Pitches and press releases are not the same thing. Not even close. One is like a DM. The other is a company memo. A pitch is the “why.”Why someone should care.Why they should cover your book.Why your story matters right now. A press release is the “what.”What happened.What the book is.What your company did on Tuesday at 3:27pm. Think of it like this: Pitch = Dating Profile Bio It’s charming, short, and gives people a reason to swipe right (aka cover your story). Press Release = LinkedIn...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Here’s the thing about pitching the media… they usually don’t respond. At all. I’ll spend time putting together what I think is a killer pitch, hit send, and then… tumbleweeds. My inbox is just sitting there like, “Nice try.” And on the rare occasion you do get a response? It’s often, “Sure, we’ll cover this for $$$.” Basically, an ad. But without any of the real details you’d expect if you were actually buying advertising… no demographics, no reach, none of the things a legit ad salesperson...
11 days ago • 2 min read
Everyone’s chasing “likeable.” And that’s exactly why they’re forgettable. At Creator Hub, I listened to two women who’ve sold $25 million in online courses, and they said something most people are too scared to admit: Being liked isn’t the goal. Being remembered is. And what sticks with people? A strong reaction. Not fake. Not mean. Just authentic enough to spark emotion. Love or hate… either works. The only thing that doesn’t spread is indifference. How's this for polarizing?! So where do...
18 days ago • 1 min read
So, my kids are obsessed with Sean Does Magic. Me? I didn’t know who he was. (Sorry, Sean.) Turns out… the guy’s pulling 8 billion views and collaborating with celebs because he cracked the code on short-form video. And lucky for me (and now you), he shared his strategy at Creator Hub, where I was in attendance last weekend (thanks to winning a free ticket)! What I Learned from “Sean Does Magic” (and Why My Kids Think I’m Cool Now) Here are the four takeaways I scribbled down: 1. Hook ‘em...
25 days ago • 2 min read
First of all, I’m not okay. I’ve died 100 deaths so far at seeing Taylor and Travis together. She never lets us in. She never does these things. As I’ve said, I’ve died dead… and my poor non-Swifitie husband has heard enough, but Swifities — you know this is HUGE. That is the face of a mastermind. You will never convince me otherwise. Okay, (deep breath) moving on. I just read a fascinating breakdown of how Industry Dive grew from 0 to $110M in newsletter revenue… and sold for $525M. A lot of...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Well... I went and added audiobook narrator to my resume. After having a narrator on my podcast (shoutout to the power of good conversations), I basically just did exactly what she said to do. Step by step. No overthinking. No "who am I to try this?" I made a demo. Someone listened. And then... they hired me. Moral of the story? Try the thing. Even if it feels random or new or out of left field. You never know who’s listening. Here’s a link to the episode on Apple Podcasts. 3 things changing...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Let’s talk about the trickiest thing in marketing: figuring out why someone actually buys something. Sure, you can dive into your Google Analytics dashboard, click through some UTM links, and feel very data-driven and powerful. Maybe you even track conversions with military precision. Love that for you. But here’s the truth: sometimes the reason someone buys has nothing to do with the clicks. Sometimes it doesn’t start in Chrome. Or Safari. Or anywhere near a website. Sometimes the journey...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
This woman named Meredith was in the middle of a rejection challenge, asking strangers bold questions just to get turned down. On Instagram, she calls it rejection therapy. She walked into the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel, smiled, and asked: “Can I stay here for free tonight?” Wild, right? The staff said yes! They comped the stay. She shared the moment online and the video exploded. Right now, it’s at more than 2 million views. (Tap here to watch it.) No brand deal. No ad spend. Just...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Did you hear? Google is going to start giving you some SEO love for your Instagram posts. It’ll read your caption, listen to your audio, and all the things to serve them up in search results. So, will this change the way I post? Uh, probably not — but good to know. Speaking of Instagram… Every once in a while, I’ll boost a post on IG to “female fiction book lovers” for $15 over three days. The goal is to get more engagement for this new(ish) niche. This gets me 1,000-2,000 more views and...
2 months ago • 2 min read
It’s been a while since I shared some media opportunities with you. Here’s a tip on responding: Give the journalist everything they need in the emails. Make the subject line the keywords in the pitch. Offer as much advice as you can based on the little information you have below. Then, share a 2-3 sentence bio on why you’re the perfect person to site with a link to your website as well as your contact information. Good luck! Aly Walansky is looking for three sources for these articles: For...
2 months ago • 1 min read