GirlBoss Launches New Podcast: Self Service - A Witchy Listen of Self Care

GirlBoss editor Jerico Mandybur has announced the new podcast for the girl empowerment source: Self Service, the self described "cosmic comfort zone, an 'inner-beauty school' where self-care is celebrated, where getting real with emotions is a treat, and an interest in thoughtful, funny conversations, weird wellness and astrology is unabashed. It’s where being a little self-indulgent isn’t just a shame-free act of self-love, it’s a necessary launchpad into a life that’s wholly ours, in a world where we feel good about taking up space. Here, we serve our hearts. We rant. We grow. And we tune the eff up."

In her email announcement, Jerico defended the astrology angle. Not that she needs to, but it does set the podcast apart from other self-care mediums. She explained that her family belief system included "a strong belief in superstitions, messages sent through dreams, and evil eyes." Further, she finds that it is core to how someone can provide self-care to themselves, yet it is considered "woo woo" and brushed off or punished.

"Witchy stuff has been historically demonized (I believe)," Jerico explains, "because it’s a feminine system that threatens the dominant power. Mid-wifery, being a single woman in possession of land, healing using old plant knowledge; these are all things women suffered for that are now being reclaimed."

Being that had a midwife for my third child, and am reading the second book in the Outlander series, Dragonfly in Amber, where the memory of the heroine's near miss with being burned at the stake because she knows how to heal people with plants is fresh on my mind as she hunts down the other time traveler that did meet her fate at the stake in that book (the cross-over in time is so fascinating!), I'm drawn to this message of normalizing knowledge that women tend to get shunned for. Like, why does a woman's credit score plummet when she gets divorced? Why is that normal? Does a man's? I'll need to look into it. If you know, please chime in below in the comments.

So I'm looking forward to the podcast, and looking forward to seeing which of you business owners find a story angle to pitch to them, so that maybe I'll hear you on the air with Jerico!

Meanwhile, we are adding it to Tin Shingle's Media Contact Database in our new Podcast section, so that you can more easily browse for relevant podcasts to listen to, get to know, and pitch if a great fit for your message.

The Case of the Broken Bobby Pin

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As you reflect upon how to make change in the beginning of this new year, there are obstacles or bad habits you'll need to clear from last year. How will you know what those are? Let this analogy shed some light and help you make change...

In the dish it sat, bent open looking like a special comb that was used to secure a special hair bun that I don’t know how to twist. My fingers flicked it out of the way to get closer to the closed black bobby pins that would hold my bangs back in an instant for the day. Wish I knew how to use that wide open bobby pin, I thought to myself.

But wait - that’s no special bobby pin - it’s a broken bobby pin that I keep staring at and moving aside. Why is it here? Why am I allowing it to clutter my dish? Gone - to the trash it went! To clear the way from clutter and help the mind see clearly. Reclaimers - don’t try to talk me out of it! I keep enough things with the intent of someday reusing them. This bobby pin dish must be clear!

This is the breakthrough moment I’ve mentioned on TuneUps before, when you’re looking for paths to clear, or new designs to improve an online sales funnel, but you’re blocked as to what needs fixing. You know there is a problem, but you can’t put your finger on it. Chances are, you keep staring at it, but your mind has justified it, so it doesn’t stand out as a problem.

To train your mind to find the problem areas in your business, watch for these simple opportunities around your house or office.  Once you spot them, clear them, and then return to the area of your business that you are trying to improve. Look at it with fresh eyes, and pinpoint the part that bothers you. As pretty as it is, what’s its deal? If it’s bucking a feeling, it needs tossed and/or replaced.

Need a fresh set of eyes from an outsider? Try Tin Shingle’s Private Training Services. An outside perspective can change a direction in a snap. 

 

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Hoda Kotb Replaces Matt Lauer as Co-Host on Today Show, Keeps Co-Host Seat with Kathie Lee

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Well a good morning and happy first day of the New Year 2018 to you as well, Today Show!

