TuneUp: How To Get A Celebrity To Wear Or Use Your Product.

Celebrity PR: How to Get A Celebrity To Wear or Use Your Product (hint: they have to want to first)

When: Wednesday, February 19th, 2020
Time: 12pm EST
Where: At your computer or on your phone.
Price: Free for all during this live broadcast.

Today we are doing a refresh on how to get your product to celebrities (as in - mailing it to them), and how to finesse that so that they want to wear or use it in publish - with photo - and mention of your company. Sarah Shaw, the original Entrepreneurette, talks with Katie of Tin Shingle today to answer your burning questions about celebrity promotion.

"The biggest misconception people have," Sarah tells Tin Shingle, "is that people think they can't do it. Or they don't even consider a celebrity as an option."

Let's change that.

COVERED IN TODAY'S BROADCAST

• Celebrity Gifting - What is it?

• Sarah connected with celebrities years ago, long before others were doing it. What has changed since then and now?

• Influencer vs Celebrity: What is the difference?

• Pay-to-Play: Do you need to pay a celebrity to wear or use your product?

• Instagram and InstaStories: What should you do when a celeb thanks you in their Instagram? Or if they make a really cool InstaStory - and disappears?

• Gifting Suites: What they are, and how  Sarah *really* feels about paying to be in them during awards season like the Oscars.

• Pick-A-Celeb: Will any celeb do? Or should you be picky?

• Pitching: How to pitch them?

• Gatekeepers: What are these and how do you get through them?

• Packaging: How important is your packaging? Can you skimp on this?

• SCORE! What to do when a celebrity endorses your product in a photo or on TV.

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!

PS: If you’re seeing this after the life broadcast, check our TuneUp Library for the recording! Must be a member of Tin Shingle to watch.

All Papyrus Card Stores Are Closing - The Cards Themselves Are Remaining For Sale At Other Locations

For those small business readers of Tin Shingle who are following retail trends because you sell to boutiques and/or to big box stores and are one of those amazing brands that are independently owned yet found on the shelves of big box stores, this news is of interest to you. If you are a retail shop owner, you know this story is of interest to you, as you are living and breathing the delicacy that is retail.

The retail stores of the Papyrus cards are all closing as reported by Business of Home and the New York Times. Retail store trends for big box stores have been trending towards closing, like with half of Pier 1 stores, Macy’s (they are going to mini-malls) and Kohl’s (leaving some big malls and hunkering down in their mini-mall locations). By choice, Sephora is also focusing on the mini-mall experience, and is opening 100 new stores in a micro version, but with a focus on hair products and fragrances. Meanwhile, architect Frank Gehry designed a “sculptural flagship” for Louis Vuitton in Seoul, in partnership with architect Peter Marino.

"We wanted a lantern on the street,” Frank Gehry told Architectural Digest of the retail location. “Something open and inviting.” Are these architects onto something with the “open and inviting” concept? Something that big malls and big box stores have not noticed as they focus on corporate portfolios and systems? Should shops be concerned during this “retail apocalypse” as the media calls it, that they are running out of places to shop? Should Main Street business be afraid?

The Trend For Thoughtful Experiences

Or, is this a trend that is signaling a hunger for thoughtful and meaningful experiences. That people are walking around a mall to do just that - walk around. Get exercise. Connect with other people. Which they could do outside in a park, but some prefer to be inside. Walking around Beacon, NY which is where Tin Shingle is based, sometimes there will be crowded sidewalks, and other times there will be light foot traffic on the sidewalks, but lots of people inside of certain shops.

The Declaration Of Bankruptcy For 254 Stores

Schurman Fine Papers operates the Papyrus stores. “Schurman Fine Papers, which operates 254 stores, including the Papyrus brand as well as the American Greetings and Carlton Card chains, filed for bankruptcy protection on Thursday. All 3 store chains will close, but the branded cards they sell will still be available at other retailers,” according to the New York Times article. Papyrus cards are available at 300 other retail locations, according to the article.

Will Small Stores Thrive?

Retail is fickle. Business is a battlefield. As discount stores continue to cannibalize themselves with brands and pricing, the stores with more unique and thoughtful experiences may survive. This writer stopped going to Kohl’s because their discounts are a joke. They mark up the discount clothing (aka lower quality production of clothing) to a price that is hardly on sale for that level of quality.

