🙏 An Attitude of Gratitude 🦃

Plus your last chance to use these Friendsgiving discounts for Substack subscriptions and consulting sessions!

Happy Monday of what will be a very short week for most of us!

I’m sending out a short newsletter with a few updates before everyone scatters for the holiday :) Here’s a sunny Scottsdale vibe to enjoy in case it’s cold where you are!

I’m so grateful for each of you. When I started this Substack at the end of 2021, I never expected it would blossom into a newsletter that 3,600 publicists would be so engaged with! I’ve gotten to know so many of you through our interactions in Ask Me Anything sessions, your comments on my Substack posts, Top Tier consulting sessions, and of course all of your responses to my calls for pitches! Thank you for supporting me and making my job easier every day!

It apparently wouldn’t be a Q4 newsletter without including some more industry layoff news. Protocol is no longer, and it looks like Gannett is ramping up for a rough start to December:

Kati Kokal @katikokal

Gannett is doing a second round of layoffs Dec. 1 and Dec. 2. Journalists already have to convince so many people that the work we do matters. The owners and leaders of this company (the biggest newspaper chain in the US) shouldn't be on that list.

I’m personally starting to feel the effects of the industry shift … I’d normally have a bunch of December assignments on my plate by now, but I only have a few. Hoping that’ll change next week! However, since I’m a complete workaholic, I’m going to look on the bright side: I won’t have to work through Thanksgiving, as I’ve done in years past. And that means I can really enjoy some down time with my family … my fiancé, schnauzer and I head up to the White Mountains on Wednesday to spend a nice, relaxing few days with my parents. It’ll be COLD up there, but cozy! Plus, my mom is making all my favorite foods, of course.

Reminder that I’m currently offering 40% off annual Substack subscriptions for Friendsgiving. What do paid subscribers get? Access to my Ask Me Anything Zoom sessions, all my industry insights, and my full archive of past paid posts full of tips/tricks! For example, my next paid newsletter, which will be out next week, delves into the 6 Things You Should NEVER Ask a Journalist to Do! And I’m hosting one more AMA in 2022!

I’m still looking for the perfect rolling bags for Travel + Leisure, so please send anything that fits the specific requirements I’ve detailed below.

Have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving!

xoxo,

Jill

PS: Did you catch my episode of The Pitchin’ and Sippin’ Podcast with Lexie Smith of THEPRBAR last week? In it, I discuss how I got my start in magazines and freelancing, pitching preferences, how to break into freelance writing, different ways publicists can become a journalist’s BFF, my Top Tier Consulting sessions, and, of course, Substack. Find it here or here.

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PR/Coms Job Opps

• PlantedSeed is looking for an account exec with CPG experience.

• Interdependence Public Relations needs a Director of PR (Entertainment).

• USAA is looking for a Director of Coms in Phoenix (talk about a job with amazing benefits!)

• Clackamas County (IMHO, one of the most beautiful spots in the country!) needs a PR specialist.

If you have job opps for me to share, please send them to JillSchildhouse@gmail.com with the subject line PR Job Opps. And if you land one of these gigs, please let me know …. it warms my heart!

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Book a Consulting Session for 25% Off Today!

Nicole Pajer and I have teamed up for Top Tier Consulting, where we offer a variety of customized consulting packages for agencies and freelance publicists to help take your media hits to the next level … and we’re offering 25% off if booked this month for Nov/Dec sessions. These include:

• Pitch Perfecting Strategy Session (OUR MOST POPULAR SESSION!)

• Become a Journalist’s BFF: Networking and Relationship Management Session

• Hosting the Perfect Virtual and/or In-Person Media Event Session

• Agency Q&A Session

• Press Package 101 Session

• Press Trips Invites and Itineraries Session

• Hosting the Perfect Virtual and/or In-Person Media Event Session

We’re excited about this new venture and look forward to helping you become even better at what you do. Visit our website to learn more about the services and sessions we provide — we’re looking forward to work with you!

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Last Chance to Get 30% Off Top Tier Consulting’s Substack!

Our weekly posts are chockfull of meaty and actionable information. Here are some of the other important topics we’ve covered recently:

• 8 Things That Make Writers Want to Work With Publicists Again

• Part 2: A Look Inside the Process of How Writers Handle an Inbox Full of PR Pitches

• Part 1: A Look Inside the Process of How Writers Handle an Inbox Full of PR Pitches

• How to Help Your Clients Rock Email Interviews

• How to Work Your Sources Into Articles Around the Holidays

• Everything You REALLY Want to Know About Pitching Gift Guides

• 8 Things You Need to Do to Prep Your Clients for Interviews

— Annual subscriptions are 30% off right now, so it’s a great time to upgrade and check out all the industry insights you’ve been missing out on! —

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Let’s Collaborate on an Instagram Campaign!

Follow my travels on Instagram — and with 17k followers, I’m available for your clients’ brand campaigns and collaborations, too! Happy to share my media kit and rate sheet upon request.

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Got Affiliate Marketing Questions?

Do you have questions about navigating affiliate marketing? Publicist Sarah Karger co-created a course called Ultimate Masterclass and Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Publicists and it’ll answer ALL of your questions!

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Please Share this Newsletter With Your Colleagues

If you find this newsletter valuable, please click the share button below and send it to your colleagues …. I’m especially looking for more travel publicists, publicists who rep healthcare and wellness professionals (dietitians, doctors, mental health, etc.), and of course product-focused publicists too! The more, the merrier!

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***Recently Published Pieces***
(Thank you for your help!)

• Reader’s Digest: Ulta vs Sephora (gave this article a fresh update)

• Reader’s Digest: Amazon Prime Gift Guide (I got SO many of you in here!)

• Reader’s Digest: The Best Smart Doorbells

• Men’s Health: Your Holiday Travel Fit Kit

• Estate: Here’s the LAUNCH issue (my article is on page 92)

• TripSavvy: The Best Alaska Hotels — based on my recent press trip!

Now, it's time to get the word out! When you and your clients share your coverage on social media, please be sure to tag my accounts: Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn (and please connect with me yourselves!).

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—— Current Editorial Needs ——

Travel + Leisure: The Best Rolling Backpacks, Rolling Duffels, and Rolling Weekenders (LAST CALL!)

• Notice a theme? Everything must ROLL! (But not looking for traditional suitcases.)

• Affiliate Requirements: Skimlinks, Rakuten, Impact, Pepperjam, ShareASale, and CJ. Amazon is good, as are major .com retailers.

• I’d especially like to hear from Patagonia, Lands’ End, Eddie Bauer, The North Face, and L.L. Bean please!

• Subject line: Best Rolling Bag + Add The Product Name

• Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com

• Pitch by: EOD tomorrow

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More Useful Info

• Agency-wide Substack subscriptions available: Just shoot me an email with how many publicists will need access to my paid newsletter and I’ll send you a custom quote (which includes a group discount, of course!).

• Sponsorship opps: Do you have a course/book/conference/tool/service that you’d like to promote to the 3,600+ publicists who subscribe to my newsletter? Contact me today to discuss sponsorship opportunities!

• Other journalist newsletters definitely worth subscribing to: Be sure to follow my trusted colleagues so you can stay up-to-date on their pitching needs: Alice Dubin, Bryce Gruber, Aly Walansky, and Nicole Pajer.