With Hoda and Savannah sitting in the middle of the Today Show's Twitter cover photo, and their first live taping wrapped up, many rejoiced at NBC's selection of Hoda as Matt Lauer's replacement during the 7am-9am hour after he was fired from the show for sexual misconduct. Hoda will remain as co-host with Kathie Lee in their 4th hour together which they have done since 2008.

The tone is already one of friendship and warmth. With People Magazine's cover story of Savannah and Hoda opening up about their feelings about the change, Today.com ran a story with excerpts from the article, including this memory from Savannah: “I remember reading something later that said I had grabbed Hoda’s hand, and of course that’s not something you plan. That’s just something you do because you have a real friend, and you need to hold her hand.”

Siri Daly's son observed: "Mommy there are more girls than boys!" With two women anchoring, how will the show's tone change? Already, maybe we have an answer. Hoda stated: "This is bigger than one person, it’s bigger than Matt, it’s bigger than me, it’s bigger than Savannah, it’s bigger than all of us."

I must confess: I don't watch the Today Show, aside from any research I do for Tin Shingle. TV distracts me, so I don't have it on in the background of anything. More notable, however, is my lack of interest in Matt Lauer. He never appealed to me, so the dynamic between him and anyone didn't interest me. Success is always in the people, so now, while ratings are soaring for the Today Show for the moment according to Variety, my interest is genuinely piqued.

I'm not alone, as who can forget that New York Magazine article for their 2013 story "Matt Lauer and the Decline of the Today Show" after Ann Curry left the show. From the article "The image of Matt Lauer trying to comfort her—and of Curry turning away from his attempted kiss—has become a kind of monument to the real Matt Lauer, forensic evidence of his guilt."

Perhaps this has been a move that has been needed for years, but NBC believed he was the key to the show. When change happens, it can be for the best, and can force your hand to do something that needed to be done long ago. We'll see how the ratings shake out, but here's how Twitter felt about it today:

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Media Monitoring: Variety Magazine for the New Year!

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Taking a page from Victory PR’s  new postings of their #mediamonitoring on Instagram, we are showing ours - first read of the new year - Variety Magazine!

Top Secret: this subscription was actually a gift to my husband from Tin Shingle at Christmas because he’s a consumer of several paper magazines but also works in the film industry as a crew member. However, he, like most crew members, has movie making aspirations. As part of my New Years resolution to support his creative dreams, Tin Shingle lulled the trigger on this yearly subscription.

New subscription arrived already. Time to catch up on nominations and movie makers, and sleuthing for our own ideas for Media Contacts and article ideas.

What are you reading?

 

Start Writing! Tin Shingle’s 2018 Editorial Content Planner Released

When you have a killer idea for content, you need to save that! And publish it. Ideas for great content is half the battle to growing your brand’s digital footprint through blog articles on your company’s website and social media streams. But you have so many ideas, you can’t contain them all! Until now. Tin Shingle’s editorial Content Planner was created exclusively for business owners and marketers like you. Used by professional bloggers as well as service providers showcasing their expertise, as well as by product designers and shops who know they need content on the web to compete in a thick marketplace of Google searches. This editorial calendar template will solve your organizational problems and give you peace! You’re going to nail this.

 

All Access Pass Members of Tin Shingle get this planner for free. Not a member? Not a problem! Buy this template once and have access to all New Years in the future - free.

Download here: www.tinshingle.com/templatesuite

That’s a Wrap!

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What a week! Launching this new corner of Tin Shingle’s Website, finishing pieces of private client’s branding websites and printed material for InHouse Design Media, and launching a new and intensive guide on our local news media site A Little Beacon Blog, this dry erase board was finally wiped clean on Thursday in anticipation of last minute gift collecting on Friday. What only could take shape on it was this Christmas tree, wishing anyone who looks through our office door a merry feeling. 

This week’s Training TuneUp will be posted soon, and with it the message of  hybernation, or squirreling away the core components of what your business needs right now. The message in the TuneUp focused on polishing your visual pieces that you use to attract customers or even to temp the media to cover your business. This first week of winter is your chance to enjoy the cozy and reflect on your brand to make fresh designs!