We’re not falling for it any more!

Papyrus Cards Continue On

Back to Papyrus. The cards themselves are incredible, and the paper industry at large is always fighting to stay relevant. Shopping for cards at Rite Aid or at an independently owned shop in your town keeps cards on shelves - if you want them.

Papyrus responded to Tin Shingle’s Instagram post with this comment about their parent company for the paper: “American Greetings, owner of the Papyrus brand, has grown the business since acquiring it in 2009 into one of the most recognizable greeting cards brands in the industry. Papyrus will continue to be sold at leading retailers across the US and Canada. ♥️ “

Yay.

Good Housekeeping Editor Moves To Woman's Day - Meaghan Murphy Replaces Susan Spencer

Meaghan Murphy is the energetic and creative editor of the magazine Good Housekeeping, who has now moved to Woman’s Day. This is a move within the parent publishing company, Hearst, who owns both magazines. It’s common for editors to move around in magazines within a huge corporate publishing company, or to even take on additional magazines under their responsibility (sounds overwhelming to task one person with so many different ideas, but that’s the direction these big magazines have been going in).

Good Housekeeping has gone through a few redesigns, including one in 2012 and one in 2009. Might we look forward to a makeover at Woman’s Day? Currently the two publications are delivered together in a subscription package from parent company Hearst. Signing up right now!

About Meaghan Murphy

Her new title at Woman’s Day is “content director,” according to this article in the New York Post. Also in that article, she is said to replace Susan Spencer, who was the editor-in-chief of Woman’s Day, which the article calls an “old-fashioned” title. Bullocks!

Meaghan is an editor who doubles over into TV, with appearances where she gives household advice on shows including “Good Morning America,” “Live! with Kelly & Ryan” and “The Dr. Oz Show,” the latter of which is currently incorporated into the Woman’s Day magazine.

You might remember Meaghan as the deputy editor and fitness director of Self at Conde Nast before moving to Good Housekeeping in 2014, where, according to the New York Post article, she is credited with developing “strategic media partnerships with brands like Walmart, Kimberly Clark, General Mills and more.”

Safe to expect some sort of revenue inspired editorial coming out of Woman’s Day, if not only for a new direction from a fresh perspective.

For those who like a little inspiration and reasons to pursue small leads: Meaghan got her start at the one-time very popular teen magazine YM (now closed) after winning a national essay contest on overcoming adversity.

Stay With Susan Spencer

In a statement, Susan indicated where we might find her next: “It is time for me to pursue a new direction, one that I hope will allow me to continue to work to educate and empower women.”

Susan wrote a book, “When Action Follows Heart: 365 Ways to Share Kindness Every Day of the Year,” which grew out of the Kindness column in Woman’s Day.

One never knows where an editor will turn up next. Sometimes they become contributing writers, or one-time editors of special interest magazines that are sold at higher prices on the newsstands. Our advice here at Tin Shingle is to keep tabs on Susan, if women’s empowerment, health, and kindness are your beat. Keep her updated with your products and services. You never know when she might need to reference them.

Update For Today's TuneUp: What To Pitch The Media This Month (February

Lucky you (maybe) for your schedule...today's TuneUp will be pre-recorded and made available for you to stream for limited time. When it's ready, Tin Shingle will send you an email with the link to the Vimeo video.

EXPECT THIS IN THE TUNEUP

• Motivation Minute: Will feature 50 Cent's continuous comeback story.

• New Editorial Calendars! Esquire, Wired, Fine Gardening, Parenting OC, Boston Magazine, Ad Age, and more. Get a sneak peek at some other titles we have in Yvonne's latest update on the blog!

• Pitch Hitting: A tip about TV pitches and a Truth Bomb about pitching Kickstarter Campaigns.

Don’t want to wait for mili-moment opportunities to watch any TuneUp you want? Join Tin Shingle today with a Media Kit Membership (designed for business owners and their staff) and listen any time!

MORE 2020 Calendars! Conde Nast Traveller, Threads, Bloomberg Businessweek, Gift Shop

Y’all: Yvonne Is On Fire!

