Sierra Club Pitch Call

Pets, Parks, and Perks for Paid Subscribers

Apr 15, 2025

Hello friends,

Greetings from Milwaukee, where I’m in town visiting my mom to take her and my niece to the ballet. As you can see in the picture, my mother is not smiling. Not because she isn’t have a good time, but because she can’t smile. She suffers from advanced Parkinson’s Disease, which takes over just about all bodily muscles, meaning she hasn’t been able to smile for years.

If you missed my last newsletter about how I’m giving away free annual Substack subscriptions for free, I’d encourage you to read it to learn more about me, my mom, and my family’s story, which informs a lot of the work I do today.

Thanks for checking it out!

Cassandra

Private Consults Resume!

I’ve been traveling a lot for the past two months, so I haven’t offered private consults and coaching since February. However, I have some availability before heading to Spain in a few weeks, so let me know if you’d like to schedule a call.

Why Book a Private Consult?

I’ll actually respond. It’s shocking how many publicists (including some who I have never worked with before), ask to jump on a call to pick my brain about a new destination they’re trying to bring on board or to see what outlets may be interested in a product they’re repping. I’m not paid for this time and it takes me away from work that actually does pay, so I simply cannot accommodate these requests.
You can ask me anything. Want me to review your pitch strategy or learn which outlets are accepting what right now? Want a run-down on SEO or affiliate commission expectations at different outlets? Do you want to know about the nitty-gritty details editors require for product and destination pitches? We can discuss all that.
Our conversation remains private. Though I do offer Ask Me Anything group calls to paid subscribers, you might not want to discuss your particular pitch or media strategy in front of others and a private call will remain just that, private.
In-depth feedback. Want to know how I really felt about the product you sent me to test but that I never wrote about? I probably have a lot of opinions about it but I don’t have the time (or interest) to invest unpaid time crafting a detailed product review or talking about how and why certain features need improvement. I’m not part of your R&D team, so to get into all these details, you’ll need to book a consultation.

Interested in a private call? Let me know when you’d like to chat, for how long (30 or 60 minutes), if it’s just you or if there will be others from your media team, and I’ll send you a quote. I’m happy to do calls by phone or video. Email me at:

Wondering what others are saying about private calls they’ve booked with me? Here you go:

“Cassandra and I were able to cover so much in just 30 minutes. I got to ask questions about how various outlets she writes for function that I would have no other way of knowing about. She gave me great feedback on potential avenues for several of my clients, which helped me identify a few new angles and approaches to pursue that I never would have thought of on my own. Time and money well spent!”
- Jason Simms, Principal - Theirsay
“My coaching session with Cassandra was exceptional! She exceeded my expectations. I took about 2 pages of notes, and had about 7-key takeaways that I would never have thought of on my own. including where to pitch and new pitch angles. It was refreshing and insightful, so much so that I got about to pitching and heard back from The New York Times Travel section. I definitely recommend working with Cassandra, if you're looking to get more press. She's super smart and knows her stuff.”
- Elina Leclaire, Owner – Glampful Campground

If interested, email me with the times that work for you on April 18, 21, 22, 25, or 29.

cassandra@escapingny.com

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CURRENT ASSIGNMENTS

As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, I simply don’t have the capacity to sift through hundreds of responses for each pitch call, so I’m mostly relying on my private pitch call list and live video calls, which has been a much more manageable way to receive and consider pitches. However, I’m opening this Sierra Club pitch call to the group since I’m hoping to get some really helpful, unique, and specific input from across the country.

1. Sierra Club - Pet-Friendly Park Travel

I’m working on a piece about planning a pet-friendly trip to parks, which will have a strong emphasis on National Parks and State Parks.

Here’s what I’m looking for:

Given the recent budget cuts to the National Parks Service, I’d like to include info on how pet-related travel may be affected (for instance, are pet-friendly campgrounds closed?) or unaffected.
Are there specific parks that stand out as being pet-friendly? For instance, is there a pet-friendly lodge right within the park in addition to pet-friendly camp sites?
While State Parks aren’t out of the question, National Parks tend to have a lot more restrictions around pets, so I’m prioritizing pitches about National Parks that do allow pets on trails.
I’m also interested in hearing from an expert (such as a park guide) who can comment on what to consider when planning a trip to parks with pets. For example, the importance of packing a leash, food, snacks, and the need to review rules regarding if and where pets are allowed in the park, and the park’s leash requirements.

To pitch me:

Requirements: See above. Also, please note that I am NOT looking for pet-friendly hotel recommendations.
Subject line: Pets in Parks
Email: cassandra@escapingny.com
Pitch by: EOD Monday, April 21

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