I tried the new-old HARO — here's how it went
Plus: a call for Mother's Day gift guide pitches + tons of newly published stories!
Last week, HARO relaunched — with one of my queries on the first day. It was an experiment, and I was pleased with the results. My query was for a slightly niche source (I was looking for flight attendants, and have had sporadic luck sourcing this category through my Substack in the past). I got a handful of inquiries, including one that was excellent: a flight attendant with a dedicated podcast, who I promptly added to my go-to list for all similar future stories. No spam replies so far, either. So far so good.
To that end, a reminder to….
Register for Thursday’s must-attend Zoom!
HARO is back and the platform is the topic of the hour in media circles. In this hourlong conversation, we’ll hear from Featured founder and CEO Brett Farmiloe about everything going on behind the scenes at HARO and where it’s going next. This is essential material for publicists looking to connect with writers to secure story placements. Ask him anything! My Zoom account caps the attendance at 100 participants, and we have 31 slots left as of this writing.
HARO Is Back: Here’s Everything You Need to Know
May 1
1 pm PT/4 pm ET
Via Zoom (link to come)
Sign up below. Scroll all the way down to the end of this newsletter to RSVP below the paywall (this is exclusive content for paid subscribers — upgrade your subscription here).
So looking forward to this one!
Mother’s Day Pitching Session Recording Available
ICYMI: The Mother’s Day gift guide pitching session was jam-packed with tips. We had so many valuable takeaways and answered 50+ of your most pressing questions, including:
What are this year’s product trends dominating gift guides?
How has gift guide pitching changed over the last year?
How can you stand out if you're not part of an affiliate network?
What are the best practices for email pitching?
What’s a no-no that will get your pitch deleted?
What are some tips on pitching products for moms without playing into gender norms?
How can you successfully pitch regional events or products that are not available nationally?
You can catch the recording here.
Open press opportunities
For Yahoo, I'm working on a new gift guide: last-minute gift ideas for traveling moms. Open to all kinds of ideas with quick shipping (or even instant electronic delivery) available.
Tools of the trade
You already know my own press opportunities are in this very Substack! I’m also a media member of Press Hook, where publicists can create and manage press kits and brand profiles on behalf of clients and use the AI-driven platform to connect with journalists in a streamlined way. If you’re not using Press Hook yet, you should definitely give it a try: It’s designed as a platform to connect journalists looking for story sources with brands who want to showcase their products and experts, and it’s all really built on trust and meaningful connections (it’s not spammy). It also offers a suite of helpful workflow tools. Journalists can search by product and category, and participating brands get exposure and affiliate opportunities — so it’s designed as a win-win for everyone (in the same vein as this Substack, I like to think). Give it a try — and let me know what you think.
Are you a publicist who needs help understanding the affiliate game? This course can really help: Affiliate Marketing for Publicists. (It’s from Sarah Karger, a brilliant affiliate expert who you might remember from some of my past Zoom workshops.) In this course, you’ll learn what affiliate marketing really is, why it has taken over the industry, and how to navigate the waters of all things affiliate to be successful.
Freshbooks is the bookkeeping tool I use exclusively for my invoicing, expenses, and reporting. It’s the best, IMHO, so I evangelize. Get FreshBooks here.
Media job moves
Share your job change news with me to be included! Send to info@alicedubin.com.
After 10 years at White Oak Communications (three of them as Sarah Jenkins’ business partner), Annie Goldberg announced: “I’m excited to share that I’m taking the next step in my career. My new role will allow me to dive even deeper into my passion for travel.” Until she settles in at her new agency, you can reach her here: ahgoldenberg3@gmail.com.
Meredith Strodel has left C&R after more than 10 years at the agency. She’s currently consulting and taking on select clients under her own new PR Lab brand umbrella.
Buy an ad and reach ~6,000 engaged publicists
Do you have a coaching program, online course, service, platform, or anything else that makes sense to get in front of my highly engaged PR and media readers? Reach out to me at alice@alicedubin.com to discuss sponsorship in this newsletter.
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Open jobs
Job posts in this newsletter are now a free perk for paying subscribers. Do you have an open opportunity you want me to promote? First, upgrade here if you need to. Then email me at info@alicedubin.com.
Modern Currency PR’s Digital Studio is currently seeking a Digital Marketing Director with 4-5 years of direct experience in social media strategy & management. The ideal candidate has a passion for hospitality (food, travel, etc.), excellent managerial and organizational skills, strategic campaign development and execution experience, and a strong handle on social media. “They must enjoy managing but also executing strategy, and enjoy wearing multiple hats, including securing notable influencer, tastemaker, and Social Media Editor results, developing compelling content creation that builds client following/engagement, as well as unique & innovative digital partnerships/collaborations, on a daily basis.” MCPR offers generous benefits, including a work-from-anywhere program, 401k matching, comprehensive healthcare benefits (medical, dental, vision, life), generous PTO, summer Fridays, annual holiday office closures, PR travel perks, incredible mentorship, training, and more. While this is a remote position, candidates must be based in Los Angeles to ensure on-site presence at select meetings, client venues, and events as needed. Interested candidates can drop us a line with resume at contact@moderncurrencypr.com.
GV Public Relations is currently looking to hire an account director. This person needs to be based in LA and have 6-8+ years working in travel and hospitality PR, preferably at an agency. “The AD would work on acclaimed travel and hospitality clients that span hotels, resorts, destinations, restaurants, real estate companies, and hotel management companies across the country. The ideal hire excels at consistently providing thoughtful communication in a fast-paced, autonomous environment and mentoring other team members. GVPR offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits.” Interested candidates can email their resumes and cover letters to: greta@gvpublicrelations.com. More information on LinkedIn.
Modern Currency PR is also hiring a highly skilled, scrappy, and strategic public relations account supervisor with 3-4 years of public relations agency experience within the hospitality, culinary, travel, tourism, restaurant and/or consumer lifestyle arenas. MCPR offers generous benefits, including a work-from-anywhere program, 401k matching, comprehensive healthcare benefits (medical, dental, vision, life), generous PTO, summer Fridays, annual holiday office closures, PR travel perks, incredible mentorship, training, and more. “Those who enjoy a small-company feel and who are drawn to a service-based and hospitality-driven culture should apply. While this is a remote position, candidates must be based in Los Angeles to ensure on-site presence at select meetings, client venues, and events as needed. Interested candidates can drop us a line with resume at contact@moderncurrencypr.com.”
Work with me
I am available for project-based consulting. Please reach out to discuss your needs: info@alicedubin.com.
Here’s how to pitch: Simply respond to this email with a new subject line or pitch me at pitch@alicedubin.com.
Are you a writer hoping to reach my engaged audience of publicists? A publicist hoping to connect with brands? A digital media type with a product or service for the industry? Maybe you’d like to sponsor this newsletter with a featured ad. I’m also open to well-matched affiliate partnerships. Let’s chat: info@alicedubin.com.
How to help
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