Monday: My latest cocktail roundup is now live + upcoming stories, what I'm working on this week, and more upcoming!
Happy Monday!
As Labor Day weekend is approaching, I am expecting this to be a rather quiet week…but I also know that when I expect things to be quiet, I sometimes end up rather surprised!
This weekend’s Industry Insights newsletter was on a topic I know that is already at the forefront of many people’s minds — pitching holiday gift guides. I cover the ins and outs of the whole process, from pitching to targeting to those all-too-important not-so-little details, and (hopefully!) do so in a way that is easy to digest.
Hope it’s helpful!
And if there’s additional questions…stay tuned, I might have some news on that front soon…
In newly published story news, don’t miss my new Forbes roundup of 25 unique variations on Negronis. National Negroni Week is a few weeks away, and this gives you plenty of time to map out your fun negroni crawl in your own city.
(And before I start getting three dozen ‘why weren’t we included’ emails, let me remind you that I got hundreds of pitches for this one, and only included 25. I value and appreciate and read every single pitch but by no means does pitching guarantee you will be a fit this time…there’s always next time. I cover…and drink…negronis quite often!)
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!
PS: I love doing podcasts!
Recently, I was a guest on the Eat.Drink.Social podcast, and we chatted about my upcoming travel, recent press trip experiences, and so much more. Check out my guest appearance a little while ago on Jamie Stone’s A Little Too Much podcast. We had SO much fun discussing everything from the changing landscape of events and trips to our thoughts on some emerging food and cocktail trends.
Some of my latest podcast appearances include Media Circus Podcast with Taiisha Bradley, as well as the Italian Wine Podcast, where we discussed all things Substack, and the Coffee N° 5 podcast, where we chatted about effective strategies for promoting emerging brands to journalists and securing media coverage. Other recent podcast appearances include the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ podcast with the incredible (and super fun!) Lexie Smith, where we covered everything from press dinners and events and trips to, well, sippin’!
I’ve recorded a few others that should be live soon as well and I’m always open to doing more — email me at alywalansky@gmail.com.
Forbes: This Fancy Room Service Menu Invites Pets Along For The Fine Dining Experience
Southern Living: Peach Margarita Recipe
RetailMeNot: What Stores Are Open and Closed on Labor Day 2023?
Travel & Leisure: I Travel Solo Frequently, and This $18 Gadget Makes Me Feel Safer in Hotel Rooms
Travel & Leisure: This Carry-on Luggage Is Lightweight Enough to Lift Up 4 Flights of Stairs — and Fits 5 Days' Worth of Clothes
Food Network: Remember Zoo Pals? The Adorable Animal-Themed Paper Plates Are Coming Back
Clean Plates: Should You Really Worry About Acid In Your Water? Experts Weigh In
Forbes.com: Remember Tony Bennett By Recreating His Go-To Pasta Order From His Favorite Astoria Italian Restaurant
Parade: Clueless About How To Use an Air Fryer? Consider This Your 101 Guide
Reader’s Digest: What 11 Mysterious Flight Codes Really Mean
Her Money: The Foods. You Need To Buy In Bulk To Save Money
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.
Forbes
Planning an extra-special extended friends and family gathering for the high holidays this year? Whether this is is for one of the Rosh Hashonah dinners or the post-Yom Kippur break fast, I’m interested in hearing about fun items you may want to stock up on, from interesting spirits (for example, I was pitched a whiskey matured in pomegranate wine casks), to bagel and lox combos to end the Yom Kippur fast. Has to be items that are shippable nationwide. Have anything that works? Please email me!
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!
