Why These PR Folks Are The Best in Class + Calls for pitches
I have also added a new section for journalists.
Happy World Gorilla Day! Actually, it was on Sept 24th but I was busy hiking with the mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda that day! #PinchMe
This was my 3rd gorilla trek & it was still as thrilling as the 1st time. Seeing our ape cousins in the wild is surreal. Having to hike through thick forests covered in eucalyptus & mahogany trees, giant ferns & stinging nettles, is adventurous. My last trek turned out to be quite slippery, hot & humid, but with the help of my 2 porters, I made it to the top of the mountain to see a family of 17 silverback & blackback gorillas amidst the forests. They were climbing trees, eating leaves, playing, grooming & cuddling with their babies. It was special to see a mom with her 1-month old super cute baby.
Aside from gorillas, chimps, & monkeys, I also got to stay at super luxurious lodges & learn about community impact programs in different parts of Uganda. Alexandra Avila, cofounder of REYA Communications, did an amazing job creating this bespoke itinerary that encapsulated the true essence of Go Eat Give - my nonprofit organization & the reason I got into travel writing in the first place! She was super to work with from the beginning - from instantly reimbursing me for flights, accommodating changes to the itinerary based on my interest, and flawlessly communication among the tour operators and writers. Alexandra is a perfectionist & a joy to work with. I am calling her out as my PR person of this month!
A huge Thank You to Cayla Cardwell & the team at Georgia Department of Economic Development & Explore Georgia for having me keynote at the Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference luncheon last week!
I arrived in GA in 1997 as a foreign student, thinking I had already won the lottery with my opportunities for good education, work, and exposure to global cuisines. Now, years later, I have achieved more than I ever dreamt of - eating my way through the world in this state, traveling from ATL to 120 countries, & establishing my home, friends, columns, books & so much more…I feel blessed in many ways! It was such an honor to share my story with the audience & also feature some of the incredible innovative and perseverant folks in the hospitality industry I have met from around the state! In case you missed it, here are the slides.
My Media Fireside with Deborah Stone from Atlanta-based Pineapple PR was also a big hit, starting from our fun quiz where prizes were Dahlonega chocolates, to sharing tips on pitching, press trips, media communication and upcoming trends. The audience was a good mix of PR newbies to pros, and I feel everyone had something to take from this session. Sorry if you missed it, but you may find similar content in my previous Substacks, so make sure to go back & read previous issues.
What Makes a PR Best in Class?
PR folks are integral to the lives of freelance travel writers. Over the years, I have worked with hundreds of people, so I have seen all kinds of personalities & work styles. Some qualities I personally admire are…
Responsiveness. Replying in time, getting the information I need & not needing to follow up with multiple times.
Creativeness. Coming up with story ideas that have not already been done & pitching me something new & interesting. See my HuffPost story that published recently thanks to Zubaida Bello from About DCI!
Personal. Taking the time & effort to research what I like to write about, where I have been recently, meeting up during a trip. Let’s make a human connection.
Following Up. An email or Zoom touch base every few months with a list of new clients, story ideas, press trips is nice, especially if you have enjoyed working with me before.
Problem Solving. From booking straightforward flights to tacking issues on ground during press trips, they jump in & come up with an alternative solution right away. I have had some positive & negative experiences recently that I am happy to share details with over drinks LOL!
Respectable. Not hounding with emails & messages constantly (esp. when there is an out of office auto reply), or persistently asking for pitch schedules & publish dates. Some things are beyond my control.
Appreciating. After a story is published, taking the time to send a thank you note, a shout out/ tag on social media, or writing a testimonial on LinkedIn.
Keeping Up With The Relationship. If we have worked together once, we should have an understanding & not start from ground level on “Who do you write for? Can you get a confirmed assignment?” Yes, some PR companies I have produced great content for, come back to me like I never existed.
Making Referrals. Recommend the journalist with a story to an editor, to speak at a conference, or even to other PR colleagues. For example, I met Cayla from Explore GA at a media event & she followed up with a coffee meeting, sent me pitches, recommended me to the editor & invited me to speak at couple of conferences. We have worked together on dozens of stories now.
Upgrading your membership & sharing this Substack! You can certainly write it off as a business expense ;)
Are you headed to IMEX Las Vegas? Come find me!
I will be speaking at the following 3 sessions as well as a few podcast & interviews.
Oct 8, 11-11:30am Dining for Social Good
Oct 8, 1-1:45pm Stories From the Front Lines
Oct 9, 1:30-2pm Cultural Tips to Help You Soar
If you are planning a conference, regional meeting or an event where you may find my insights useful, take a look at my speaker profile. As a Keynote Speaker, some of the topics I cover are - cultural etiquettes, how food connects people, marketing to diverse audiences, journalist & media relations, how to plan effortless press trips, trend in multigenerational travel, sustainable travel, solo female travel, and BIPOC stories from the front lines.
Recently Published
We Can Do Better To Support Immigrants for HuffPost
9 Hotels Where You May Run Into Celebrities for AAA The Extra Mile
The Best Dining Options on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line for AAA The Extra Mile
48 Hours in Toronto for AAA The Extra Mile
Atlanta Travel Guide for Fodor’s Travel
Flavors of India’s Neighboring Cuisine for Khabar Magazine (PRINT)
Learn, Taste & Shop at Bitzel’s Chocolate for Georgia Trend Magazine
Watch An Inspiring Travel TED Talk
I did 3 TEDx talks about travel in 2023. Watch them on YouTube by clicking on the links below...
Why you need to travel in silence
Using travel to develop cultural intelligence
Stop dreaming and start living now
Thanks for Buying My Books!
My favorite Media Visit is one that combines an individual visit to uncover stories that I am the best person to tell + keynote speech or panel discussion at an event + book signings + interviews on your local TV stations.
If you are interested in organizing a media visit in 2025, please contact me NOW as I am planning ahead.
PITCH REQUESTS
Here is what I am looking for at the moment…rolling deadline unless mentioned.
LAST CALL for Gifts that give back. Travel, home, and lifestyle holiday gifts that are great for not only giving, but the companies stand for the betterment of specific causes - communities, environment, education, wildlife, etc. (Must be available to purchase online, Deadline EXTENDED to Oct 15)
Hotels in NEVADA for every kind of traveler. Must be across the state not just in Vegas, and cater to different kinds of interests. (Deadline Oct 7)
Bucket list destinations you can only get to on a cruise. Still looking for good pitches.
Best river cruises in the world. Still looking for better pitches (no yachts, under deck, one time-only, day cruises).
Best hotels in the world to ring in the new year. Still looking for good pitches. Please specific WHY/ WHAT makes the hotel ideal for NYE celebrations.
Best hotels in the world at airports for long layovers. I haven’t received any pitches for this except TWA Hotel at JFK.
South Asian (Indian) culinary trends, cookbooks, and products appealing to Indian-American community.
Culinary stories from around GA - new restaurants (not new menus or list of openings), new businesses (chocolate factory, ice cream store, etc), culinary festivals, human interest stories, cookbooks - basically open to anything!
Press Trip Requests
I am interested in visiting in 2025 in case you are planning any media visits or can arrange for an individual.
Lesser known islands in Hawaii
The 5 Stans/ Silk Road
Mainland China
For Travel Writers
I am adding this new section for my travel writer subscribers with announcements on opportunities for writing, press trips, collaborations, etc.
Need writers to join a sustainability-focused group press trip to Grenada, October 15–19. Stay at the new Six Senses. Contact LaurenK@zapwater.com if interested & make sure to mention my name.
Loving the new travel writer section!