Thursday: In this industry, timing is everything.
PS: Don't miss out: The completely FREE recording of last month's Zoom webinar event covering pitching, trends, and all things holiday gift guide season is now available -- grab the link right here!
Good morning!
Thanks so much for the incredible feedback to yesterday’s email about how media and PR can come together to help people in the face of increasing food insecurity. It meant so much to me that so many people were eager to rise to the occasion in any way they could.
Yesterday was A DAY that felt like a domino effect of stresses, but I’m hopeful that today will be far better. I have a lunch and learn consulting session booked today with new PR friends and a fun event I’m looking forward to attending tonight that is (gasp, it’s true!) right in my own neighborhood!
I wanted to take a bit of time to chat today about timeliness - when it matters, why it matters, and how it can make such a difference in a PR/media relationship.
Yesterday, I was planning on attending a luncheon event (a major rarity for me with my schedule) and had arranged my day around being away from my desk for a sizable chunk of time in the middle of the day (an hour to get there, two hours for the lunch, and an hour to return — so four hours out of my workday). In the invitation/RSVP process (which was weeks ago), I had been promised an Uber voucher to get me to the event location — which was, again, an hour away.
(More, if we account for mid-day Midtown traffic.)
Anyway, woke up yesterday and the voucher had yet to arrive. Went through my morning which involved a whole bunch of…life happening — finally, around 11:45, less than an hour before this lunch was scheduled an hour away, I got that Uber voucher.
At that point, it was too late to attend and I told the publicist, who then assured me it would be acceptable for me to be a little late if I needed to be.
I didn’t attend the event.
While this may sound like a weird and random turn of events, something rather similar happened just last week…and in fact, in that case, the day came and went and the promised voucher did not arrive, and, again, I didn’t attend.
Now, this is not a conversation about giving or not giving Uber vouchers and how crucial they can be — we’ve covered that at length before — but rather how timing is so important and if you miss the boat, no one is going to swim to it from the shore.
Sending an uber voucher well after when someone would need to attend your event is too late. It should have been sent as part of a confirmation at least a day in advance, that way if there was any sort of issues with its parameters, it could have been dealt with in time. Spazzing on sending it at all is, of course, missing the boat entirely.
But what about timing in other aspects of our jobs?
Lets have a short exercise. A journalist puts in their call for sources that they need to receive responses by COB Friday ET. When would you think you have until to send those responses? 6 pm? 8 pm? Midnight?
There’s times I post that I am taking responses for a story thru, say, Friday, and I’ll get responses until midnight, sometimes after …did those people meet the deadline? Were they under the wire or was it past time?
When reading this email, would you consider it to be EOD? COB? Both? Neither? Are you actually not sure how they are different?
Great…then please read ahead!
This came up earlier this week because I had two different stories I was sourcing for that I was waiting on responses to questions I had sent…by COB that day.
So what DO these terms mean…and how do we use them more effectively? This falls under the category of clear and effective communication and it’s so important….
Lets get into that…
COB quite literally stands for “close of business” — that means the end of the business day in the place where the business is being done. So, for me, that’d mean around 6 pm in NY, or in a broader sense, the eastern time zone.
EOD, however, translates to end of day. This means end of day in the sender’s time zone — but it is also commonly used referring to end of the business day. (Business days generally being Mon-Fri between 9-6 pm, not including holidays.)
My intention, when I say a deadline to submit deliverables is EOD, Is that I hope for those deliverables (be it questions answered, images, commentary, information) to be submitted by the end of the business day in the sender’s own time zone. But even better, before end of the business day in my time zone.
So you may see how these terms can be sometimes used interchangeably and can lead to some confusing miscommunication….
One trick of course, is to be more specific in the discussion.
Example: “I will send you that chef’s commentary COB Friday (6 pm).”
or:
Example: “Please send me that chef’s commentary by COB Tuesday (6 pm).”
Lets all commit to being better at telling each other what we mean and need so there’s no mixed signals. And remember: If I’m working on a story today that will publish tomorrow morning, sending me a submission for it at midnight today is a very likely sign your commentary will not be included.
