Wednesday: Simple ways to lead with kindness in media/PR relationships + a sweet deal on the sweetest bow + exciting Dirty Aly news!

Yes, gift guides are happening + new job leads!

Good morning!

Starting today’s email with some incredibly self-serving but exciting news — someone wrote a story about my Dirty Aly pizza (and they seem to be INTO IT!)! I realize as publicists, this experience is pretty commonplace (or we hope it is!) but it’s SO exciting for me. Such is life on the other side of the aisle!

Now that I’m done patting myself on the back (so not a familiar feeling for me, to be honest!), I wanted to chat about something for a minute. I thought that today’s newsletter could be a little bit less about technique, so to speak, and a little bit more about the human touch and the value we place in one another…some simple ways that everyone in our industry can show kindness to one another.

It’s important to remember that one very important thing journalists and publicists have in common is that we are all educated and experienced in the field of communications.

So, if we are supposedly communication experts, why are we sometimes so bad at effectively communicating with one another?

That’s what I hope to get into today!

Keep in touch -- and be nice.

Recently, I was hosting a lunch and learn consulting session (book yours! I’m doing a sale! More on that below…) with an agency and someone asked me for my thoughts on followups. As in, is following up OK, and when is it annoying. This is actually a rather common question, because I think sometimes journalists act in a way that publicists are afraid they are annoying us simply by following up on a pitch.

That's not the case. Following up is just doing your job. Feel free to follow up! But, try not to be super aggressive about it. And be nice about it. I often tell the story in consulting calls about how once a publicist "followed up" with me by trying to send me a late night video DM through Instagram messages. That is invasive. 

The ideal followup continues the conversation, but does not overwhelm or make someone feel cornered. You can keep in touch, but please do so with kindness (so avoid emails that make someone feel like they are being scolded), and remember we're all people here, just trying to do our job.

Respect one another's time

Don't schedule appointments you can't keep, don't cancel at the last minute, don't RSVP to something and then show up halfway through or forget to show up at all. Don’t stand someone up, or say yes when you mean no, or leave someone hanging and not give an answer at all. This happens on both sides of the aisle, all the time.

Whether you schedule an interview and are late (or are a no show), or RSVP to an event and don’t show up, or invite a journalist somewhere and then ghost them, or promise your expert is going to give commentary for a story someone is working on and then disappear, all these things are not a way to respect one another’s time.

Don’t pitch a story that’s just not true.

It boggles my mind how often I’m pitched stats or history that is just not accurate. Remember, everyone who has email also has Google. And any journalist worth their salt will verify a story and not just regurgitate it. Trust is built, and earned, and this is a great way to lose trust. (And it goes both ways, if you ever see a journalist randomly stating things that sound a little off and not backing that up with verifiable stats or links or reliable sources…don’t buy that either.)

Do your best to understand each other’s job

Most of my friends are writers or publicists. Some are writers who were once publicists, or vice versa. So I’ve heard all sorts of stories. Obviously I’m not here to air people’s dirty laundry, but I will say that at some point, every publicist has had to pitch a product they weren’t wild about, and every journalist has had to at some point cover a topic they weren’t all that personally invested in. It’s just how our cookie crumbles. We’re all just trying to do our job as best as we can.

So, publicists, no, we can’t tell you what other experts will be featured in a story or let you read a draft of a story before it publishes. That will never be OK. Understand our job. But, writers, if a publicist jumps in during an interview between you and their expert and changes the direction of the conversation, we may not love that, but that’s just them doing their job. We’re all just trying to do what our job is to be doing, and lets be a good friend to one another by respecting that.

How to say thank you.

I don't mean this by publicists saying thank you to journalists -- though I'd be lying if I said I didn't love emails saying thank you after I send a link to a story -- or, at least, a response! - but also how journalists say thank you to publicists.

The way I say thank you is, if you are consistent about meeting my deadlines and answering my questions and calls to action in the format I ask, I'll keep on coming to you in future stories. I'll say thank you for making my job easier by trying to do what I can to make your job easier.

Case in point: Recently, I was working on a story where I asked a bunch of restaurants to weigh in their unique take on mac and cheese. In my query, I asked people to include a few important details, including a quote from the chef about the uniqueness of the dish. A good third of those responses did not remember to include the name of the chef. That either leads to more work for me - or me having to go back to you, and you having more work. Or, me just going to the next email.

Let's say thank you to each other by not doing that.

