Sweat, Tears, and an Open Inbox for Pitches
A debrief on my 77-mile bike ride (I made it!), new assignments you can pitch clients for, and special discounts on Flash Consulting.
Joni Sweet is a seasoned writer, editor, and content strategist with 13+ years of media experience. In this newsletter, Joni reveals her current assignments and insider tips to help PR professionals sharpen their pitches, avoid rookie mistakes, land coverage for their clients, and build stronger relationships with writers. Get ready for candid advice, a touch of sass, and secret strategies to make your pitches stand out.
Hi friends!
I did it—I completed my 77-mile bike ride through the Pan-Mass Challenge!
In case you’re new around here, I received a really creative PR invitation from Cru of Two to join their client OOFOS in the Pan-Mass Challenge, the world’s most successful athletic charity event, earlier this year.
I was nervous about the physical challenge of pedaling up Cape Cod in the August heat and the $6k fundraising goal, but I agreed to it anyway (this year is about experimentation, after all!).
And I’m so glad I did.
It was, indeed, a challenge (I seriously wondered if I would make it to the finish once I hit mile 50 or so). But it was also so empowering. I pedaled faster than I ever did in my training, met some amazing people who are deeply passionate about the cause (supporting cancer-research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), and had tears in my eyes as people in the local communities cheered us cyclists on and thanked us for riding.
Some tough news last month also made this experience even more personally meaningful to me. My grandmother was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in mid-July, just a couple of weeks before the event.
I’m devastated and it’s been difficult to work at my usual capacity, but we’re making the most of the time we have. Being able to put my mind and body toward the Pan-Mass Challenge alleviated a touch of the helplessness I feel in this situation.
So many of you who subscribe to this newsletter sent messages cheering me on and even made generous donations to my fundraiser (which is still open, btw!). I can’t express enough gratitude for your support. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Keep reading for the usual mix of my current assignments (including some you can pitch clients for), my recently published work, a special discount on flash consulting for paid subscribers, and a word from my sponsor.
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Their offer: book a FREE personalized demo anytime in August to get the opportunity to try PodPitch for 30 days for $99—no commitment! Plus, if it's not the best PR tech demo you've ever seen, the PodPitch team will buy you Starbucks (really)!
Seeking pitches for these assignments
Forbes: Hidden gems in Rome
For a quick turnaround story, I’m looking for hidden gem experiences and attractions in Rome. This could be a unique tour people don’t know about, a cool piece of history you can see at a hotel, an interesting museum artifact, a special dining experience, etc.
Send me a brief (brief!) pitch and a link to images today (Aug. 20) for consideration. jonimsweet@gmail.com
Yahoo: Travel-related products to review
After a recent toothbrush review I wrote went viral at Yahoo, I’m looking for more travel-related products to review. They should have some exciting factor that makes them worth reviewing (like being super sustainable, really popular on TikTok, truly unique features, that sort of thing). You also must have samples available for testing (not looking for freebies here—I am happy to send the products back to you if you provide a return shipping label).
This is an ongoing project, so send pitches anytime, and if I’m able to consider a product for a critical review, I’ll get back to you. Please keep pitches brief and explain at a very high level why this product should be the next one I review. jonimsweet@gmail.com
My recently published work
Yahoo: Why I Swear By This Travel Electric Toothbrush
Best Products: 60 Best Christmas Gifts for Every Single Person on Your Nice List
Yahoo: 10 Unforgettable Boat Experiences for Your Travel Bucket List
Yahoo: Why Calgary Deserves More Than a Quick Stop on Your Way to Banff
TIME: World’s Greatest Places 2024: CPCK Stadium
PlanetWare: 17 Best Cheap Places to Visit in September
Best Products: 60 Best Christmas Gifts for Men Who Are Hard to Shop For
The Content Strategist: How To Find, Hire, and Work With an SEO Strategist
Yahoo: I’m a travel writer with insomnia. Here are the 6 things I pack to sleep well on every trip.
Best Products: The 5 Best External CD Drives (and Why You Still Need One in 2024)
The Content Strategist: Navigating Finding and Hiring a Freelance Photographer for Your Brand
🎉 Exciting update on Flash Consulting
I finally had the chance to put on my web designer hat and created a Flash Consulting page on my website. You can now book Flash Consulting sessions directly—no more back-and-forth emails, just click and book!
To celebrate, use code LAUNCH for $5 off all sessions until Aug. 25. And if you’re a paid subscriber to this newsletter, I’ve got an even better discount for you.