Thursday Edition: Thanks so much for making yesterday's AMA Zoom event such a huge success!

Also: Lots of job leads, and what's going on today

Happy Thursday!

So much to share today. Yes, I’m very aware of the concerning news about Her Majesty the Queen’s health and I am keeping a very nervous, watchful key on UK media today. Lets hope she is OK and she has years left in her reign.

In happier news…

The AMA Zoom event I  co-hosted yesterday with Alice and Zlata (OR SHOULD WE CALL IT AMA WITH AZA?!), was a tremendous success. We were so thrilled to see such a great crowd come out and ask so many amazing questions. We were also so touched by the many emails and social media love after. We did this as a way of helping our community and all learning from one another and that's exactly what happened. As promised, there will be a recording of the whole session (including the extra time because we went over about 40 minutes to be able to answer more questions in real time), and we'll be sharing it with paid subscribers of any of our three newsletters, whether or not they were able to attend yesterday.

It’s booster time!

I'm heading "out of the office" so to speak for a bit later this morning - but for a good reason!

I'm getting my updated COVID vaccine booster and also my annual flu shot. Yes, at the same time! Two birds with one stone. Er…shot?

While I've obviously gotten vaccines and boosters before, this is exciting (can we be excited over injections? Apparently these days we are...), because it's the first booster updated for the current variants and it's also the first time I'm attempting to do the booster and the flu vaccine at the same time. I mean...I'm there anyway, right?

I'll of course keep you posted on how I feel tomorrow after doing all that but I SUPER encourage you to go book your vaccine booster and annual flu shot appointment today. I'm getting mine at a Walgreens a short walk from my home and it was so simple and fast to make an appointment. I have some work travel coming up in these next few weeks, and honestly, I'll just feel a lot better going that I am going to have that extra layer of protection.

This week, a a PR friend I only knew from the emails and Zooms emailed me and said she’d be in NYC for a few days and would love to finally meet in real life. Last night, she came out to Brooklyn, and I introduced her to my favorite local bar. She had also taken the time yesterday during her trip to participate in our AMA Zoom, so I feel like I’m kind of monopolizing her work trip a bit. But we had a really nice time and it’s always great to add a real-life connection to digital one.

alywalansky

A post shared by Aly Walansky (@alywalansky)

Early in lockdown, she had coordinated a virtual caviar tasting for me and a few friends and it was very much one of my great memories of doing things together from afar during those strange, lonely times.

So thankful that now we can do things together and have it not be from afar!

Job leads

Have a job lead? Email them to me at alywalansky@gmail.com - they are always free, and always welcome.  This newsletter goes out six days a week, every week, so if you have a preferred day to have it appear, let me know that as well - can't guarantee it will be that day, but I will do my best. Internship opportunities are welcome as well! Please remember to include location of the job and any contact information. Blind items are also OK if you are putting some feelers out but not ready to share the job is available.

 CLD PR  is hiring, and looking for Beauty & Fashion PR superstars who might be looking for a great role. They are also hiring on the Business Development side, so if you know anyone who is well-connected and commission-motivated, then we're all ears there too. More details on the roles can be found in the job post here. - tell them Aly Walansky sent you!

My friends at Berk Communications are hiring an Account Coordinator in their NYC office to assist with  food, beverage, and travel clients. Resumes can be sent to gabrielle@berkcommunications.com if interested! Berk Communications is an award-winning public relations firm that features a roster of category-leading brands across a variety of consumer verticals, including sports and lifestyle, food and beverage, travel and tourism, and cannabis. We have an exciting opportunity for an Account Coordinator to join our growing practice. They are looking for a motivated self-starter who is excited to start their career in public relations. In this role, you will have the opportunity to support top-tier food, beverage and travel brands and properties and help keep their account teams on track. You will be in charge of everything from industry monitoring to flag new trends, issues, list development and media coverage for clients; to pitching media and securing coverage opportunities; and organizing the team with necessary agendas, action items and reports.

Rockaway MORE is hiring new talent to add to its team of Public Relations Specialists. Candidates must have 1 – 3 years of hospitality/culinary or agency experience. Rockaway is a South Florida based agency with clients in several markets nationwide - all major Florida markets, DC Metro area, New York, and others. Ideally candidates reside in South Florida, Orlando, or Tampa. This is a remote position, but employees must be able to attend events, media dines, photoshoots, etc. Rockaway is a growing agency with four divisions – Public Relations, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Graphic Design so there is plenty of opportunity for growth! Benefits include medical, dental, unlimited PTO, retirement saving options, cell phone stipend, plus more. All interested candidates please email marel@rockawaymore.com.

