TODAY: The Live TuneUp Returns

What To Pitch The Media This Month: January 

When: Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Time: 1pm EST
Where: At your computer or on your phone
Price: Free for all during this live broadcast

The live TuneUp is back this week for a look at what you can be pitching the media this month for coverage in national magazines as well as blogs and TV. There is a lot to cover, including ideas for, Home Decor, Finances, Taxes, Healthcare, Health Insurance, Amazon VS Shopify, Voter Rights, Mutual Aid Networks, and More! Get your 2021 Editorial Calendars out and let's go!

Get ideas! Join us live on today's broadcast! 

If you can't make it to this free broadcast, Tin Shinglers with the Media Membership get 24/7 access to watch any TuneUp whenever they want. Apply for Tin Shingle membership today to get access!

Where Can You Watch TuneUps You Missed?

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Media Monitoring And Planning Ahead: Men's Journal

Catching up with Men’s Journal. Every article was pandemic or protest related, with a series on men in Minneapolis rebuilding their businesses, building community, training Black youth to gain certifications in outdoor activities like mountain biking paddling, etc. (paid for by Ramsey County) so that Black people might be more comfortable learning from someone who looks like them, and providing food for those in need. Cooking and gathering for social distance, and the usual gear recommendations that Men’s Journal is known for. The Holiday Gift Guides were in this issue, with the usual themes.

For ideas on how to pitch the media, join Tin Shingle to get access to our Media Contact Idea Center, and start a conversation with fellow members in Tin Shingle’s Google Group.

*Remember: print magazines work 3-6 months in advance. In pandemic times, changes to editorial may be squeezed in to reflect a big, huge change. But generally, think a few months out.

[PR] TuneUp: How To Pitch For 2021 Valentine’s Day Gift Guides - Starting In October/November 2020

It's that time of year! A monthly series where we start a new month and plan ahead for what we are pitching! October is a special month because...it's your time to begin pitching Valentine's Day. Oh yes. If you missed your chance last year, and found Tin Shingle when you were Googling "how to pitch valentine's day gift guides," and discovered that the time is not January, but is October, then this is your time to shine!

In this TuneUp, we went over ideas for national print magazines (6 months ahead), local (2-3 months ahead) and trending news stories right now.

Plus, we had a special Motivation Minute, that we're slowing down to a slow jam.

HOW TO WATCH

Anyone can watch a Tin Shingle TuneUp from their computer, mobile phone or tablet. The process is different for premium members and the public.

MEMBERS OF TIN SHINGLE (FREE)

Stream any TuneUp Webinar anytime with your Tin Shingle membership. No need to purchase it, this TuneUp is ready to play from this page! When you are logged in, you will see a big screen.

NON-MEMBERS ($65)

Once you buy a TuneUp, you own it forever. The video or audio recording will appear on the TuneUp page that you just purchased from, and all you need to do is press play.

[PR] TuneUp: What To Pitch The Media This Month: October

It's time for our monthly series where we start a new month and plan ahead for what we are pitching! October is a special month because...it's your time to begin pitching Valentine's Day. Oh yes. If you missed your chance last year, and found Tin Shingle when you were Googling "how to pitch valentine's day gift guides," and discovered that the time is not January, but is October, then this is your time to shine!

In this TuneUp, we went over ideas for national print magazines (6 months ahead), local (2-3 months ahead) and trending news stories right now.

Plus, we shared a special Motivation Minute- slowing down to a slow jam.

HOW TO WATCH

Anyone can watch a Tin Shingle TuneUp from their computer, mobile phone or tablet. The process is different for premium members and the public.

MEMBERS OF TIN SHINGLE (FREE)

Stream any TuneUp Webinar anytime with your Tin Shingle membership. No need to purchase it, this TuneUp is ready to play from this page! When you are logged in, you will see a big screen.

