Here's One Quick, Free Way to Connect w/ Writers

And Seeking Panama Connections!

Nov 18, 2024

Hi friends,

The pic above is from a tree care and flower planting workshop I helped organize in front of my building yesterday. I’ve been focusing a lot on building community and it was exciting to see so many neighbors and friends come out to get involved.

I’ve gotten great feedback from my recent posts on Why This Publicist is My New Best Friend and How to Convince Writers/Editors to Meet You in Person, which leads me to believe that many of you want to learn more about how to connect with writers, build relationships with them, and become their go-to sources. Great, I hear you. Below is a quick tip to help you on that journey. But first…

Cassandra

Seeking Panama Connections

I had a pretty huge Panama project offered to me today (which I’ll be announcing more details about soon), and in preparation for it, I’d like to connect with Panama experts. Ideally, I’d love to connect with the country’s tourism board, but I’m also open to connecting with province reps, tour operators, hotels, and other experts (particularly those operating in the Darian province).

Is this you? I hope so! If so, I want to hear from you ASAP, as I may be spending quite a bit of time there in the coming months.

Requirements: Must be in Panama. Please do not pitch other destinations.
Subject line: Panama + “Insert Your Expert/Client Name Here”
Email: cassandra@escapingny.com
Pitch by: ASAP

A Quick, Free Tip to Build Relationships with Writers

Quite often, communication with publicists and product/destination reps feels very transactional. You want writers to cover your client so you send us press releases and email updates. Sometimes, this info is extremely helpful, but many times, it’s not. And not only is it not helpful, but it’s part of the clutter, as our inboxes are overflowing with hundreds or thousands of pitches each week.

Consider that as freelancers, we are not paid for the time we spend sifting through emails or going back and forth with publicists. We are not paid for the time we spend attending product showcases or destination dinners. And we are not paid for the time we spend researching, crafting, sending, and following up on pitches. So, ask yourself, how is sending a press release to a writer actually helping them, if they have to put in a ton of unpaid work before they even can get a paid commission? Also, consider that a writer often spends many unpaid hours each week researching and sending pitches that never get a response.

So, I ask you again, how can you help a writer do their job and make their life easier? How can you help them not just develop a great pitch, but LAND a great story? I’ll tell you how. Make introductions.

Make Introductions

You could have the best idea in the world, but if I don’t know where to pitch it, don’t have time to research who the editor is, or I can’t find their email easily, I’m going to have to spend a ton of time just trying to get in front of that editor (not to mention the time required researching the publication’s recent articles, current focus, and pitch guidelines). Also, if I don’t have an existing relationship with an editor, my email may drown in their inbox just like your press releases are drowning in ours.

Making introductions can be a game changer, not just in determining whether or not a writer lands a pitch, but also in terms of building a long-term relationship with that writer. When you make introductions, you’re showing that you see the writers’ needs and that you want to help them. I constantly receive offers from publicists who want to introduce me to some expert who can provide a quote for whatever product/destination they are pitching, but seldom do they offer to provide an intro to someone who can help me further my career.

How to Make an Intro

I get that most of you probably don’t have close, personal relationships with high-ranking editors and that’s okay. Those aren’t the only introductions that matter. Over the past year, a couple of you have made personal introductions for me to hiring editors and also to tourism boards that were seeking contributors. In other words, you made an introduction to help me find paid work. This is so much more valuable to me than a press release.

In some cases, the introduction may not be to an editor, but rather, to other writers. Last month, I attended the Skift Global Forum, where most attendees were big shots in the travel space, not writers. However, the publicist who invited me made sure to make key introductions to a couple of people she thought may be able to offer paid work in the future, and she also introduced me to the handful of other writers who were there. This was helpful because aimless networking isn’t always productive so knowing who the other writers were saved me time. One turned out to be an editor (who asked me to pitch her), and another just turned out to be a lovely local writer who I’ve met up with since.

