Monday: Is your press dinner missing one crucial element? Let's discuss.

Plus: Fun new job lead!

Good morning!

What would you say is the most crucial aspect of hosting and executing a successful press dinner?

Think on it for a moment while I tell a little story.

(Disclaimer: When I share anecdotes such as this one, it is by NO MEANS an attempt to spill tea or put anyone on blast, but rather share an example of something that, if done differently, could have had more effective results.)

Today, I wanted to have a discussion about presenting events and invitations as they actually are, so that there’s no misunderstandings and journalists (who receive dozens of invites every day), can make an informed decision about attendance and potential for coverage — with all necessary information in front of them.

Recently, I was invited by a soon-to-open restaurant for preview dinner. This restaurant was quite a distance away (as in another state!), but their PR team offered a generous Uber voucher (which was, of course, both essential and most appreciated) and presented the invite in a way that made the event sound fun and interesting.

Based on the invite, this event had the most important deciding factor for me being able to attend: Good coverage potential.

However: I went to the event — on a weekend, in another state, a good 90 minutes of travel each way — only to discover that the preview dinner didn’t actually involve dinner at all, but was rather a cocktail party with some passed bites.

Now, that’s ABSOLUTELY fine - if it was what I signed up for. And what the invite had said it would be. But, ultimately, that meant I had spent all that time traveling to…have a cocktail and leave hungry without having done what I thought I was there to do - taste a few dishes from the menu and hopefully write a story about this new restaurant opening (which, for several reasons, I was excited about!).

This is not the first time this has happened, in various forms and ways. Years ago, when I was a beauty writer, my friends and I used to always laugh about being invited to blowout events — of course, showing up ready with dirty hair that was beyond ready to be washed - and then finding out it was not a blowout but rather a dry style. Same situation, different era and beat.

There’s nothing wrong with cocktail parties or passed apps (it’s how I spend my night quite regularly!) or even dry styles (though…ugh) - the problem exists in suggesting an event is one thing in an invite, only to have it be something else in actuality. Clarity and follow through is absolutely imperative.

Important takeaway: You’ll get your best turnout at events, and your best results from those events (i.e. coverage!) — if you simply are clear about what something is from the outset.

And what it isn’t.

So, in answer to that opening question — what IS the most crucial aspect of a successful dinner event?

Serving dinner.

Anyway, moving on!

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!

We had an amazing turnout at last week’s Mother’s Day gift guide pitching workshop — and there’s a full recording available for paid subscribers. If you are interested in me sending you the video link, drop me an email. Thanks so much for your support and happy gift guide pitching!

Related: We loved how many of attended you took the time to attend 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 for paid subscribers. Email if interested and I’ll share how to grab that recording as well!

Job Lead

A high-end matchmaker friend is looking to hire an Executive Assistant (Hybrid/New York City). You will play a vital role in providing exceptional support to the team and clients. You will be responsible for a variety of administrative tasks, including conducting client consultations, client onboarding, and recruiting and screening potential matches.

Qualifications:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Experience in recruitment, client relations, or as an executive assistant is a plus.

• Organizational and multitasking skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks with attention to detail.

• Ability to work as a part of a collaborative team.

• Strong proficiency in writing and editing.

• Handles sensitive and confidential information with discretion.

• Familiarity with social media platforms is a plus.

How to Apply:

If you are passionate about helping people find meaningful relationships and enjoy working in a collaborative environment, they would love to hear from you!

Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience. Send to Bonnie@bonniewinstonmatchmaker.com.

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: Exotic Meats Are On The Menu At Indian Speakeasy In New York City

• Forbes.com: 15 Dishes And Cocktails To Enjoy During Mardi Gras

• 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 March Madness and St Patrick’s Day 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