Just Throw Up In My Gucci Bag Instead + A Fun Announcement
It's the most wonderful(ish) time of the year!
Hello!
This week has been bonkers, and I want to apologize for the delay. I had a medical emergency on Monday that set me back. Everything is fine; it was just bad timing. I also have family coming to town in four hours. Did I mention my nanny took the day off? Send coffee and Ranch Water, please!
I’m still catching up, so my advice this week is short but honest. And yes, there are opportunities today.
As Always…
Follow me on TikTok (this account is all PR tips) and Instagram (because I’m a thirst monster).
An Exciting Announcement
It’s the most wonderful(ish) time of the year! Holiday gift guide season! Joni Sweet (an extremely talented writer with a fantastic Substack) and I are teaming up for a special holiday-themed AMA over Zoom.
Want to know the best ways to pitch your clients to holiday gift guides for Forbes and other publications? We will share our best tips, tricks, and ideas, as well as answer your questions. This session will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at noon ET (9 am PT)!
This event is exclusively for paid subscribers to both of our Substack newsletters. Even a 1-month subscription is enough to get you a spot. We think we’re worth it! Please sign up here.
This Destroys Relationships…
Here’s my weekly advice. It’s short and sweet but longer than a Tweet.
There are two really easy ways to destroy PR relationships:
Barfing in a writer’s Gucci bag. (This once happened to me. The incident didn’t involve a business relationship, but still...)
Sending someone quotes that have been previously used.
This happens to me (and just about everyone else) at least once or twice a year. So, let me share this PSA: DO NOT SEND WRITERS QUOTES THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED WITHOUT DISCLOSING IT.
Obviously, press releases are the exception to this rule. We get it, “Mr. Important C-Suite Dude is jazzed about the collab with some influencer his high school-aged daughter follows.” Copy and paste!
But when a writer sends you a list of questions and you send back answers, we assume they are original unless otherwise stated. And yes, it’s our job to check, but it’s also your job not to do this. Because once we find out you did, we never want to work with you again.
WE CAN ALSO LOSE OUR JOBS OVER THIS!
Not to get into cancel culture (though I don’t really believe canceling exists, and if you don’t believe me, you clearly aren’t a fan of Vanderpump Rules or The Toast), but other than actual acts of violence, one of the worst things you can do to another human being is mess with their livelihood.
Here’s the problem…
Even if different writers are essentially writing the same article for different publications (which happens a lot because of SEO and just the popularity of lifestyle publications in general), we can’t just use the same quotes.
So, either ask your client to rewrite their answers or do it for them—or don’t submit them for the article. Not taking a few minutes to handle this can have dire consequences for the writer and will most certainly ruin any relationship you have with them. IT’S ALSO LAZY AF!
Or…
You can simply let them know the answers have been used previously, but if they like the ideas or need a source, you’re happy to send a freshie or edit what’s already there.
When you send answers that are as fresh as that three-week-old bottle of wine in the back of my fridge (no, I don’t know why I didn’t throw it out—STOP ASKING!), it wastes people’s time, which is something they can never get back.
So, if you want to ruin a relationship you have with a journalist—be sure to barf in their Gucci bag at the next event you invite them to. At least it can be sent to the dry cleaners
Real Simple Opps
The subject line should be: Substack + Article Title. I need all of these by Tuesday at 9:00 am PST!
Cozy Touches Your Home Needs For Fall
Designers only, please. Think decor! Throws! Like a sweater for your sofa!
Decor Swaps to Make For A More Minimalist Bathroom
What should people replace in their bathroom to make the space more minimalist?
How To Tastefully Decorate For Halloween, According to Designers
This should be for people who still want to be festive but also want to keep their décor in line with their carefully curated home aesthetic. Think hotel lobby, not Hobby Lobby!