Journalists get a lot of emails with complaints or criticism. We also get a lot of non-acknowledgment. Taking the time to send a short email saying you read the story and appreciate the consideration or the coverage can go a long way toward developing a relationship.

Sharing the story on social media

This comes up in consulting calls a lot, too. People ask why we care about this, if we care about this, if it matters at all.

In short, yes, it does matter. And we appreciate those social shares a lot, especially if you remember to tag us and the outlet.

It's not an ego thing, either. Sharing a story gets more eyeballs on the article, which is a win for the writer and can leave them in better standing with their editor and their outlet - but also, more shares and page views for an article that includes your client is also really good for you, and for them. Everyone wins!

Remember that we are all people.

I know I said this already, but it bears repeating. Sometimes relationships start to feel a little transactional, and for the most sensitive among us, that's really hard to swallow. Our relationships are the foundation to getting our job done.

Don't only reach out when you need something (or want something) and disappear until you need something again. Journalists and publicists are not each other's means to an end.  Treat each other like real people, and remember to check in even just to say hello sometimes. It's appreciated, and it shows your relationship means something -- and that relationship will be one that lasts the long haul.

And the same thing goes in reverse, as well.

Remember the golden rule we were taught as children. No one will want to work with you if you are not nice to them! Always lead with kindness and respect, and leave the mean girls antics at home.

So, journalists, don’t be demanding or rude to publicists. They may be doing PR for lawn furniture but they can pitch it to people that don’t make their job harder or more stressful. Everyone should be kind to everyone else, and no one should act ever like they are better than anyone else.

Full stop.

In exciting news, I’m doing something I’ve never done before: I’m currently offering 20% discounts on my virtual consulting/lunch & learn sessions. Times are really tough and I am hoping to make these insights as accessible as possible to any of you who are interested. If you want to schedule a session for yourself or your team, to discuss anything from pitching to followups to events or press trips or anything else…drop me an email at alywalansky@gmail.com and lets chat!

touched.by.destiny

A post shared by @touched.by.destiny

Had so much fun chatting head bands and bows with so many of you a few months back when I did my Valentine’s Day collab with RPZL that I figured we could keep the fun going in a bit of a different way.

You may have noticed that I shared some photos on my Instagram a few nights ago in a fun new bow — that’s the adorable new Clarke Pearl bow style. Right now, I am partnering with RPZL, exclusively offering 30% off either that bow — or my go-to fave hair brush (I actually own two — one at home and one that I keep in my carryon!) to anyone reading this, with code ALY30 at checkout.

This is a limited time deal good for one week only!

Reminder: I’m currently sourcing for FOUR Mother’s Day gift guides — and yes, indeed, the early bird does get the worm. Scroll down to the pending assignments section below to see that and everything else I’m working on right now (it’s actually quite a lot).

If you want to prepare to pitch for these guides, you may want to take a second to grab the recording of our Mother’s Day Gift Guide AMA Zoom Event from a few weeks ago. The video covers everything you may find helpful about pitching during any gift guide season, from helping your pitch to stand out, the importance of following directions and completing ALL deliverables, as well as better email subject lines to followups and photo submission best practices (trust me, this is one that will help A LOT of you), and SO MUCH MORE. You can catch more information on what we covered and how to access the recording here. This video is free, as a benefit to paid subscribers. Membership does indeed have its rewards.

Job Leads

CURICH|WEISS is looking for an Account Manager with 4-5 years of experience to join the Food, Wine & Spirits division based in NYC. The accounts would be a variety of wine and spirit brands that lean into the lifestyle sector (celebrity brands, RTDs, spirits). You can contact Zach Groth directly at groth@curichweiss.com for more information.

CURICH|WEISS is looking for an Account Manager and Account Executive to join the Travel & Hospitality division. This team would work on a variety of luxury properties located in Hawaii, Portland, Aspen and more! Contact groth@curichweiss.com for more information.

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!

• Food Network: I Tried Cup Noodles’ Most Mind-Boggling Flavor to Date

• Wine Enthusiast: 10 Passover Wines to Make Your Seder Shine

• Southern Living: My Recipe for Air Fryer Green Beans (these are so good!)