In fun news...

If anyone remembers that a few months ago I was working on some content for The Complete Guide To Keto, it's out and on newsstands and in bookstores nationwide now.

Pick up a copy, I have three different features in the guide! Here's what it looks like if you need some guidance when out browsing:

Update your contacts

Just a reminder: I have been getting TONS of pitches and invites to my Substack email. Please never use that email address for pitching or invites. It's strictly for newsletter things, and often those emails end up filtered in my spam folder. I do not want that. My email address is alywalansky@gmail.com. If by some miracle it's not yet in your contacts, please be sure to add it going forward :) Your email is very important to me and I want to make sure I receive it!

Get a special group rate

I’m now offering a 50% discount on paid subscriptions when purchased as part of a group subscription (that’s four or more people). It’s a great way to get your team involved and save some cash.

Newly published …

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: 10 Amazing Martinis To Try In NYC Right Now

• Food Network: Burger King Is Sprinkling Everything Bagel Seasoning on Your Favorite Menu Items

• Yahoo Life: What grosses 'Dr. Pimple Popper' out? Sandra Lee says she has a 'no internal organs, feet or eyeballs' rule in the kitchen. - my interview with the amazing Dr. Pimple Popper!

• Clean Plates: 8 Frozen Foods at Trader Joe’s Nutritionists Love to Buy

• Tasting Table: 16 Mistakes Everyone Makes With Sous Vide

• Food Network: Krispy Kreme Fuses Churros and Doughnuts in New ChurrDough Collection

• Forbes.com: Vegan Caviar Bumps Offer Plant-Based Dining With A Touch Of Luxury

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.

What I’m working on now:

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.

Clean Plates

For this week, I’m rounding up The Healthiest Costco Frozen Dinners to Buy Right Now. This is similar to other pieces I’ve done like this for this outlet where I’m looking for RDs and nutritionists (credentialed, and unaffiliated with a brand), to discuss THEIR picks for frozen meals at Costco and why they are delicious, healthy, based on ingredients, nutritional profile, etc. Please email me asap if you have someone to comment, or if that someone is you!

HerMoney

I’m gearing up to do a series on holiday travel (yes, we’re almost there!) — and I’m looking for personal finance and travel experts (especially budget travel experts) to weigh in on the following:

1. How to budget for holiday travel: I mean the holidays are still a few months away, which gives people some time to plan ahead, so I’d experts to weigh in on how to budget ahead for holiday travel, so far as planning a holiday fund, planning a budget, considering ways to streamline expenses (maybe an all-inclusive?).  It’s also about how to create a realistic budget for travel -- considering transportation, where you are staying, how long you will be there, how you will get around while you are there, where you'll be eating, what you'll be doing for fun/entertainment.

2. Related, I’m working on a story that will roundup mistakes to avoid that will blow your holiday travel budget -- so that may be booking too early or too late, not accounting for the extras when planning your budget (we all think about airfare and hotel, but what about gas/tolls/snacks/etc), not getting travel insurance (a MUST these days), not budgeting for food/entertainment, not paying attention to hidden charges, etc - would love experts to weigh in for this as well.

3. I’m working on something (non-travel related) on holiday spending. Statistically, women spend more on Christmas gifts than men, and I’d love some personal finance experts to weigh on why this is. (Especially if you can reference stats/data). Do moms feel pressure to buy more when they're busy at work?  Are women more likely to go into debt after the holidays? And for women who do experience holiday spending stress (raises hand!), how do we prepare? My research actually says NOW is the perfect time to start to prepare for seasonal costs (which is why…well, this is being written now!). Would love experts to weigh in.

Yahoo Life

What is mulled cider? -- Pegged to National Mulled Cider Day. This is a piece for those who want to drink it all through the holidays out into the world. I'd like to chat with a chef  or bartender or food historian about the history and get a recipe from either the chef or a food blogger. Would need to make sure there are photos with the recipe, too, if possible!

TODAY.COM

I’m rounding up freebies, deals, and discounts at food chains in honor of the following upcoming food holidays:

• National Cheeseburger Day (9/18)

• National Coffee Day (9/29)

Please send me the deal, when it’s good, what the deal is, how to claim it, and any other details. (Is it only good during specific hours, is it only good at specific locations? This is all helpful to know!)

Share the love

Every morning, I share what I’m working on that day and links to newly published stories and send it right into your inbox — for free! I also share productivity tips, job leads, links to volunteer and mentoring opportunities, recipes, and more — all always free.

