right now. I’m looking for a credible unaffiliated-with-a-mattress brand expert to chat about the most common types of naps (including NASA naps), the benefits of napping, the best amount of time to nap, and how to take a daytime nap without ruining your sleep at night.
Forbes
With Mardi Gras coming up, let me know if you have anything fun cocktail/dish wise going on for that…
If you have anything for me, please make sure you have all of the following before pitching:
Name of drink/dish
Where served: Name of restaurant/bar, city, state, URL
Description (not a recipe!)
Quote about dish from chef/bartender
LINK to image (low res is fine) - and appropriate photo credits
Also, I’m looking for fun ways to celebrate Mardi Gras at home (maybe po boys or gumbo recipe kits or that you can have shipped to your door) as well as fun spots to celebrate it right in NYC - specials and so forth. Send me the deets!
Looking forward: If you are a restaurant or bar doing anything special this year for Purim, I’d love to hear more!
I’m also beginning to round up Kosher for Passover treats/snacks/beverages (must be certified as SPECIFICALLY kosher for passover and not just regular kosher. Please email me if you have anything!)
<3
aly