NON-MEMBERS ($65)

Once you buy a TuneUp, you own it forever. The video or audio recording will appear on the TuneUp page that you just purchased from, and all you need to do is press play.

[PR] TuneUp: Pitching The Media All The Ways: Social Media and Alternative Ways

We're talking about all the ways to pitch the media these days - the alternative ways. When you can't find an email, you go rogue on LinkedIn, DMs, Contact Us pages, even Text (gasp!).

This TuneUp covers all the ways to do this.

HOW TO WATCH

Anyone can watch a Tin Shingle TuneUp from their computer, mobile phone or tablet. The process is different for premium members and the public.

MEMBERS OF TIN SHINGLE (FREE)

Stream any TuneUp Webinar anytime with your Tin Shingle membership. No need to purchase it, this TuneUp is ready to play from this page! When you are logged in, you will see a big screen.

NON-MEMBERS ($65)

Once you buy a TuneUp, you own it forever. The video or audio recording will appear on the TuneUp page that you just purchased from, and all you need to do is press play.

[PR] TuneUp: What To Pitch The Media This Month: July 2020

What To Pitch The Media This Month: July

OMG - you GUYS! It's time to start pitching Holiday Gift Guides that print in November or December.

It's true. The presses are still printing. Magazines are still getting produced in the pandemic. People may be working from offices, or remotely from homes. Creativity and problem solving is rising above the panic, and we are moving forward.

Tune in to this planning TuneUp to get ideas for what you can pitch during July. This doesn't mean it's going to print in July. This means that people in print magazines are planning for November/December and need to hear from you now.

In this TuneUp, we got ideas for:

• Magazines (Long Lead)

• Regional Magazines (Medium Lead)

• Social Media (Immediate Lead)

• TV (Short Lead)

HOW TO WATCH
Anyone can watch a Tin Shingle TuneUp from their computer, mobile phone or tablet. The process is different for premium members and the public.

MEMBERS OF TIN SHINGLE (FREE)
Stream any TuneUp Webinar anytime with your Tin Shingle membership. No need to purchase it, this TuneUp is ready to play from this page! When you are logged in, you will see a big screen.

NON-MEMBERS ($65)
Once you buy a TuneUp, you own it forever. The video or audio recording will appear on the TuneUp page that you just purchased from, and all you need to do is press play.

What To Pitch The Media This Month: May

How in the heck are magazines working to produce print magazines while remote working and unable to congregate for a photo shoot? Things are getting creative, quality is adjusting to the new normal of gritty, real-life, and print media is being produced. With a lot of digital.

Today's TuneUp focused on the future, but it will change this time to focus on right now - how you are following up with any reach-outs you have made to the media, the types of ideas you are having, etc.

Topics Covered:

• Bring your questions/thoughts/anxieties. Email them now to info@tinshingle.com.

• The state of the media right now - as COVID coverage is unrelenting, all anyone can think about, but nothing anyone wants to think about at the same time.

• Types of story angles you could be pitching right now.

• What does it mean to "pitch a story." Isn't that just for PR people and journalists? Guess what - it's for you too, Business Owner!

If you couldn’t make it to this free broadcast, Tin Shinglers with the Media Membership get 24/7 access to watch any TuneUp whenever they want. Apply for Tin Shingle membership today to get access!

Pitch This: Sift, the Magazine from King Arthur Flour

Since 2015, the flour company, King Arthur Flour which is based in Vermont, has been producing a magazine called Sift and selling it from the shelves of grocery stores, book stores and shopping clubs including Sams, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Meyers, Stop-n-Shop, and many others. The magazine is published in a velvet finish with thick pages - quite a luxury read - and features 75 recipes produced mainly by its food editor (who is also a chef), Susan Reid, and feature stories usually produced by its Managing Editor, Posie Brien.

Sift is only sold in stores and is not available for subscription. Specialty magazines like this are on the rise, and it’s triggering our impulse to collect.

