Remember Good Old Fashioned Desksides? They're Back and Better Than Ever With This New Marketplace Connecting Brands and Journalists
Plus: Details on assignments and workshops and AMAs
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
Brands, small business owners and writers: Have you heard of DeskSides yet?
If not, then yay! I get to be the first to introduce you to this awesome new marketplace for brands and journalists to foster meaningful connections.
(Spoiler: It’s a MUCH better solution to this journalist subscription box service I warned you and your CPG clients about in November — hopefully nobody is still wasting their money on that service, yikes!).
How do you use DeskSides?
DeskSides acts as a facilitator, allowing brands to share their stories with top-tier journalists who can bring these stories to life through the magic of virtual desksides.
Journalists have FREE access to a database of VETTED story sources and a set of workflow tools designed to make your processes more efficient.
If you’ve been on the website before, it might look different now and that’s because the platform has been completely revamped. While the duo behind DeskSides is busy adding some finishing touches, they’re looking for select journalists to be a part of it — give it a try!
Ready to check it out DeskSides for yourself?
Brand Demo Link HERE (For a limited time, brands can take advantage of a FREE TRIAL in exchange for feedback)
Journalist Demo Link HERE (It’s always FREE for journalists, of course!)
And here are the details on pricing for small businesses.
I’ve already set up my DeskSides profile and I’m hopping on board…. join me, won’t you?
Read on for news about my upcoming workshops and AMAs, plus assignments and recently published links.
Jill
PS: Do you rep a fabulous restaurant in Paris? Or do you have one to suggest? I’m looking for the perfect spot to have my birthday dinner with my fiancé in a couple weeks :)
PPS: Visit Phoenix hosted me, Aly and Alice last week and the trip was amazing! In fact, we’ll be hosting an AMA in April about how they absolutely NAILED this press trip, including sharing info on how it came to be AND the genius (and CHEAP) press trip planning tool they used … spoiler: You’re going to want to sign up for it ASAP!
Looking to Perfect Your Pitches? Join This Affordable Group Workshop Co-Hosted With Nicole Pajer
Ready to take your pitches to the next level? Or are you wondering why certain pitches aren’t getting much response? Learn how to take your emails from, “Here’s a client I represent,” to “Here’s a story idea you can’t possibly turn down.” Between the two of us, we receive thousands of pitches per week (sometimes a thousand a day during gift guide season), so we have many tips — and examples — of what works and what doesn’t. From coming up with the perfect email subject line to improve your open rates to sealing the deal with your closing remarks, your word choices matter throughout the entire pitch. We’ll help you perfect them.
Format: 1-hour workshop via Zoom with Jill and Nicole includes:
a formal presentation of our best pitch-perfecting tips:
subject line best practices
body of email best practices
tips to help your pitches stand out in busy writers’ inboxes
follow-up best practices (yes, we encourage you to follow up, and we’ll show you the most effective way to do so)
Q&A session
you will walk away with your questions answered (if we have to stay on a little longer, we’re happy to do so)
Date: Thursday, March 21 at 12 pm PST/3 pm EST
Pricing: $199 per person for Top Tier Paid Subscribers; $259 per person for Free Subscribers (prepayment is required to hold your slot)
(Note to free subscribers: The TTC annual subscription fee is only $99 — so, upgrading would save you $60 on this workshop, PLUS you’d get access to ALL our paid content — including our vast archive of content — and monthly Top Tier Talks for just $39 more for the year.)
Questions? Ready to sign up? Reach out to us at info@toptierconsulting.NET today!
Reminder: RSVP for my March 19th Ask Me Anything Session
***Recently Published Pieces***
(Thank you for your help!
Southern Living: I Was Among the First to Sail on the World’s Biggest Cruise Ship — Here’s What I Thought
Reader’s Digest: I Booked a Trip on the World’s Biggest Cruise Ship — Here’s What it Was Like
Taste of Home: French Onion Pork Chops
Taste of Home: Japanese Fried Chicken
The Points Guy (my first for this outlet): Princess Cruise drink packages
Southern Living: Why I Switched to a Wooden Cutting Board and I’ll Never Go Back to Plastic
Southern Living: Should You Drain Canned Vegetables?
Taste of Home: How to Store Avocados
Taste of Home: How to Store Garlic So it Stays Fresh
Taste of Home: How to Make Amish Chicken and Noodles
Reader’s Digest: 9 Best Culinary Cruises for the Most Delicious Trip You’ll Ever Take
Reader’s Digest: The Surprising Reason You Shouldn’t Bring Camouflage Clothing on a Cruise
EatingWell (my debut article!): A Longevity Expert Swears by Eating Minestrone Soup Every Day — Here’s Why
Southern Living: How to Close a Wine Bottle Without a Cork
Southern Living: Yes, You Can Freeze Spaghetti Squash; Here’s How
Taste of Home: Le Creuset Everyday Pan Review: It’s Literally the Only Pan You Need
Southern Living: The Best Types of Sweet Potatoes for Eery Favorite Southern Dish
Yoga Journal: 21 Unexpected, Meaningful, Stress-Reducing, Must-Have Yoga Gifts for Your Loved Ones
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
The Guardian: A Different Kind of Pothead: the Le Creuset Cookware Supercollectors (my first for this outlet!)
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 2024?
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!
Sponsorship Opportunities: Buy an Ad In this Substack and Get In Front of Your Target Audience
Do you have a course/book/conference/tool/service that you’d like to promote to the 5,900+ publicists and writers who subscribe to my newsletter? Contact me today to discuss sponsorship opportunities: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
—— Current Editorial Needs ——
1. Copper Courier: Phoenix Wildflowers
Looking for the best places to see & smell wildflowers near Phoenix
Subject line: Phx Wildflowers
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Thursday
2. Copper Courier: Phoenix Pizza Joints
Looking for the best pizza joints in Phoenix (and what to order at each one)
Subject line: Phx Pizza
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Thursday
3. Travel Market Report: Cruise Celebrity Chef Collabs
Looking to feature the best cruise line collaborations with celebrity chefs — if you rep a cruise line that has partnered with a celebrity chef, please reach out!
Subject line: Cruise Chefs
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Thursday
4. Franklin Prosperity Report: EV Tax Credit Expert
There are some new laws about getting a tax credit for electric vehicles in 2024 … do you know someone who can weigh in?
Send credentials, not commentary … I have very specific questions that need to be answered.
Subject line: EV Tax Credit Expert
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: Friday, March 12
5. Franklin Prosperity Report: U.S. Beneficial Ownership Information Registry Expert
As of Jan 1, 2024, many businesses will be required to report beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. I need someone who can explain it to small business owners: https://www.fincen.gov/news/news-releases/us-beneficial-ownership-information-registry-now-accepting-reports
Send credentials, not commentary … I have very specific questions that need to be answered.
Subject line: Tax Law Expert
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: Friday, March 12
More Useful Info
Agency-wide Substack subscriptions available: Want your entire agency to read my paywalled insights? Awesome! 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 massive group discount, of course!).
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, Nicole Pajer, and Joni Sweet.
We had the best time with you, Aly, and Alice! Can't wait for the AMA session! :)
I've never heard of Desksides! Very interesting tool and will absolutely check it out. Thanks for sharing Jill!