Tin Shingle’s Editorial Calendar Researcher, Yvonne de Salle, is on fire with her sleuthing for 2020 Editorial Calendars! Tin Shingle has the most comprehensive searchable database of Editorial Calendars for print magazines - in the world. Yes, in the world! Other services have stopped providing this service, and others do it by simply posting PDFs of a magazine, without the searchability component.

Tin Shingle kept at it (we actually discontinued it at one point) and actually researches these calendars and print cycles all year. If we don’t have the calendar, we will do a “churn cycle” and give you an idea of where a print publication is in their print cycle, so that you can know what time of year you are pitching that magazine. Not detrimental to your pitching, but is helpful!

Below is a sampling of the latest 2020 themes that have been added to Tin Shingle’s Editorial Collection:

Threads: Geared towards those passionate about sewing garments, home furnishings, gifts, and accessories.

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: Plus Size

Skies: Covers the people and stories behind North America’s aviation and aerospace community.

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: Photography Contest

Experience Life: Focused on empowering people to become their best selves, the magazine covers health, fitness and improving the quality of life, overall.

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: Adapt and Grow

Gift Shop: The resource for modern retailers, Gift Shop Magazine provides insight and inspiration to help retailers succeed.

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: CBD Products

Targeted towards the leaders of HR, HR Executive provides news, profiles and success stories of HR visionaries and innovators.

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: Data and the Future of HR

Offering a global perspective, Bloomberg Businessweek is a weekly business magazine focused on, guess what, business!

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: Strategy, Food Special

Bloomberg Markets

As part of Bloomberg News, this monthly publication is aimed at global financial professionals.

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: The Future of Finance

Bloomberg Special Reports Edition

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: Automation

The ultimate luxury travel brand, Conde Nast Traveller offers inspiration and tips for its affluent global audience.

Editorial Calendar Planning For Now: Honeymoon

These Are Just A Little Sampling Of Editorial Calendar Themes!

 Tin Shingle’s Editorial Calendar Collection is ever expanding!  These general themes are a small sample of what to expect his upcoming year. The most important thing for you, however, is to pitch into the theme ASAP so you stay relevant in your ideas for why a magazine writer or editor may feature your business.

Members of Tin Shingle with the Media Kit Membership have instant access to all of our editorial calendar deadlines. All searchable by Title and Area of Interest. Browse through and let your inspiration guide you. Tin Shingle’s membership program is designed for business owners, artist, makers and communication directors who are getting the word out about their business.

All editorial themes are provided by the publication and are subject to change.

As always, send in media contact or editorial calendar requests to member@tinshingle.com

Money Monday: Reminders To Crush (and Have) Personal Financial Goals In 2020

Happy Monday, Business Owner!

You're crushing it to get the dollar to invest back into your business and pay yourself. This Money Monday, we're taking a moment to remember about investing into your future, and main sure you have a distant trail of debt, and not too heavy a load. We checked in with financial advisor Lena Rizkallah, a local to our hometown of Beacon, NY (woot!) who commutes between New York City and our small city-town. She has crafted some financial advice specific to entrepreneurs, business owners, artists and makers. Take a minute to reflect on her advice in her article here, and align your to-do list to make sure you're making these steps to a solid financial situation for your personal and business lives.

In Lena’s article, discover more about each of her recommendations:

1. Get out of debt—or at least get a handle on it!
2. Establish an emergency fund
3. Save well in a retirement plan
4. Hire a financial advisor
5. Get your affairs in order

PR Special Opp: TV Segment Opportunity

TV Segment Opportunity

This just came across our desk from our dear friend, Sabina Hitchen, who is going to be on an entertainment show such as Good Morning Washington and two more that we have to keep under wraps.

LOOKING FOR THESE MUST-HAVE PRODUCTS:

• Food

• Drink

• Gadgets

• Gear

• Party favors to throw a "gram-worthy" - as in Instagram - Oscar party at home this year.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FRIDAY BY 2PM ET.

Sound like you can spin your business into it with a high value must-have? Details are listed in Tin Shingle's PR Center which is accessible by those who have the Media Kit Membership.