Happy Holidays everyone :) 

Airline Magazine's Editorial Calendars Are Here

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Do You Want Your Brand Seen By 16 Million Readers

One popular airline magazine reaches an audience of just that many passengers. That is a lot of people! Here are some more reasons you really should be thinking of pitching your brand to them. According to Ink Travel Media:

  • 74% of people read a magazine on the plane
  • Travellers are 50% more engaged reading inflight that when on the ground
  • Travel media has the most affluent readership in the world
  • Inflight media is always inspiring and positive
  • Passenger numbers are growing year on year by 3 to 5%
  • Travel media reaches real people without being a digital distraction
  • All travel media is targeted

Tin Shingle Pumps You With Ideas To Pitch To Inflight Magazines

Tin Shingle provides editorial calendars for these magazines in our live private database. (Access to live lists are for Level 4 members of Tin Shingle only.) These calendars contain story ideas straight from the editor, that will be published in an upcoming issue. These give you a huge head start to tailor your pitch ideas and catch an editor's attention. These magazines are currently live in Tin Shingle's Database:

  • American Way (American Airlines)
  • Hemispheres (United Airlines)

These are soon to come: 

  • Sky Magazine (Delta Airlines)
  • Caribbean Beat (Caribbean Airlines)
  • Rhapsody (United)
  • KiaOra (Air New Zealand)
  • Open Skies (Emirates)
  • Wings (EuroWings Airline)
  • Southwest: The Magazine

We’re Talking About This In the Private Facebook Group Now!

Massive exposure definitely comes from airline magazines. The private community of Tin Shinglers is chatting about ideas now. To access this private community, Level 1 of membership is needed. We made our Community as accessible as possible, so it’s the entry point to getting deeper with your Tin Shingle membership.

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2018 Editorial Calendars Available in Tin Shingle's Database

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UPDATE: We have a list of over 80 current Editorial Calendars for print magazines that you can access instantly with an All Access Pass Membership to Tin Shingle.

As I type this blog post, it's November 2017, and already February 2018 deadlines for magazines are flying by. Because that's how magazines work: 3-6 months in advance. It's not enough to think ahead about what press coverage you want to try to get in the spring, or hope to get around Valentine's Day. You have to actually email the media (aka "pitch" the media) with these intentions months ahead of time. Think of articles as seeds. They start way early, often germinating in a warm seed container somewhere, before being taken outside to battle it out and survive the elements in the sun. Hence, why Tin Shingle guides you in this PR Planning, to help you know what themes print magazines are working on.

These Editorial Calendars are now active in Tin Shingle's live Editorial Calendar Database (you need to have an Level 4 Media Contacts All Access Pass of membership with Tin Shingle to see these). More are added and updated continuously. 

What are you going to see in these calendars?

Article ideas and deadlines. You're going to get a sense for what the big picture is for a monthly issue at a magazine - like "The Gear Issue" or "Most Powerful Women In Business" - and that will be your clue as to what might be the best time to pitch a magazine with your story angle. Will you have just one story angle? No. You'll have several.

How to Pitch a Magazine Using Its Editorial Calendar

You will spin a different story angle about your business that aligns with the them. Watch our online class about how to pitch the media using Editorial Calendars. Plus, the first week of every month, we dedicate our free online class to PR Planning for that month. You'll get a peek into magazines are working on right now, before their deadlines expire. Get on our mailing list for that free class alert, or activate a Level 3 Online Class membership to watch unlimited past online classes.

Tin Shingle Training in How to Pitch a Magazine Using it's Editorial Calendar

PS: Using Editorial Calendars isn't the only way to cold-pitch the media. This is only one of your strategies. Tin Shingle has several online classes to coach you through how to pitch the media randomly, out of the blue.