At two other events last month, I just happened to run into hiring editors from Conde Nast and Travel + Leisure (one of the events wasn’t even a travel event so imagine my surprise). Had I not been at the snack table at that particular time and happened to have chatted them up, I would have had no way of knowing who they were and that they were there. In one case, the person had “Travel + Leisure” on her name tag so I started a conversation, but at the other event, there were no nametags so I only learned of the person’s role at Conde Nast through random networking, which was pure luck.

In the case of the Travel + Leisure editor, we chatted a bit, she took down my info, and wrote me the next day about potential work. While I’m grateful to have met her, had I not been filling up my water bottle at that exact moment, I would not have even known she was in attendance. This was a clear missed opportunity on the part of the event organizer. Had the organizer given me (and other writers) a heads-up about who was going to be there and who they were, I could have given them the credit for helping me find more paid work. It also has me wondering - which other editors were there that I could have and would have liked to have?

Instead of leaving intros at the water cooler to chance, I encourage you to actively make introductions for the writers you want to work with.

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CURRENT EDITORIAL NEEDS

1. AARP Travel - Christmas Tree Destinations for Adults

First off - did you see my recent AARP Pitch Call Explainer? If not, you may want to check that out for some helpful AARP-specific pitching tips and an example of an awesome AARP pitch I recently received.

This piece will feature Christmas Tree destinations to visit across the country this winter, be they cut-your-own-tree farms or attractions that sell pre-cut trees (or some combination of the two). Because the audience is in their 50s, the focus will be on fun for adults. Please do NOT send destinations marketed as “fun for the whole family,” as these are almost always primarily targeted at families with young kids. The piece will be formatted similarly to the piece I wrote on pumpkin farms.

What makes a Christmas tree farm perfect for adults in their 50s? They might offer wine tastings, live music, farm-to-table-dinners, adults-only sleigh rides, wreathe-making workshops, and on-site ski and snowshoe trails.

In responses, please also include the following:

Location: Where is the farm and how far of a drive is it from a well-known city? Where would visitors fly in from or drive from?

Pricing: How much is admission and any additional activities?

Dates: What are the start and end dates for the farm and activities? Also please note if certain activities are only held on certain days of the week.

Requirements: Must include specific activities that are a draw for folks in their 50s. Pricing must also be included.
Subject line: AARP Christmas Trees
Email: cassandra@escapingny.com
Pitch by: EOD Monday, November 18th

2. Yahoo - Best Humidifiers

I'm writing a new piece for Yahoo Creators (here’s my Yahoo profile if you want to see recent work) about the best humidifiers. Because there are a million humidifiers on the market that work well in small spaces, I’m especially keen to hear about (and test out) humidifiers intended for very large spaces and also those that also serve another function, such as air purifiers.

Requirements: Products must offer affiliate commission. Please include specific details about what is unique about the product and how it stands out from competitors. Ease of cleaning is a must.
Subject line: Yahoo Humidifiers
Email: cassandra@escapingny.com
Pitch by: EOD Monday, November 18th

VARIOUS RECENT ARTICLES

Recent Articles

Thanks to those of you who helped me source products and quotes for these pieces. I’ve had a lot of roundups and reviews publish recently and I don’t have the capacity to send personal updates but your brand or destination may be included below:

Midwest Living: 11 Must-Visit State Parks According to Locals and Pros

AFAR: This Canadian Island is a Dream Destination Best Explored By Sea

AARP: Four Pumpkin Patches to Celebrate Fall

AARP: Adaptive Equipment to Make Mealtime Easier for Caregivers

Sierra Club: Leaf-Peeping for Hikers

Travel + Leisure: 13 Essentials I Pack for East Coast Fall Foliage Trips

Travel + Leisure: I Just Hiked 10 Days in Slovenia and These Boots Kept My Feet Blister-Free

Wall Street Journal: For an Outdoorsy Vacation Without Massive Crowds, Look to Your Nearest State Park

CNN: Conquer Long-Haul Flights: A Review of the Game-Changing Turtl Neck Pillow

CNN: The Best Smart Bird Feeders of 2024, Tried and Tested

Sierra Club: How to Hike Safely in the Heat

AARP: Traveling in Hot and Humid Weather? Here’s What You Need to Know to Stay Safe