Tin Shingle is not affiliated with any lead unless otherwise specified.
Placement is not guaranteed.

TODAY (1/15/2020): New PR Challenge Series Starts

PR Challenge
Members-Only TuneUp

When: Wednesday, January 15th
Time: 12pm EST
Where: At your computer or on your phone.
How: Follow the directions on this page to get the registration link.
Required: Media Kit Membership with Tin Shingle.  Apply to start it today.

Hello Business Owner and Your Team!

Today marks the first of the new series for this PR Challenge Session. In it, we connect the dots between your pitching of the news media (and what that means! no question is too small), your coloring of your social media, and even what you are doing at your own website and how/if you are sending a newsletter to your people.

This TuneUp is a moderated group session for Media Kit Members of Tin Shingle. A Media Kit Membership is designed for business owners, creators and artists. It enables education and empowerment in getting the word out about your business. Because doing so is a tough job  that requires brains, courage and motivation to keep moving forward.

So join us today on this call!

HOW IT WORKS:
This is a small-group strategy call. Bring your questions or challenges you are facing when pitching the media (if you don't know what "pitching the media" means, then you must get on this call immediately).

Tin Shingle's owner Katie will moderate the call.

She will rotate through people on the call, and encourage each other to contribute to each person's challenge as a conversation.

You do not need to have been on the previous call to attend this one.

DATES:
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST
Wednesday, Jan 29, 2020 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST
Wednesday, Feb 12, 2020 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2020 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST

CALL-IN DETAILS
When you are logged into your Media Kit Member account at Tin Shingle, you will be able to click this link in our Community section of the website to get the private link to call in details.

Once on the call, Katie will adjust your settings so that we can hear and/or see you. We love talking face-to-face, so turn your video on if you want. Otherwise, audio-only is fine.

Media Moves: Essence Magazine

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We took a deep dive into Essence Magazine, pulled out all the names we could find and updated our Media Contact Idea Center. We double check on people to see that they are still at a media outlet, and maybe add an Area of Interest idea, or an Instagram handle.

In our database, you can search by a person’s name, media outlet name, or area of interest (our favorite part). Area of Interest is great for if you hadn’t thought of an outlet before. You can see the details for these people when you are logged into your Media Kit Member account at Tin Shingle.

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Moana Luu
Chief Content and Creative Officer, Essence
Moana Luu is the Chief Content and Creative Officer of Essence Magazine. Moana’s unique experience allows her oversight to include all aspects of creative expression across mediums such as fashion, art, design and film. Her mission is to push the boundary of beauty and fashion to empower a generation of young woman worldwide.
Areas of Interests: Black Media, Activism, Art, Politics, Sports, Business, Human Rights, Social Justice, Equality

Cori Murray
Entertainment Director, Essence
Cori Murray is the Entertainment Director for ESSENCE and co-host of its first Webby-nominated podcast, Yes, Girl! She represents the brand for several media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, BET/Centric, The New York Daily News and FOX 5-TV’s Good Day New York.
Areas of Interest: Black Media, Entertainment, Equality, Human Rights, Social Justice, Political Reform, Senior Editing, Events Hosting, Women's Service Publishing

Jennifer Ford
Associate Beauty Editor, Essence
Jennifer Ford is an aficionado of all things #blackgirlmagic. She has an affinity for promoting total-wellbeing in women and diversity.
Areas of Interest: Women's Interest, Beauty, Human Rights, Social Justice, Equality, Political Reform, Black Girl Magic, Black Media, Diversity, Women, Feminism

Charli Penn
Digital Journalist, Essence
Charli Penn is an experienced editorial director, digital content strategist and digital journalist with over 15 years experience managing and creating top performing and highly engaging digital content for women. She also hosts THE SOLVE podcast where she offers expert tips for unlocking the secrets of love.
Areas of Interest: Human Rights, Equality, Social Justice, Political Reform, Relationships, Dating, Marriage, Sex, Weddings, Wellness

TIN SHINGLE'S MEDIA KIT MEMBERSHIP

To access the contact suggestions of these and more, apply to start a Media Membership with Tin Shingle today, and start getting new ideas for how to get the word out.

The Membership Program was designed for business owners, artists and makers who are doing their own PR and marketing outreach.

