Wednesday: As promised, I'm sharing a cherished family recipe. Also: Work stuff.
Wednesday: As promised, I'm sharing a cherished family recipe. Also: Work stuff.
Also: Please send in your Easter sale info asap - trying to wrap that story up by EOW!
Wednesday: As promised, I'm sharing a cherished family recipe. Also: Work stuff.
Happy Wednesday!
Starting today’s email with a quick FYI: I hope to wrap up my guide I’m compiling for RetailMeNot of the Best Easter Sales for 2023 by EOW. So if you have anything to pitch for it, please take a second to scroll down to the pending assignments section of this email, take note of the pitching format I need, and drop me an email ASAP to be considered.
Some fun new food pieces published since yesterday’s email, including one on a topic I’m always into (I love finding healthy eats at slim prices!):
Last night I had a rare (at least for this weirdly busy stretch) night at home, and I used it to create a demo for my Instagram followers about how to make my Grandma’s fish collicles recipe.
(And yes, I don’t really understand the name either or where it came from - but that’s a discussion for another day.)
If you are sitting here wondering….What IS that and do I want it? I hope the answer is yes!
Growing up, I really thought this dish was a thing that everyone knew about, but I soon discovered it may be something of a family creation. It’s sort of a cousin to gefilte fish — with one notable exception. This dish has no fish in it! It’s made with ground chicken, matzo meal, and lots of fresh black pepper and while it looks like the array of beige balls we see a lot during Passover — matzo balls, gefilte fish, and so forth — it’s very much it’s own thing, and when paired with freshly grated horseradish, quite delicious.
I share more about the history of this family recipe and how to make it on my Instagram stories (and also added it to my Instagram highlights, where you will find my demo about how to make your own homemade freshly grated horseradish as well as tons of other recipes) - don’t buy that jarred stuff ever! Leading up to Passover, it may just be something to consider adding to your own family’s recipe repertoire for the week.
Speaking of family recipes - as the holiday is a week away, expect MANY more recipes to come in the coming days…
FYI
My friend Zlata, who has been a guest speaker on many of my own AMAs to field affiliate-related questions, has her own coming up next week —her “AZA” (Get it? Ask Z Anything?) - will cover affiliate marketing and more. It’s happening Tuesday, April 4 at 12:00pm EST - check out her Substack here for more info and how to RSVP if interested.
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!
In case you missed it, I was recently a guest on a podcast. Check it out here — I share some easy-to-follow tips on how emerging brands can get the attention of busy editors.
Speaking of podcasts, I was a guest on the Pitchin’ and Sippin’ podcast last month (I ADORE Lexie Smith!), and you can still catch it here. We chatted at length about pitching, the ever-changing landscape of the editorial process, and more.
(Also, if you host a podcast that has anything to do with media/PR/writer content or food/bev/travel content and are interested in me coming on as a guest, I’d love if you reach out!)
Southern Living: Invited To Your First Passover Seder? Here's What You Should Bring
Clean Plates: The Best Healthy Snacks to Buy at Target, According to Dietitians
The Kitchn: Martha Stewart Taught Jamie Oliver a Very Useful Kitchen Hack, and We Can’t Wait to Use It
Taste of Home: Wendy’s Just Dropped Three New Items for Spring
Taste of Home: Costco Is Selling Starbucks Egg Bites for a Limited Time
Food Network: KFC Brings Its Fried Chicken Nuggets Nationwide
Food Network: Magnolia Bakery’s Legendary Desserts Are Coming to Your Local Grocery Store Aisle
Forbes.com: Capture The Spirit Of The Season With Whimsical Easter Cocktails
Forbes.com: Food-Themed Easter Baskets Add A Touch Of Whimsy To The Celebration
YourTango: 15 Best DIY Hair Masks To Get Soft, Moisturized Hair
YourTango: 40 Best Energy-Boosting Foods & Drinks To Make A Part Of
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.
RetailMeNot
The Best Easter Sales for 2023: I’m updating this article from last year. For this story, I’m trying to focus on last-minute sales, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be pegged to Easter, as there’ll also be a ton of spring sales going on, too. So, really anything that helps you get Easter Basket stuffers, clothes, table decor, spring decor or whatever else for Easter is fair game. Trying to include some major retailers in this, such as Target, CVS, Walmart, Michaels, Macy's.
TODAY.com
I’m beginning to round up Cinco de Mayo food deals at chain restaurants. I’m not looking for free delivery or reward point type of deals at this time but more BOGOs, freebies, discounts, etc. Please be sure to tell me how to claim the deal (i.e. coupon code, downloading app, etc) when responding.
Forbes.com
I’m working on a story on great wines, snacks, and products to buy for Passover 2023. It is IMPERATIVE for this story that everything I include be certified as kosher for Passover (not just kosher - it’s a distinct certification). Please be sure to confirm before pitching. I’ve gotten HUNDREDS of pitches for things where the sender will insist it is “kosher” but when I look into it, it’s kosher but not kosher for Passover - please understand the difference before pitching me.
I’m also looking for Passover-inspired cocktails you can find at bars and restaurants. This one is trickier because I realize for this one a lot of submissions will probably come from places not kosher for Passover or even kosher — that’s fine for this story (but not the other one). This one, I need name of drink, where served, a description, a quote about it, (how is it inspired by Passover?), and an image of the cocktail.
Looking forward, I am looking for bars/restaurants around the world that have created specialty cocktails in honor of the coronation of King Charles III this May. I’ll need the usual — where it is, what’s in it, why it’s a perfect cocktail for the occasion, a quote from a bartender/owner/chef, and a high res image. I’m really excited about this one, so lets try to find some great cocktails!
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!
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