As of November 2017, here are the 2018 Editorial Calendars we have. Since this blog post, more have been added:

  1. Better Homes & Gardens
  2. Martha Stewart Living
  3. Martha Stewart Weddings
  4. Bella NYC
  5. Departures
  6. Brooklyn Magazine
  7. Car & Driver
  8. Bridal Guide
  9. Boston Magazine
  10. Boston Home
  11. Saveur
  12. Rachael Ray Every Day
  13. Allrecipes
  14. American Hunter
  15. House Beautiful
  16. Cross Country Skier
  17. Backcountry Magazine
  18. Advertising Age
  19. AARP The Magazine
  20. Pregnancy & Newborn
  21. Backpacker Magazine
  22. Shape
  23. Spirituality & Health
  24. Modern Luxury/Boston Common
  25. Boys' Life
  26. Family Circle
  27. Family Fun
  28. Girls' Life
  29. Traditional Home
  30. Veranda
  31. Atlanta Magazine
  32. New York Magazine
  33. Atlanta's Magazine Home
  34. HGTV Magazine
  35. Woman's Day
  36. Elle Decor
  37. Allure
  38. Better Nutrition
  39. Bloomberg Business
  40. Bon Appétit
  41. Bust
  42. Glamour
  43. BookForum
  44. Clean Eating
  45. More to come!

Inflight Magazines:
This is totally a secret strategy that you competition is most likely not using! Pitch the magazines that are in airplanes.

  1. Hemispheres
  2. American Way
  3. more have been added...we have a special section for these in the database

Sneak Peek Into Themes Planned For February and Beyond

Knowing what direction a magazine is planning to cover is a huge advantage! It allows you to curate ideas that will interest the editor and direct their attention towards your product, service, business, or expert advice. These are some upcoming themes to be printed in 2018.

  • A "GAL-entine’s" chocolate and flowers gathering + date night steakhouse-style
  • The Destination Issue.  The ultimate guide to unforgettable luxury experiences within the chosen destination.
  • Mother’s Day scents and candles + curated gift boxes for Mom
  • DIY IT: Do it or design it yourself. Instant upgrades to elevate your home, meals, and style.
  • Modern entertaining at a “grown-up summer camp” + beachy bashes
  • Girl boss beauty advice + thicker, fuller hair fast
  • 60-second de-stressors

All editorial themes are from editors themselves and are subject to change.

Editorial Calendars are available to level 4 members of Tin Shingle only. Upgrade your membership for instant access. Send in media contact or editorial calendar requests to member@tinshingle.com

TV Segment Looking For Gift Guide Product

ON AIR "TABLE TOP" EXPERT SEEKING THEMED PRODUCTS FOR MORNING NEWS SHOW SEGMENT - ACT FAST!

We have to keep most of the juicy details private - and available to Tin Shingle Members Only at Level 4, but here’s what we can share with you (upgrade or login for full contact details and pitching tips):

GOOD FOR PRODUCT BASED COMPANIES LOOKING TO BE IN GIFT GUIDES:

  • Gifts that chill you out and relax you for the holiday season
  • Gifts for your teacher that are not boring or office supplies
  • Gifts for pooches, cats, and the owners who love them
  • Everything a holiday hostess needs to throw an amazing party from food to decor

MENTION TIN SHINGLE FOR PRIORITY TREATMENT!

Deadline is soon and submissions are already rolling in!

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: NOW or FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2017

CONTACT DETAILS:

Email and further details are available to Level 4 Tin Shingle Members

Upgrade now if you haven't already!

So Many Creative Ways to Film a Mannequin Challenge

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Filling your Instagram feed with fresh ideas can be challenging at times, which is where Internet trends come in! Such as the currently trending rage, #MannequinChallenge, which is when people pose in interesting actions, and the camera floats between them, giving you a micro-glimpse into an emotion or experience within that setting.

When I saw my first Mannequin Challenge on Instagram, it was by accident, and I didn't know what I was watching, or why. The visual strength held my attention, and despite it looking freaky cool, I neglected to think about it as a marketer and its awesome powers of showing my business in a new light. Until Christa Page, co-founder of 50Roots.com, hosted a pop-up shop in our office and declared to me that she challenged herself to do a Mannequin Challenge during the shop's Happy Hour.

Of course! Brilliance! And she did a great job, in only one take! Look at all of those people in the shop!

