Monday: Photo submission best practices, how to get free encyclopedia access, and everything going on this week!
Also: Check out my recipe for air fryer crispy wontons!
Happy Monday!
Here’s hoping this week is off to an energized and productive start…
I have a busy week ahead of me, with a pretty packed roster of stories I’m working on, consulting sessions, and a few fun events (and a really sexy omakase speakeasy opening I’m headed to tomorrow night that I’m really excited about).
I spent part of the weekend binging That '90s Show and it was SO cute. Aside from that I was busy finishing up some of those many Valentine’s Day gift guides that have been in the works.
Also: In honor of Lunar New Year, I made crispy wontons in my air fryer! You can still catch the recipe on my Instagram stories here.
Speaking of….
Another day, another newly published gift guide! Just published today is my luxury seafood box guide for Forbes…and there’s some yummy stuff inside.
Industry Insights
This weekend’s Industry Insights newsletter was about the best practices for submitting photos to media, and a quick browse at this morning’s email is a reminder that a lot of people could benefit from giving it a browse. Check it out here.
Free Encyclopedia Access
A quick browse at our Twitter newsfeed will show us there’s a whole lot of people in our industry spreading disinformation about just about everything…and that does us all a disservice.
So, share this with a PR or media friend or colleague today: Britannica offers free access to those in media. Go to britannica.com/journalists and use the promotional code EXPERT-CONTENT.
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!
Forbes: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Luxury Seafood Boxes
YourTango: 7 Unsexy Ways To Be Sexier
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
Here’s what I’m currently working on for Valentine’s Day:
The best gifts for a romantic dinner at home
The best interactive gifts for couples who love to cook together
For all of these guides (and honestly, most guides for any outlet, I would prefer all pitches be sent in the following format):
Name of product
link where sold, price
Description of product
LINK to high res image
*please please make sure that an item is not discontinued, and is currently available and in stock to ship and arrive before Valentine’s Day before pitching me. Sound obvious? I got a LOT of holiday pitches that did not fit this qualification!
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 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 (Recently I even joined in on an agency’s team retreat right here in Brooklyn — it was so fun and I made so many new friends!) 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.
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!
