Tuesday: Hello from Charleston!

Hello from Charleston!

First of all, I want to say hello and welcome to the new subscribers that have joined our community since last week.

I’m SO grateful and so excited that the holiday gift guide pitching best practices webinar that I hosted last week with my gals Alice and Jill resonated with so many people and I can’t wait to do more stuff like that in the future.

(And if there’s ever anything you want to see here, please let me know!)

and now…

Good morning from this morning’s office, which is currently the adorable Charleston Harbor Fish House (where my current multitasking involves eating shrimp and grits while writing a story at the same time!).

But not to worry, I have lots planned for today that does not involve sitting at a computer — including pool time, spa time, and visiting a restaurant later today I heard amazing things about…

alywalansky

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More soon!

Yesterday was one of those comedy of errors travel days where a bounty of airport nuisances happened, and honestly, I think it sort of made me extra appreciative of everything and everyone around me once I arrived…

So, why am I sending this email this morning while on deadline and also on an itinerary? Well, first of all, sharing my morning coffee with you each and every morning is honestly my favorite part of my day.

But also: I have a TON of new content that has published since my most recent newsletter. And also a new story I’m sourcing for! So please scroll down…

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!

alywalansky

A post shared by @alywalansky

PS: I love doing podcasts!

My latest podcast appearance, on the fabulous Becoming You podcast, is now streaming!

Recently, I was also a guest on the Eat.Drink.Social podcast, and we chatted about my upcoming travel, recent press trip experiences, and so much more. Check out my guest appearance a little while ago on Jamie Stone’s A Little Too Much podcast. We had SO much fun discussing everything from the changing landscape of events and trips to our thoughts on some emerging food and cocktail trends.

Some of my latest podcast appearances include Media Circus Podcast with Taiisha Bradley, as well as the Italian Wine Podcast, where we discussed all things Substack, and the Coffee N° 5 podcast, where we chatted about effective strategies for promoting emerging brands to journalists and securing media coverage. Other recent podcast appearances include the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ podcast with the incredible (and super fun!) Lexie Smith, where we covered 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.

• Forbes: Usher In A Sweet New Year By Preparing A Perfect Rosh Hashonah Family Gathering

• Forbes.com: 8 Creative Dishes Showcasing Coffee

• Forbes.com: Pulling Your Own Mozzarella Is The First Step To Perfect Homemade Pizza

• The Kitchn: Aldi’s Crunchy New Snack Is Made for Fall — and It’s Only $3

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

• Forbes.com: 8 Creative Dishes Showcasing Coffee

• Southern Living: Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

• The Kitchn: Aldi Just Dropped a Frozen Find People Are Calling “Deeee-licious”

• Food Network: Tyson’s Halloween Chicken Nuggets Are Back – With an Exciting Update

• RetailMeNot: 40+ Government Employee Discounts Worth Knowing in 2023

• Forbes: Cheeseburger Lovers Need To Try These 30 Epic Spins On The Classic

• Forbes: A Hidden Treasure In Kansas City Is Redefining Midwestern Fine Dining

• Forbes: 25 Brilliant Variations On The Negroni

  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.com: National Vodka Day is coming up - and fun fact: Vodka is my favorite spirit (though the Dirty Aly probably has told you that already!). For National Vodka Day, I’m rounding up fun and creative vodka-centric cocktails. And, yes, I’m a martini lover, but don’t pitch me your martini unless there’s something unique and special about it. Please pitch in this format:

• Name of drink

• where served (name of restaurant/bar, city, state, URL)

• description (NOT a recipe)

• quote from owner/bartender/chef about drink

• Image of drink

• Also: Is anyone doing really creative DISHES involving vodka as an ingredient? Please pitch me for that too!

Deadline by this Friday, 9/15.

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!

<3