As always, send in media contact or editorial calendar requests to member@tinshingle.com

Connect with us directly in Tin Shingle's Community. The Media Kit Membership gives you access to our online support group to ask your questions, get ideas, and celebrate when you do get press.

Embracing Your Sweet But Psycho To Stay Strong And Clear

Happy Monday!

In the name of productivity, we were going to email about the new LA media outlets we have in Tin Shingle's Media Contact Idea Center. Yvonne, our head researcher, was happy to take on the project, being that she is from LA.

But - we really had pegged this article for you today. But then the doubt entered:  "Eh, they probably got tons of Motivation Monday type emails today. They want the media meat and potatoes." And then just today we heard from a reader that our emails keep her going. So here you go! The original email we wanted to send you!

"You're So Sweet..."

You're on your own, Business Owner. Sure, you have a team of supporters who are your staff, spouse, partner, parents, children, friends, board members, etc. But really, you're the visionary and you're on your own. All alone in your head. So it's your headspace that needs to be fierce.

For those of you who operate on the nice side - and for those of you who know how to be nice, but know how to get sh*t done or can see clearly what you want - you may set people off - take them by surprise - when you're direct or - gawd forbid - not nice. Or you are nice, but you are firm in an answer you are giving them, and it's one they don't like.

The Threat - Sweet or Psycho?

Here's what I mean. If you are sweet, and then get all business on someone, they may look at you like a psycho. They may get offended. They may bark back. And that takes some getting used to. Something to stand up to, and embrace. Examples:

1. Bad Business Partner Breakup
The first time it happened was when I was in a bad business partner breakup. We were a trio, and one of us was bucking the system. Every morning, my business partner at the time and I would wake up to scary emails from our other business partner, threatening us. Tilting our perceptions of reality. Trying to knock us sideways.

The sentence I remember the most was: "Everyone thinks you are so sweet, Katie. But I am going to tell everyone that you can't get things done." It was my biggest fear.  I am nice, but I had a tiny baby that I just gave birth to. Things were tough. But it was our own internal deadlines I struggled with because they were unrealistic, never ended, and always changed.

We prevailed. I embraced my sweet, nice side, but held firm during our breakup, making her really mad with my carefully crafted emails (we had a laywer in the background advising us on what to  say). I drove her crazy, and I realized that I could embrace my sweet but psycho side. It was relieving.

2. "Uh-Oh, Business Katie Is Here"
The second time it happened was when I was trying to bring on a new contractor. Things weren't fitting quite right. Each meeting made me want to sprint out the door and run across town. Was it excitement? Or frustration at the truth that I was ignoring. The truth that this contractor wasn't a fit. It was the latter. The day I realized this, I put everything into writing for a contract we could start fresh with. The response I got was: "Uh, oh. I had a feeling Business Katie was showing up today."

Yes she did.

3. Homework
The third time this happened (so far..won't be the last), was during another contract negotiation. I was pushed off kilter again. I was given an indication that I couldn't do what I was doing because of certain rules, but all would be OK. It made me fearful to do my homework to find the right answer. Would I open a can of worms? Or should I live with clarity and find the answer. I opted to live with clarity and find the answer. I did my homework and made a scary phone call to get a clarified answer. Turns out all was well. I was correct in what I was doing.

Sweet but psycho. A reminder to one's self that internally, we must be very strong and very grounded.

Sweet But Psycho - Embraced

When grounding yourself in your sweet but psycho strong side, you must stand very tall. You must put your boots on with a heel. You must cross your arms if you need to. Or put your arms on hips. You must stand like a grizzly or mama bear to show your full you.

You must let silence hang in the air after you speak your piece. No need to repeat it. You must let silence fall. You cannot fill in the air with your voice just to make that other person comfortable. If they are confused, or say "what?" you simply say: "That's what I said." Give it a minute, and they will verbalize back what you said. Because they heard you. They just didn't want to hear you.

Give it a try.

Create the uncomfortable. That will heal the manipulation that is in the air, and cut to the chase, to give you what you need to succeed or be heard.

Need a support system? Tell us about it in Tin Shingle's Community. We are here for you, Business Owner. We got your back!