Lastly, if you are ever unsure what someone you are working with means when they use one of these acronyms, the best action is to JUST ASK.
Example: “Just double-checking: when is EOD?” Sure, this may be a bit embarrassing to ask, but it’s better than being late— and you’ll know for next time, too!
Note: Timeliness matters in a lot of other ways, too. Missing deadlines, leaving hanging as far as trips or events or deliverables or commentary, is a great way to not have us reach out to you next time around.
And, then, of course, there’s timing when it comes to deliveries. When I know I’ll be out of town, I try to head off potential delivery issues by scheduling items to arrive upon my return. Due to the season, I may be receiving a half dozen perishable deliveries all at once, via various carriers and circumstances.
Many are ultimately changed or rescheduled in some way - to arrive later this week, next MONTH, or at a time undetermined, and often this is not communicated. And as these are perishable items, communication in these matters really matters. As does timing. If I’m working on a story related to a product today - getting it next week or next month doesn’t help me at all.
Timing, and communication about timing, is incredibly important — imagine a comedian or a musician with poor timing.
Or, hell, a pastry chef.
Or a poet.
But when we talk about timing in media and PR relationships and interactions, it comes up a lot.
If you are sending a mailer as part of pitching, remember that timing does matter. If I’m working on a story this week, sending that sample for it in a month isn’t going to help either one of us — that story is long written and filed. And if you are sending a perishable mailer of a product that may or may not be tied to a story, it can’t just arrive any old day…people need to know when it’s coming so they know if they will be home to receive. Most of us don’t have doormen and many of us live alone and don’t have a person who can accept for us if we’re not around…
Related: Industry Insights: Here’s Why You Were Not Included In That Story (And How To Up Your Odds)
Remember, timing is everything, and it can make the difference between an amazing relationship with media or a difficult one — and help you get included in a lot more stories!
Check out our complete holiday gift guide pitching recording - it’s available right here, right now!
For those who missed out, you can grab the whole recording of our best practices for pitching holiday gift guides this season webinar for free (yes, completely free!) as a benefit for upgraded subscribers - it’s well over an hour of commentary, Q&A, and tons of information you can use this season. Grab the details here.
If you are pitching holiday gift guides this season, you’re competing with thousands of other emails in every journalist’s inbox. Make sure your pitch stands out and gets noticed.
Book your consulting session!
I still have some space available for November!
I can join your team on Zoom, a phone call, or in-person and do a team Q&A and answer any of your questions about planning events, mailers, trips, pitching, followups, etc — giving you a very necessary media perspective. Email me at alywalansky@gmail.com if you are interested in chatting more and setting something up :)
We can switch it up in any way you or your team needs. While most of my calls do end up being virtual, I just did one where we did our session over a martini lunch! I’m available for whatever your team prefers. Lets chat.
I’m now contributing to the Yahoo Creators platform, writing a wide range of lifestyles topics: check out my author profile to see some of my most recent pieces! (This is updated daily - usually multiple times daily - so you’ll want to keep checking it out for new content!)
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 more than 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!
Tools of the trade
Press Hook is where journalists, newsletter writers, and podcasters source expert quotes, hi-res images, product samples, affiliate info, and brand story angles — all from vetted brands in one searchable hub. It connects journalists and brands in what feels like a really user-friendly, organic way and I use it often to browse for sources and products aligned with my current projects and I’ve often found precisely what I need, when I need. Give it a try!
Exciting news from our friend Sarah Karger (who recently was a star expert panelist for our big holiday gift guide pitching workshop!) - she just launched her new course, Affiliate Marketing & Performance-Based PR for Publicists - It’s built specifically to help PR pros and agencies add affiliate management as a core capability, something we all know is completely essential in today’s media landscape. This is in-depth training that equips publicists with the exact strategies to:
Set up affiliate programs for clients
Pitch commerce editors with confidence
Deliver measurable ROI through performance-based PR
It’s a must-have for anyone trying to navigate this ever-changing biz!