Please share this newsletter with a friend or colleague today. Every Friday, I randomly choose one new free subscriber who signed on that week. They will be automatically upgraded to a paid subscription for free — and, if they tell me who referred them to this Substack, that person will as well! These opportunities only get better if we share them with our friends.

Paid subscriptions get additional benefits, such as my weekly industry insights newsletters, subscriber Zoom chats, and much more.

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 (This summer, 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!

Potential new availability: A few people have reached out to me and asked if I was also open to doing consulting for freelance journalists in addition to the PR consulting sessions I currently do, and I am absolutely considering it. I need to spend some time thinking on what a session like that may look like and be structured, but after 20+ years in the industry, I’ve seen a whole lot change and it may be interesting to share my own experiences with someone just starting out. So, stay tuned!

On the fence over whether this is a good fit for your team? Here’s some feedback I received from people who I have worked with recently:

"Aly’s advice and insight is invaluable to our team, not only is she incredibly knowledgeable, she is approachable, generous, and kind too. While we read every one of her newsletters, we decided to go one step further and invited Aly to host a Q&A with our agency. During the session, we felt comfortable asking her everything and anything. She went above and beyond, providing examples and reasoning for each answer, and the team walked away with an abundance of new insight, tips, and tricks, plus a new confidence in handling some of the most crucial parts of our jobs." Sacha Bell, Rachel Harrison Communications

"Looking for a brilliant writer that always goes above and beyond?  Look no further than Aly!  She is an incredible teacher, tells it exactly how it is and is so generous in sharing her knowledge.  She knows what she wants from publicists, is very clear on her needs and expectations, and how to best support one another.  Most of all, her kind personality jumps off the page, and her giggle and smile are infectious.  In this consistently changing world of media, it’s so refreshing to know someone so genuine.” Kirsten Wanket

“Aly spoke to our team to help us all gain a better understanding of the media side of our business. Whether it was the best ways to pitch media or understanding the editorial process of content, she gave us tremendous insight into a vital relationship for mutual success. We were thrilled and our team came away with not only a deeper understanding, but with greater empathy for our colleagues in the media market. Definitely would recommend Aly for any agency looking to better work with their media counterparts.” Dawn Britt, Founder/Managing Partner/CEO of OneSeven Agency

“Aly has very kindly agreed to join a few sessions for us talking to both smaller and larger internal groups, and it has been incredibly helpful for our team to understand more about her process, and garner best practices that we leverage as we work on various programs. From sharing dos and don’ts for virtual and in-person events to pitching tips, Aly is a pro and always so thoughtful in her responses. And her own first-hand knowledge has helped us all to better understand the work process for freelancers and how we can most effectively work with other freelancers like Aly. We always appreciate her time and insights!” Erin Delahanty, Edelman

“I would highly recommend booking a virtual consulting session with Aly for an agency of any size!  She offers up to date perspective on everything from the affiliates to how to get your pitches read to timing your pitching correctly. These virtual consulting sessions literally save you time trying to figure out what the media is looking for and give your team an immediate edge.  Aly took her time and answered questions from the team. She is super friendly and you can tell she genuinely wants to create a win-win relationship between the media and publicists. Our team loved having Aly on and we cannot wait to have her back!  It was a blast!” Leah Cybulski, ChicExecs

“Aly was able to join our agency for a PR Perspectives chat and not only was it so much fun, but it was so informative! Keeping a pulse on the constantly changing media landscape is so important and we loved the insights and expertise Aly was able to share with us. Highly recommend setting up a chat with her!” Jennifer Haile, Dentsu Creative PR

“I am always looking for ways to share new ideas and learning opportunities with our team to improve how we pitch and offer value to journalists and in turn their audience. Aly's no nonsense approach gave us accessible advice about the best way to communicate to media, what formats works best, and basically how we can share our client news in a way that will get us noticed and included in stories. Would do again in a heartbeat!” Samantha Davidson, Say My Name Communications

“For my team’s first hybrid media event for a product launch in the COVID era, Aly quickly jumped on a Zoom and dropped great insights that drove many of the event elements. The direction she provided helped us increase attendance and gave her journalist colleagues a more memorable experience. It was a bonus that she was so easy and fun to talk to.” Apryl Ash, Approach Marketing

Now, it’s your turn! Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com to get something on my schedule for this fall.

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!)

That’s it for today! Have a great day and I’ll see you same place, same time, tomorrow!

<3

aly