Sourcing High-End Pitches For a NEW Luxury Lifestyle Magazine
Plus: Some PR job opps and leads for 2 new-to-me pubs
Happy Tuesday!
Our time at the Corazón Resort & Spa in Cabo was truly fantastic … honestly, it was the most impressive customer service I’ve experienced since pre-pandemic times. The view of the Sea of Cortez from our balcony and the rooftop pool was insane, the food and drinks were delicious, the room was spacious and modern (we stayed in the brand-new tower and had our own private hot tub on the balcony), and the property is in a great location. We ate our weight in ceviche and nachos, drank a few too many mojitos and margaritas, I enjoyed a poolside foot massage and we went off property for a couple dinners that were also fabulous. Check out my Story Highlights here and also my most viral Reel to date for a little moment of Zen (6,700 views … not bad!). Oh, and here’s a fun little snippet I posted to TikTok!
Shout out to the handful of you who read last week’s newsletter and suggested my fiancé order this sexy hand condom thing so he could get in the pool without getting his stitches wet … it worked like a charm and was one helluva conversation starter, LOL:
Random personal request: I’m looking for suggestions for AMAZING hair dryers. My old-school Dyson died (it’s been 5 years, so it had a good life) and I’m looking for a truly incredible replacement for my long, thick hair that’s naturally curly but I mostly blow it out straight (so a nozzle attachment is a must, and a diffuser is a great bonus). People have been telling me about the following brands: T3, Drybar, SuperSolano, and Elohim … I’m feeling confused and want to spend my money wisely! Help!
Scroll down to book a strategy session, find my recently published links (I’m waiting on a TON of stuff to go live, so that’s why that section looks sparse), and some fresh assignments I need sources for … I have assignments for both Men’s Health and Women’s Health magazines, yippee!
Have a great week,
Jill
PR Job Opps
w/Sara PR is looking for a remote, part-time PR Assistant (must be based in the U.S.). w/Sara is a boutique lifestyle PR firm based in NYC specializing in brand awareness for start-ups and small businesses. The ideal candidate has industry experience or is a recent grad who is proactive, detail-oriented person. This individual will offer administrative support to w/sara’s account executives and support various projects for clients. Learn more and apply here.
NJF PR has several open roles.
The Fiske Group is immediately hiring a freelance publicist with several years of agency or in-house experience. The commitment will be 5-7 hours per week and requires a mix of account management and admin, agency-support work. Clients largely live in the hotel/spa/resort space and some work will be divided between The Fiske Group and sister agency, S’Well. Must be organized, detail-oriented and have strong writing and pitching skills. If interested and available immediately (or August 1 at the very latest), please send your resume, hourly rate and media portfolio or examples of work to madeline@madelinejohnson.co.
Book Your August Pitch Perfecting Party Today!
Still thinking about booking a Pitch Perfecting Party with me? Just shoot me an email (use subject line: Pitch Perfecting Party) and I’ll share pricing details and available time slots for this 45-minute 1:1 strategy session.
Here are some testimonials from recent sessions:
“As a solo PR pro, there are so many positives to running your own business. But regularly I find myself stuck or questioning the way I'm doing outreach on behalf of my clients and I have no one to 'gut check' with. Jill's new offering solves this problem. Not only does Jill collaborate with me to make sure my pitch is getting noticed, but she educates me on the constant changes in the industry and brings things to my attention that are beyond just securing stories for my clients. Worth every penny!” — Kate Kelly, kkpr agency
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“Wow. I had a pitch review session with Jill and it was both humbling and extraordinary. Humbling because, after 20+ years in the media relations field, there was still so much for me to learn, as I discovered in my session with Jill. It was also extraordinary because Jill quickly, expertly and with warm candor helped me understand what a journalist really needs to build a story. She gave me great pointers and explained the “why” behind her recommendations. PR professionals should make a session with Jill a course requirement – we would do better work and journalists would get the pitches they can actually use.” — Pam Abrahamsson, Director, PRA Public Relations
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“Working with Jill was easy, fun and enlightening. She pointed out several nuances about pitches and subject lines that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. She also shed some much needed light on best practices for pitching an expert that is working with a brand!” — Molly Antos, Dadascope Communications
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“I had the chance to be a part of Jill’s Pitch Perfecting Party, and I found her insight extremely helpful! She critiqued 4 of my pitches and had so many tweaks and suggestions I completely missed or didn’t think to include. When a writer/journalist offers to take the time to give honest feedback on the work you present to people in their field, it’s so valuable. PR can be challenging, especially in today’s market, with Affiliate Marketing and brands not being up to par. But having journalists not open or read your pitch entirely can be awful and a severe roadblock in our jobs. Thank you so much, Jill, for taking the time to pour through some of my pitches and give me your honest feedback. It was worth every penny!” — Amy Bartko, Chatterbox
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“My strategy session with Jill was insanely valuable. I received critical feedback on a media pitch that wasn’t getting any traction. Jill provided feedback on my pitch, the product itself, new story angles, and even publishing verticals I hadn’t even thought of. Nothing compares to one-on-one time with a writer like Jill, I believe it’s a must for PR pros.” — Jordanne Pallesen, Owner, Julep Marketing
Book a Virtual Q&A With Your Entire Agency!