Print Magazines Continue To Publish In Niche Genres

When traditional magazines from publishers like Conde Naste and Meredith are announcing the ceasing of print publications, what are new niche magazines like Sift thinking? Here’s what they know: the power of paper, branding, reach, and the reading experience.

Has the magazine been successful for King Arthur Flour? We interviewed Sift Magazine’s Food Editor, Susan Reid to find out: “King Arthur Flour has been around since George Washington was president, but has only recently (last 25 years) become a national brand. Sift is one of the ways we’re trying to build awareness in areas that may not know about us. Yes, we’d call it a success.”

Setting King Arthur apart is also their status as a Certified B Corporation. According to bcrporation.net: “Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”

“People do pitch the magazine, but 80% of the pitches are off-base and not a fit. In order to pitch Sift, the idea needs to be about flour, King Arthur Flour, and fit within the high quality standards of a B Corporation.”

Opportunities For Other Brands Being Featured In Sift Magazine

While the chance for being featured in Sift is small, the feature would carry that much more weight, since one respected brand is recommending another in their publication.

Susan gave us some insight into what they look to feature in the magazine. Before you pitch, remember why Sift was started: to educate bakers of all levels about flour - specifically King Arthur Flour.

There are other people and products outside of King Arthur Flour’s brand who make it into the pages of Sift, but qualifying is tight. People do pitch the magazine, but according to Susan, 80% of the pitches are off-base and not a fit. In order to pitch Sift, the idea needs to be about flour, King Arthur Flour, and fit within the high quality standards of a B Corporation.

And Now, Our Interview With Susan Reid, Food Editor of Sift:

Q: I must admit - I never gave second thought to what flour I bought, and didn’t know how to tell the difference between any of them. Until I got Sift Magazine.

A: Flour is the backbone of any baking recipe, and it can vary much more than people are aware of. That’s one of the reasons we’ve redesigned our flour bags to feature each flour’s protein content, and launched the flour IQ campaign, because you are not alone!

Flour is very frequently taken for granted, and using a flour that isn’t consistent not only causes problems but creates confusion. Bakers who get sub-optimal results often don’t know that the flour could be an issue.

Q: Does Sift feature products from other companies in the magazine?

A: It depends. Our focus is on companies we that meet our standards (we’re a registered B corporation) and baker’s needs. We work with American Pans, NordicWare, and lots of cool Vermont producers.

Q: How long do you work on each issue? What is your lead time for an Editorial Calendar?

A: The issues overlap; we just sent Spring 2019 to the printer [as of March 2019]; we are in the middle of booking/executing photography for Fall, and are finalizing content for Holiday and starting to test recipes for that. I’d say each issue, start to finish, is about 6 months. We are about 9 months ahead of our drop dates.

There are 3 issues per year: Spring, Fall, Holiday. The magazine always drops on the last Tuesday of the month they come out. March for Spring, August for Fall, October for Holiday.

Q: How do you get your leads on people to feature, like artisan bakers or bakeries? Can people pitch you?

A: Many of the bakeries we feature are ones that use/buy a lot of our flour; our Bakery Foodservice division sells as much or more flour as we do in grocery stores.

We do look at pitches, but find that 80% of them haven’t taken the time to understand what our regular features are, what we’ve already published, or considered that our primary function is to encourage and inspire baking that uses our flour.

We keep an eye out for new book titles in the pipeline, and have worked with some authors to pick up some of their content and photography if they’ll also give us 2 exclusive recipes for the magazine.

Recommendations For Bakers + Cafes Pitching Sift

Pitch Sift if you use King Arthur Flour and have a story to tell. You might not need to know what season the magazine is working on at the moment, but you could check for Sift in Tin Shingle’s Editorial Calendar Collection to know if you want to put a Holiday or Spring angle on your pitch. Otherwise, this type of a pitch on a person or cafe will be seasonless, but you’ll want to be sure it includes the use of King Arthur Flour.

