Monday: One type of pitch email that is totally wasting your efforts (and why!)
Good morning!
Hello from the soupiest of heat waves, where simply leaving your home creates an immediate need for a shower.
I hope you are all doing well, staying cool, and had a good weekend. (Just picture me in full Beyonce mode, with surrounded by three fans. My hair is totally getting the wind effect!)
I have some newly published content to share, as well as some food stories I’m working on but before I get into that…here’s today’s thought bubble: There’s one type of pitch email that pops up in my inbox dozens of times each and every day…and it serves absolutely no purpose (it’s not useful to me and it’s a waste for you because it actually has no ROI of your time and effort)…what is it?
Scroll to the bottom of today’s email and I’ll explain!
Limited-time deal on ad placement!
I’m offering a seasonal special on advertising in this newsletter. I’d love to place your sponsored posts and advertising in this substack, which goes out to nearly 10,000 media professionals every single day; Note: 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!
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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.
Forbes.com: 8 Creative Sushi Presentations To Try This Summer
Forbes.com: New Oceanfront Dining Concept Embodies Turks & Caicos As Hot Dining Destination
Apartment Therapy: 10 Things I Got Rid Of After 45
Apartment Therapy: Summer Packing Tips from People Who Travel for a Living
Forbes.com: 9 Special Omakase Experiences To Enjoy In Honor Of National Sushi Day
Forbes.com: Martini Variations That Are Sure To Hit The Spot This Summer
Clean Plates: 11 Best Seafood Picks at Trader Joe's, According to RDs
Travel & Leisure: 6 Best Business Travel Airplane Outfits, From $12
Yahoo Life: Best sleep tracker for 2025, tested and reviewed
YourTango: Frequent Travelers Are More Likely To Succeed At Work Because They Share These 7 Traits, Experts Say
YourTango: 14 Budget-Friendly Home Upgrades That Instantly Transform Your Space, According To Experts
Yahoo Life: The best cooling fans of 2025, tested and reviewed
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and This Seat Cushion Is My Secret to Arriving at Destinations Pain-free
Travel & Leisure: 13 Best Solo Travel Safety Devices on Amazon From $10
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and I Swear by These Packable Ballet Flats for Comfort, Support, and Long Days on My Feet
Travel & Leisure: This Flight Attendant-approved Jumpsuit Is My Go-to Comfy Airplane Outfit — and It’s Only $25 Right Now$150 and Under
Travel & Leisure: I Found the Perfect Walking Shoes to Prevent Sore Feet During Travel — Score Styles on Sale Up to 62% Off
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
National Fried Chicken Day, National French Fries Day, National Caviar Day, and National Mac and Cheese Day are all in the coming weeks.
I’m accepting pitches for fun and unique presentations of each (so not the basics please!), at restaurants/bars nationwide. To pitch me for any of these, please make sure your pitch includes ALL of the following.
Name of dish
Where found (so: restaurant name, city, state, URL)
Description of dish
Quote about what makes this presentation special (plus name and title of person being quoted)
Image of dish and appropriate photo credits
So to today’s thought bubble….what type of pitch email is a total waste of your — and my — time?
Read below for answer!