• Clean Plates: The Healthiest Tomato Sauces You Can Buy at the Grocery Store

• RetailMeNot: How Growing My Own Herbs At Home Has Helped Me Keep Meals Creative Without Busting My Budget

• Today.com: These drugstore wrinkle creams are approved by experts, and they start at just $10

• Clean Plates: How to Clean and Organize Your Fridge for Spring

• HerMoney: The Best Timing For Hotel Bookings - How To Save On Your Stay

• Forbes.com: Boutique Spot In Tuscany Schedules Intensive Food-Centric Series Hosted By Celebrity Chefs

• YourTango: 25 Cheap Spring Break Trips That Are Really Fun

• Forbes.com: Patrick Mahomes And Travis Kelce Partner On Upscale Kansas City Steakhouse

• RetailMeNot: Savings Star Origin Story: How I Learned to Eat Well (In NY!) On a Shoestring Budget

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.

Clean Plates

I’m working on a story pegged for July 4th/BBQ season, geared toward all my fellow Trader Joe’s lovers out there: Products at Trader Joe's RDs love for summer cookouts …I’m not going to file this story until May, so we have LOTS of time, and I’d like to focus on newer products coming out this spring that would be great for summer grilling or a summer cookout - obviously with a component that RDs are a fan, and why. So if you have a RD that will want to comment, please reach out!

RetailMeNot

Budget shopping and cooking/eating smarter: As you all know, I write a lot of content for RMN related to budget shopping and cooking/eating smarter. I’m going to be working on a monthly column on the subject of cooking/eating well on a budget, and I’d love you to pitch me products/ideas to consider for it - maybe a new meal-stretching product that is a good deal at a grocery store, an awesome product to try that may cut my meal prep time in half, other themes as far as saving money on food/cooking/eating and doing it in a way that is smarter.

For my next Saving Stars column, I am going to chat a bit about my air fryer and how it helps me do a lot more in a small space - it's one appliance that sort of does the job of a bunch (from roasting and baking and "frying" to reheating and so much more), and even share a personal recipe or two that I like to make, which are themselves examples of budget stretching and saving. But I plan on incorporating a shopping aspect with some budget-friendly air fryers but also some very useful air-friendly friendly kitchen accessories. So, pitch, pitch, away!

Forbes

I’m sourcing for FOUR Mother’s Day gift guides! Here’s what I’m currently working on:

The Best Gifts For Her Foodie She Shed: So many women love to have a private retreat away from the constant demands of the household, be it to read, craft, or to use as an office. This can be anything from garage or outdoor space to even an actual shed - but the take on this is that if a foodie was using her she shed for all things food and bev. Whether a breakfast nook to enjoy her coffee in peace, to maybe a spot to have a girlfriend or two over for wine and cheese. I’m looking for fun gift ideas to outfit her foodie-centric she shed.

The Best Gifts For The Mom Who Loves To Grill: Grilling is so often like a dad-sphere, but I know a lot of women who love grilling, too. (LIKE ME) Why do men get all the fun? For this one, I’m open to being pitched grills, grilling accessories and also items to put on the grill.

The Best Complete Dinners You Can Have Shipped To Her Door: I’m looking for complete meal kits or readymade meals she just had to pull together or reheat and can have a full beautiful gourmet dinner ready without even having to leave home. Note, I’m NOT looking for restaurant takeout. This is strictly items that can be shipped/ordered online nationwide.

The Best Gifts For The Mom Who Really Loves Salad: To balance all those MEAT guides, y’all. For this one, I’m looking to be pitched along the lines of veggie boxes, salad kits (that can be ordered online/shipped), cool grow your own herb kits, salad dressing cruets, fun salad bowls and tongs, and all that.

To pitch for ANY of my gift guides I’m currently sourcing for, please include:

• Name of product

• Link to retailer where it’s currently in stock and available, no pre-sale links please

• Description

• Price

• LINK to high res image (please make sure to remove restrictions so that I can access image, and also make sure the image will not expire for a few weeks, so it can be accessed when necessary. Also please try to avoid large galleries and JUST send the image being requested, no others…it’s the best way to assure the image used is the one intended!)

Counting down to Passover coming in just a few weeks, I’m looking for brands doing fun new products, spirits, wines, etc for Passover (note: They must be both Kosher and Kosher for Passover - and no, this isn’t the same thing - check out my recent post explaining how to know the difference when pitching.)

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, also rounding up Cinco de Mayo, Kentucky Derby and Mother’s Day inspired cocktails (for these also, I need name of drink, where served, a description, a quote about it, and an image of the cocktail.)

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’m available for PR team virtual meetings to answer questions about pitching, events, and trips from a media perspective.  Note: I’m also available to travel for consulting sessions as long as travel expenses are covered. We can chat! This is available for entire agencies or smaller group lunch and learn type concepts.

<3

aly