Happy Tuesday, everyone.
Thanks for all the thank-you’s on yesterday’s post … I feel so good knowing I’ve saved some of you from making a bad choice for your clients! It’s amazing how many other journalists reached out to say they have had similar experiences as me and other writers I quoted in there … buyer beware!
I thought I was about to start slowing down a bit for the holiday season, but I just ended up taking on a handful of unexpected assignments for Fodor’s, Good Housekeeping, Southern Living, and some content marketing clients that will be keeping me quite busy through month-end! No complaints … happy to keep cranking out copy until my family cruise the first week of December!
Speaking of: If you rep any clients in Galveston, Tx, let me know. I’ll be there ahead of that cruise and it’s my first time to the area.
Ok, let’s hop straight to what I need this week, including some sources for my newest client: Sleep.com!
Have a great week,
Jill
PS: Remember that Italy/Greece cruise I went on this summer, where I got quarantined? Here’s the article I wrote about it!
Jill’s 2023 Holiday Gift Guide Resource Central
Here are all the resources I’ve created (or co-created for Top Tier Consulting) to help you land even more editorial coverage this season. Seriously, use these links as your bible for the next few months:
Christmas in July Zoom Q&A with Affiliate Marketing Expert Sarah Karger (this will answer ALL your affiliate-related HGG questions!)
Holiday Gift Guide Workshop with Nicole Pajer (we shared sample subject lines, a checklist of what to include, advice for how to stand out amongst the stiff competition, examples of pitches we loved, and did a Q&A session)
A Real-Life Example of an HGG Product Pitch Format that Most Writers Will Delete (hint: Don’t do this!)
A Handy-Dandy Checklist of 10 Things to Double-Check Before Sending Your Pitch
***Recently Published Pieces***
(Thank you for your help!)
Fodor’s: I Was Quarantined on a Cruise Ship, Here’s What it Was Like
Southern Living: Why It’s So Important to Brown Your Meat Before Cooking
U.S. News & World Report: 9 Bucket-List Cruises for Seniors and Retirees
Taste of Home: I Went to the Le Creuset Factory to Table Sale and Now I’m an Avid Collector — Here’s Why
ELLE Decor: This Stylish Home Gym Delivers The Full-Body Workout of Your Trainer’s Dreams
Good Housekeeping: 8 Travel Essentials for a Fall Weekend Getaway
Taste of Home: Can You Eat the Green Stuff in Lobster?
Taste of Home: How to Store Ginger the Right Way
Taste of Home: How to Make a Pear Tart Tatin
Taste of Home: The Dangerous Reason You Shouldn’t Eat from a Dented Can
— older, but in case you missed them —
The Guardian: A Different Kind of Pothead: the Le Creuset Cookware Supercollectors (my first for this outlet!)
Taste of Home: How to Make Homemade French Fries
Phoenix Magazine: Park Central’s Modern Renaissance
AARP: The Ultimate Guide to Alaska Cruising (my first travel article for AARP!)
Taste of Home: How to Make White Rice Taste Better, According to Chefs
Insider: I went on my first solo cruise. Here are 6 things you should know if you’re planning to try it.
Southern Living: The Biggest Cruise Ship in the World is Coming to Florida
Reader’s Digest: Away vs. Beis: Which Luggage Brand is Better? (PS: I’m taking my Away bag to Europe in case you were wondering)
Taste of Home: How to Make Japanese Fried Chicken
Reader’s Digest: Beis Carry-On Review
Reader’s Digest: I Never Travel Without The Away Bigger Carry-On Suitcase—Here’s Why
USA Today: This Outdoor Recliner Is Made for Lounging and I Can’t Keep My Family Out of It (my mom is the model!)
Southern Living: How to Cook Rice
Taste of Home: This is What the Numbers On Your Fruit Stickers Tell You About Your Produce
Taste of Home: How to Make Shrimp Ceviche
Taste of Home: How to Make French Onion Pork Chops
Taste of Home: How to Wash Potatoes
Reader’s Digest: 12 Best Caribbean Islands (you can read about my trip to Bonaire here!)
Reader’s Digest: 16 Unexpected Things I Never Board a Cruise Ship Without (I got SO many of you in here!)
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!).
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 … the more, the merrier!
Got Affiliate Marketing Questions for 2023?
Yes, most publications require affiliate marketing for inclusion these days. Publicist Sarah Karger created a course called Ultimate Masterclass and Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Publicists and it’ll answer ALL of your back-end questions!
—— Current Editorial Needs ——
1. Southern Living: Need Wine Experts in the South (not affiliated with a wine brand)
I’m looking for wine experts/soms in Southern U.S. states to tell me fun/quirky/clever ways they close wine bottles without a cork (I won’t be mentioning specific wine brands)
Subject line: SL Wine Expert
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Thursday
2. Sleep.com: Yoga and/or stretching and flexibility specialists
This article will explore morning yoga stretches, highlighting their benefits
Send credentials, not commentary — I have very specific questions I’ll be sending to the right experts. Tell me why your client is the perfect source to tackle this topic!
Subject line: Sleep.com stretching expert
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Friday
3. Franklin Prosperity Report: How to live on a cruise ship full time
This is about how to live on a cruise ship full-time — it’s becoming more of a thing now, with several companies offering options ranging from buying a "condo" on a ship to renting to just traveling full-time.
I’d love to hear from cruise brands that offer this AND experts who can discuss the trend AND any real people who are living this lifestyle!
Please send credentials, not commentary. I have specific questions I’ll ask.
Subject line: Living on a cruise ship
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Thursday
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Away suitcases are SO nice. I'm about to head out on a two-week Europe vacation and they're a lifesaver.
P.S. I have a contact at the Galveston tourism board — I'll shoot you an email with her info. Have such a great trip!
Hey, what day are you in Galveston? That's 30 min from my house. Would love to buy you lunch!
R