Featured in Sift’s 2018 Holiday issue are Jonathan Bethony and Jessica Azeez. Jonathan attended The Bread Lab at Washington State University, of which King Arthur Flour is a supporter with their substantial endowment to the Bread Lab to help it continue for years.

Gift Guides For Bakers

Most of the products recommended in Sift are from King Arthur Flour, but not all. Some books and products are from outside brands. To qualify for editorial consideration, King Arthur Flour is a Certified B Corporation, which means they need to meet high quality standards for being a good corporate citizen before recommending it. Include why your brand would fit this requirement in your pitch. The products will need to have to do with baking.

Authors and Experts

If you’re an author of an expert, you do have a chance that the editors may want to work with you. If you design recipes, Sift is going to want to use 2 of them, exclusively. Stay on point, and remember, your pitch will have to do with baking.

How To Pitch Sift - Who To Pitch?

Both Susan and Posie are in Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library for your to find their social handles, portfolios and other relevant information for pitching them. Posie also writes for her blog at PosieHarwood.com, and has the most incredible food photos and recipes. She has also written for other major food magazines including Tasting Table, Food52, and Bon Appetit.

You would discover both of these editors in Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library if you were looking for writers or editors who we have identified with Areas of Interests like Food, Recipes, Baking, Gift Guide, and others.

Join Tin Shingle today for access to our Media Contact Library to find gems like this publication and its editors. Tin Shingle has also added Sift’s publication cycle to our Editorial Calendar Collection, so that you can always know where the editors’ are in their headspace, should you want to pitch the magazine with a seasonal angle. For instance, it’s great to know that in March, the editors are already working on their Holiday recipes and recommendations. Tin Shingle’s Editorial Calendar collection will keep you in tune with timely insight like this.

Butter! Celebrated In Sift Magazine

I love butter.

My Instagram friends know this. So imagine my delight when I found this book just about butter and “why butter is the reigning champion in our kitchens.” By Dorie Greenspan!

Found while researching King Arthur Flour’s Sift Magazine for our small businesses, artists and maker members at Tin Shingle.

There are features of bakers, authors and products in this magazine. In addition to the oodles of recipe from chef and writer Susan Reid. What a combo - to be a chef and a writer. King Arthur has an entire catalogue of products - which I did not realize - and those are featured in the magazine, as well as treasures from others.

Maybe this could be you. Researching writers now to include them in Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library.

2019 Editorial Calendar for WSJ. The Magazine Now Available at Tin Shingle

The Wall Street Journal Magazine’s editorial calendar has been added to Tin Shingle’s Editorial Calendar database, which makes discovering article ideas easier for you!

As the world’s leading luxury magazine covering art, entertainment, fashion, travel, design and more, there is ample opportunity for pitching your unique brand to the magazine of WSJ. Recent articles at the publication include:

Jazz Musician Kamasi Washington’s Favorite Things

Ghetto Gastro Opens Labyrinth 1.1, Their New HQ in the Bronx

The 16 Best Denim Looks for Him and Her

What’s On Deck for 2019 WSJ. Magazine Issues

This year’s themes at WSJ. include a hotly anticipated Spring Fashion series, with one issue dedicated towards women’s fashion and another focused on men’s styles. What or who will you be wearing this season? Or will they be wearing you? They just might!

Their summer issue will focus on seasonal destinations, escapes and activities. Who can resist a relaxing getaway, a well deserved respite from the bitterness of winter. Also, an entire issue is being dedicated to the INNOVATORS of our time.

Be inspired and find your creative launchpad with the WSJ. editorial calendar, available in Tin Shingle’s PR Center with an All Access Pass of Membership (Level 4). Find every deadline, every theme and anything else you need to know to make your pitch a successful one.

Additionally, Tin Shingle’s community is available to you to bounce ideas off of. Everyone needs support when getting ideas out there. All Access Pass Members get free group-consulting sessions every other Wednesday during our Private Training TuneUp sessions.