Tuesday: My latest podcast guest appearance is now live! Also: Thanks so much for yesterday's AMAZING Zoom turnout + more pending stories!

Good afternoon!

I know this email is coming a few hours later today, but I was holding it for a fun reason (which I am about to share!).

But first and foremost --- thanks so much to EVERYONE who came to our A-US-A session yesterday on Zoom.

We quickly reached Zoom's capacity limit and we had a full house and SO MANY great questions we couldn't even get to them all. The three of us (Jill, Alice, and myself) are hoping to pull together some of our thoughts about what we covered in a few days, and you'll see it in each of our Substacks soon -- so stay tuned! (So, for the most value, you may want to ensure you are subscribing to all three of us!)

But … without further delay, the reason I’m late to send this email out today is that I did another podcast guest appearance and it is now live!

Check it out here:

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

• Google Podcasts

And I’d love your thoughts and feedback on the discussion. As always, you can always comment on the thread below, or in the chat thread in the app. (Or both if you are so inclined!)

In other news since yesterday, here’s some newly published stories…

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

Where to score freebies and discounts on National Pizza Day today.com/food/national-… via @TODAYshow

Aly Walansky alywalansky.substack.com @alywalansky

Plan a Budget-Friendly (And Romantic) Valentine’s Day Date Night

hermoney.comPlan a Budget-Friendly (And Romantic) Valentine’s Day Date NightValentine’s Day is one of the most popular date nights of the year, which is why it can also be the most expensive. Between flowers, candy and a gift and

Job leads

Eleven Eleven PR, a Washington DC hospitality PR agency is looking for a talented food & beverage publicist to join their growing team! Their ideal candidate is a lover of all things F&B, travel, and can hit the ground running working with up & coming restaurants as well as Michelin starred and James Beard Awarded clients. If you are looking to work with DC's leading restaurants, and emerging hospitality scene, this is the spot for you! More info can be found here. 

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!

• Today.com: Celebrate National Pizza Day with these 19 deals and freebies

• Her Money: How to plan a budget-friendly (and romantic) Valentine’s Day date night

• Forbes.com: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Gifts For A Romantic Dinner At Home

• Food Network: Topo Chico Wants You to Send Your Ex a Candy-Coated Scorpion This Valentine’s Day

• Forbes: Prep For The Big Game With Cocktails Perfect For Any Super Bowl Party

• SPY.com: Prone to Making Last-Minute Purchases? Check Out the Best Valentine’s Day Delivery Gifts

• SPY.com: From Chocolates to Spa Products, We’ve Got a Valentine’s Day Gift Basket for Everyone

• YourTango: 32 Edible Gifts Women Love Most

• HelloGiggles: 11 Products to Help You Sleep Better and Wake Up Energized

• Clean Plates: 8 Easy Valentine’s Dessert Recipes with Zero Refined Sugar

• RetailMeNot: 13 Purr-fect Valentine’s Day Gifts for Pets

• RetailMeNot: Affordable Valentine’s Day Gifts That Show Lots of Love on a Budget

• Clean Plates: 8 Costco Foods Nutritionists Love for Valentine’s Day

• SPY.com: Our Favorite Funny Valentine’s Day Cards Are Sure to Make Them Giggle (or Blush!) on February 14

• Forbes: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Luxury Seafood Boxes

• Forbes: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Interactive Gifts For Couples Who Love To Cook Together

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 Life

Do you REALLY need to wash lettuce when you bring it home from the grocery store/before using? When you chop up a head of romaine, do you need to wash it? Iceberg? And when a bag says pre-washed, should you still wash it to be extra safe? I'd love it if experts can explain why we need to wash lettuce, when you need to wash it and HOW. What does it do when you wash it? And if I could find a few people who have a strong opinion either way on whether or not they wash it or believe you need to -- that'd be great.

Today.com

For Today.com, I’m rounding up deals at chains for Valentine’s Day. This isn’t simply that you are doing a heart-shaped pizza or a special menu item, but that you are doing some sort of specific deal or discount — think BOGO, freebie, discount code, etc. If you have anything, please email me the name of the chain, where it is located (if it’s not national), what the deal is, and how to claim it.

Forbes

In advance of Mardi Gras, I’m looking for chef tips and product suggestions to make a great homemade authentic gumbo. If you represent a chef known for their gumbo recipe (or is just a bit of a gumbo lover!), or a spice/mix/etc that can be a great asset in making homemade gumbo, please drop me a note!

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!

Have a great day!

<3

Aly