Tuesday: Droughtlander is about to end...are you ready?
Good morning!
I want to begin with a friendly reminder that DROUGHTLANDER has finally ended — Outlander season 7 premieres in three days. (And you know where you’ll find me when it’s on!)
Now that you’ve set your DVRs (I hope!), so much I want to share today!
My gal
does a really fun feature in her Substack where she profiles her friends in the industry each week, asking them what beauty products they love enough to buy on a regular basis. Was so excited she included me in her latest email!(And yes, it’s true that I wear a shower cap in many places that aren’t the shower - in fact, there was once a story about it in The New York Times!)
“Aly Walansky doesn’t care how ridiculous she may look” remains my favorite way to lead off a story, of all time.
I had the best time last night at a dinner with Donnafugata wines. We tasted across their iconic portfolio of vineyards across Contessa Entellina, Pantelleria, Vittoria and Etna, and enjoyed some delish dish pairings. They had actually invited me to visit them recently via a press trip to Sicily and I was (SADLY!) unable to attend because of a scheduling conflict, so it was very exciting to be able to spend such meaningful time together any way - right in my own back yard!
Tonight I actually have very exciting plans, and because of that I have to leave my desk a few hours earlier than normal this afternoon — so we should move on with today’s pending assignments!
PS: Got a great response to yesterday’s call-out about Thursday’s Zoom event focused on perishable mailers and deliveries (but anything else you want to ask, too). There’ still some room if you want to sign-up!
BIG Sale Alert
Some items that I chat about ALL THE TIME are on a big sale right now — get up to 50% of Clean & Pure lip balm, lip masks, and RPZls’s new cloud comfort headband (I love it so much, I have it in two colors.) More info here: 40 Boxes | Clean & Pure
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! Check out my guest appearance on the Italian Wine Podcast this week, where we discussed all things Substack. Other recent podcast appearances include the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ podcast with the incredible (and super fun!) Lexie Smith, where we chatted about 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.
Clean Plates: 22 Trader Joe’s Foods That Help You Destress, Say Nutritionists
RetailMeNot: The Best Father’s Day Sales and Deals to Shop in 2023
Food Network: I Tried TikTok’s Dirty Martini Pasta – And It Belongs in Your Weeknight Pasta Rotation
Food Network: This Distillery Is So Proud of Their Gin, They Found a Way To Wear It
Forbes.com: 20 Celebrity Chefs Share How Their Fathers Inspired Their Passion In The Kitchen
Forbes.com: 9 Cocktails To Celebrate Dad This Father’s Day
RetailMeNot: Father’s Day Gifts for Every Type of Dad
Forbes.com: Father's Day Gift Guide: The Best Gifts To Stock His Freezer
Forbes.com: Father's Day Gift Guide: The Best Gifts For The Dad Who Loves To Grill
Forbes.com: Father’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Cookbooks To Add To His Collection
Forbes.com: Father's Day Gift Guide: The Best Gifts For The Culinary Traveler
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.
Southern Living
I’m working on stories related to brussels sprouts, delicata squash, avocado, and as usual, I have a specific set of questions I’ll need to ask RDs, chefs, produce experts, botanists, farmers, etc. Please email me and I’ll send you a rundown of what I am looking for (I have a few weeks for this one, so we have more time to play with than usual!).
Forbes.com
I’m looking for creative/unique cocktails bars/restaurants around the country are doing in honor of July 4th. This has to be a cocktail that will exist on a menu and be available to order (either long-term or as a special). Please pitch me the following if you have something that may be a fit:
Name of cocktail
where served (name of bar/restaurant, city, state, URL)
description
quote from bartender/chef/etc about the cocktail (please remember to give me the name and title of who is being quoted)
Image of cocktail with any appropriate photo credits
RetailMeNot
All the Best Fourth of July Sales to Shop Now: I’m working on an update of this story from last year. A lot of these might change, so note any run-through dates IF the retailer has those when pitching me. Otherwise, it's OK to describe the sale as "for a limited time." I’m going to try to include spots such as Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Ancestry, 23andMe, Fitbit IF they are throwing a sale. If pitching me for this one, please be sure to include what's on sale, how to shop it, the promo code (if any). Maybe the promo code is storewide, so that makes it super flexible. Whatever the shopper needs to know about how and WHY to shop the sale.
I’m also updating this story from last year: Stores Open Fourth of July + Fourth of July Store Hours. Please look at last year’s version for an idea of format and what I’m looking for - and if I included your store hours or sales last year, feel free to reach out and give me updates!
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!