I’m booking Ask Me Anything sessions with PR agencies, where I provide industry insights (I’ve been in magazine publishing for 22 years), pitching and follow up best practices, feedback on your pitches, and more. Email me (use subject line: Agency Q&A) for pricing/availability.
Here’s a few testimonials:
"We are so grateful to Jill for an honest discussion on what REALLY works when pitching! It was also helpful to get insight into what a writer/editor's day looks like and how to better accommodate flooded in-boxes. Once again, the landscape of PR is changing, and we really appreciated that our team could ask Jill questions on how to best navigate the current media climate. I highly recommend booking a session with Jill!" — Chelsea Gladden, Founder, Everything Branding
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“Having Jill as a resource is worth every penny. She provided some great insight and tips for our agency to perfect our pitching skills. I would highly recommend her to every PR pro!” — Robyn Patterson, Founder, Mack Media Relations
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“Thank you so so much for taking the time out of your day to conduct the agency Q&A! It was so helpful to hear your insights on building relationships and standing out in an over-saturated market. My agency loved it!” —Aaren Rott, Account Executive, Stanton & Company, LLC
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“Our team learned valuable tips about pitching travel media from Jill Schildhouse. Her expertise provided tremendous insight and we all came away with new ideas to help us better serve clients.” — Stephanie Wilson, Owner, Wicked Creative
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“Media is changing at a rapid pace and there are inconsistencies from outlet to outlet. Publicists are struggling to keep track of it all while trying to foster relationships and advise clients on best practices. I’ve been receiving Jill’s newsletter for almost a year and have always appreciated her candidness. When I saw she was offering these Q&A sessions, I jumped on the chance to learn something and have fun doing it. I can’t say enough wonderful things about our experience with Jill. We talked about everything: from email subject line and the information she likes to see in the body of an email, what she deems to be the appropriate followup methods, to the way her editor's assign stories, the importance of affiliate platforms, and we even taught her a few things about branded partnerships! Her insight was invaluable. We plan to make this a regular activity!” — Sara Spiegel, founder of w/ Sara PR
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.
Got Affiliate Marketing Questions?
Do you have questions about navigating affiliate marketing? Publicist Sarah Karger and former editor Dana Baardsen have co-created a course called Ultimate Masterclass and Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Publicists and it’ll answer ALL of your questions!
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!
Recently Published Pieces (Thanks for your help!)
Taste of Home: Are Pumpkin Seeds Good for You?
TripSavvy: Best Alaska Cruises
TripSavvy: 14 Best Scottsdale, Arizona Hotels (I’ve lived in Phx for 19 years, so this was a very fun one!)
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, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn (and please connect with me yourselves!)
—— Current Editorial Needs ——
1. Women’s Health: Seeking a sleep doc (URGENT!)
Looking for an UNAFFILIATED sleep doc to talk about OTC sleep aids (this article is sponsored by CVS) and lifestyle changes to promote better sleep
Do NOT pitch me products; doc can’t be tied to a brand
Please send credentials, not commentary. I’ll respond with specific interview questions if your source is a fit.
Source must be available for a phone/email interview by Friday at the latest
Subject line: Sleep Doc
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Wednesday
2. New Pub, Need Pitches (URGENT!)
New quarterly magazine for Wilfredo Emanuel Designs out of Naples, Florida, called WE World Magazine
Wilfredo Emanuel is an award-winning Interior Designer who has spent the past 30 years of his design career educating himself on current trends, establishing industry and client relationships and creating outstanding interior designs across the world. Wilfredo is not only a leader in the design industry, but an accomplished TV Personality, Consultant, Modeling Advisor and has been a Premier Mentor for Christian DIOR USA House both in the Caribbean and the United States.
I’m looking for pitches in the following categories (they do NOT need to be Florida based … national/international is great!): Interior Design, Tablescaping, Furniture, Architecture, Fashion, Style, Shopping, Travel and Private Jets/Yachts
Hit me with unique, unexpected, authentic and luxurious ideas
Yes, other writers are also sourcing for this exciting launch … if you’ve already pitched them an idea, please don’t pitch it to me.
Subject line: We World Magazine Pitch
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: 10 am EST Wednesday
3. Men’s Health: Seeking primary care physicians who are well versed in male sexual health issues
Looking for primary care physicians who can speak to men’s sexual health issues
Do NOT pitch me products
Please send credentials, not commentary. I’ll respond with specific interview questions if your source is a fit.
Subject line: Sexual Health Doc
Email: JillSchildhouse@gmail.com
Pitch by: EOD Friday
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 2,500+ publicists who subscribe to my newsletter? Contact me today to discuss sponsorship opportunities for the month of August!
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.
Gorgeous and I sighed at poolside foot massage. 😍 Hand condom for the win ! 🏆 😅
Ahhh it looks incredible and SO BLUE out there! And the hand condom is hilarious lol