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.
Yahoo Creators: Check out my author profile (I have several new stories a day across the lifestyles umbrella, so that’s the best way to stay updated!)
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Solo Traveler, and I Tell All My Friends to Pack These Anti-theft Essentials—Up to 56% Off at Amazon
Forbes.com: 15 Plant-Based Dishes So Delicious, Even A Carnivore Would Ask For Seconds
Southern Living: How To Preheat An Air Fryer
Southern Living: Banana Peppers Vs. Pepperoncini: What’s The Difference?
Forbes.com: 13 Cocktails Perfect For Embracing The Spirit Of Halloween
Forbes.com: 13 Dishes And Drinks That Support Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Travel & Leisure: I Travel Solo Often, and I Won’t Stay in Another Airbnb Without Packing This 1 Safety Device
Travel & Leisure: This $8 Flight Attendant-loved Hack Helps Me Carry More Bags at the Airport—Without Paying Extra
Food Network: You Can Pre-Order Your Entire Thanksgiving Feast
Today.com: Best drugstore wrinkle creams 2025, according to experts
Today.com: What Are The Best Drugstore Eye Creams? Experts and Editors Reveal Their Favorites
Southern Living: The Best And Worst Times To Go To The Grocery Store
Southern Living: How To Cook A Perfect Steak Every Time, According To Southern Chefs.
Southern Living: The One-Pan Cheesy Meal I Make Whenever I'm Too Tired To Cook
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and I Swear by These Packable Ballet Flats for Comfort, Support, and Long Days on My Feet
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.
Yahoo Creators
I’m working on a story on planning a Friendsgiving celebration. Open to organization and event planning expert tips and tricks as well as items that are a must to include (if sold online, please include retail links when pitching!).
I’m working on some holiday gift guides! I’m seeking: Travel-related gifts, gifts for your man, home/kitchen related gifts, food/spirits gifts, tech gear/gadgets, office-related gifts, and beauty/self-care/wellness gifts. I’m also looking specifically for iPhone-related gifts, computer accessory related gifts, and luggage/travel gadget gifts.
To pitch me for these guides, please be sure to include the following:
Name of item
Links to major retailers where sold (it’s in your best interest to include several retailer link options when pitching)
Link to image and any necessary credits
Description why it’s a fit
Item must be currently available and currently in stock (and if you want any guidance on how to pitch for gift guides more successfully, be sure to check out the webinar recording linked above — it’s free!)
Forbes
Before pitching: Please be sure to refer to my photo submission guidelines for help with photo submission best practices!
Holiday Gift Guide 2025: The Best Celebrity Spirits To Gift This Holiday: I know, it seems like every celebrity has their own wine or tequila these days but if you’ve tried a few, you know they are very much not created equal. Some are great tho, and it’s usually an example of the celebrity owner putting a lot of work into it, and not just slapping their name on the label. I’m rounding up these as gift ideas. Follow my usual gift guide pitching guidelines, please!
I’m also working on a story on enjoying lower ABV cocktails in December. I know a ton of people (not me, obviously) are doing Sober October, as a way of having a total body reset before the active holiday event season, but another option is to try to moderate a little in December by focusing on lower ABV versions of your favorite drinks, made with low or mid-ABV spirits. So if you work with low-ABV spirits that have low-proof (vs. zero proof) holiday cocktails on the menu at bars/restaurants, please drop me a line! (Same pitching format as usual.)
I’m also looking for Thanksgiving-inspired dishes and drinks available at bars and restaurants. So, not a straight-up plate of turkey and stuffing, but traditional Thanksgiving dishes and sides reimagined in a new way. Same pitching format as always, please!
Finally, I’m seeking fun variations on PIZZA. If you have a really fun pizza, please let me know. Same pitching parameters as always! (FYI: I know that October is National Pizza Month but this story will actually publish in early November and be a bit more evergreen.)
have a great day, and thanks again for being such an incredible community <3
aly