The Effect of a Mannequin Challenge

The freeze frame style of action is immediately captivating. The eye can focus on people frozen in an action, without having to look everywhere in a video to see what people are doing and miss. The director(s) of the Mannequin Challenge can create the desired scene of how they wish their customers, clients, browsers, happy people, thoughtful people, whatever people are in their space. The poses immediately emit what your brand offers and stands for.

The Background of a Mannequin Challenge

The Internet credits several with the origin of the Mannequin Challenge, from Millennials (they get credited with everything!), to Zack Morris doing the original Mannequin Challenge from Saved By the Bell when he would yell "Timeout!" and the cast would freeze while he pondered something. My landlord, Deborah Bigelow of Gilded Twig,  a very wise woman who maybe has listened to every podcast ever, immediately connected the concept to a John Huston movie staring Stacy Keach in Fat City, in which Huston called for a freeze frame at the end of the movie. Keach discusses this tactic with Alec Baldwin during an interview on "Here's The Thing".

In Huston's freeze frame, the camera focuses on men at a gambling table, but it's really Keach's reaction to his surroundings that is the focus. For Zack Morris, the people around him may freeze in animated poses, but the focus is on Zack's monologue. The difference between the Mannequin Challenge that is happening now is that no one talks, the focus is on the frozen people, and the takeaway is on the action they are taking.

Just like with everything, the Collective Thought is at play here, and while the concept is not new, the application is unique to now.

How You Can Do A Mannequin Challenge!

Yes, you! You may think your brand is boring, or uneventful, or not fit for a Mannequin Challenge, but start thinking of what happens around you, and a scene will unfold that will be captivating!

Of course, you want to do this in order to get into the wildly popular hashtag #mannequinchallenge, but you also want to show what your brand is all about.

What Makes a Great Mannequin Challenge?

Let's dissect this for a moment. There seem to be a few rules, but being a business owner, you'll, of course, want to break or bend them:

  • Many People: The most interesting videos seem to have 5-20 people in them. If you don't have that many people in your office or shop, invite friends in for a Mannequin Challenge Day. Offer them wine. They will come.
  • Music: Right now, the "official" song that plays in the background is “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd. But...being a creative person, you may want to play your own jingle selection here, like Garuda Indonesia did on their Boeing 777-300ER plane.
  • Grand Poses and Plain Poses: What would people do naturally in your space? What do you wish they would do? This can include:
    • Dancing
    • Buying something
    • Looking at something, considering it
    • Dropping something!
    • Making a phone call
    • Hanging a picture
    • Moving a child away from your workspace
    • Answering the door
    • Talking to a co-worker in the hall
    • Serving someone their meal at a table

You can see the list is endless and very fun to start thinking about. The pose a person takes could be indicative of their personality and reflect what they love doing.

Examples of Mannequin Challenges

This is some of the most fun homework ever. There have been many types of videos, so take a look to get some ideas. Definitely hit up the #mannequinchallenge hashtag in Instagram to get loads of ideas.

50Roots.com in the Pop-Up Shop in A Little Beacon Blog's Space

Of course you have to watch the one in my office first :) Christa, co-owner of the shop is in the frame handing a shopping bag to a customer. The rest of the people are customers, families and friends.

Garuda Indonesia On The Plane

This video has a lot of poses in action, and really makes you feel like you A. want to fly, and B. want to fly first class. I'm a road-tripper, so am rarely on planes, but this makes flying look hassle-free. Plus, they went rougue with their music choice, and picked something closer to Enya:

ALS' "The Never Ending Mannequin Challenge"

AdWeek dubbed this Mannequin Challenge as the first branded challenge that was produced by an organization for promotional purposes. The video packs a powerful punch at the end, making it one that takes advantage of a light-hearted trend that many are involved with, and showing the definition of ALS in one frame. Pretty amazing.

Rae Sremmurd Dos His Own Mannequin Challenge

Rae Sremmurd made a Mannequin Challenge video to his song "Black Beetles", and of course broke a rule - the performers went into motion after a few moments of themselves - and their audience - being frozen. Pretty neat.

So...What kind of Mannequin Challenge are you going to create?

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