Today's TuneUp: Special Guest! Traditional Home Magazine Publisher, Beth McDonough, Gives Her Insights

Former Traditional Home publisher Beth McDonough prepares for today’s TuneUp with Tin Shingle’s owner, Katie.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

In Tin Shingle's exclusive monthly TuneUp series, "What To Pitch The Media This Month," we zero in on what you should be focusing on right now for your PR and Social Media campaign planning. This is especially important for those of you who want to get featured in national magazines. We will cover what you could be pitching for:

• Magazines (in print) (story ideas relevant for 6 months from now)

• Blogs / Podcasts (story ideas relevant for 1 week to 2 months out)

• TV (story ideas relevant for 1 week to 2 months outt

• NEW! Seasonal (photo shoots dependent upon weather)

BONUS! We are having a Special Guest in for this TuneUp! The former publisher of the magazine Traditional Home, Beth McDonough, will give us a Pop-Up Publisher Exclusive view of what magazines are working on now.

Sneak peek of what she'll be telling us: "Most of the national books (aka magazines) will be focusing on finishing up their Holiday issues and turning their attention to next year. Think about seasonal stories for 2020 (yes a year out) for titles that will be looking for Holiday themes that they will need when the weather is cooperative."

Want to learn more about what she means? Join us live on today's broadcast!

If you can't make it to this free broadcast, Tin Shingle Members get 24/7 access to watch any TuneUp whenever they want. Activate your Tin Shingle membership today to get access!

New Editorial Calendars, Featuring African American Publications

In this update to Tin Shingle’s exclusive Editorial Calendar Collection, we have added new publications (new to our collection, but established in the publishing world!) catering to the African American audience.

Keep in mind, these are only Editorial Calendars. There are more media ideas for you to pitch to in Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library. We have devoted a research project to #blackmedia to make sure we have the publications (digital and print) that people have been loving and have made big impacts on their lives. In our Media Contact Library, you can search by “Black Media” or “African American” for instance, and get search results of people who work for publications who identify with that niche.

About Our Editorial Calendar Collection

For all of our Editorial Calendars, we either get them from the magazine for the upcoming year, or if it hasn’t been released yet (but they still know the themes), we do our scientific study of researching the past 2 years of what that magazine published. If we see consistency in the broad theme, then we make a prediction. For example, if Essence Magazine did “Women In Business” in October for the past 2 years, then we predict that to be the broad theme again for 2020.

However, the utmost important tool you have access to is the publication and submission date through 2020. You are able to determine where a magazine is in their production cycle so you can pitch them a timely story angle. There are SO MANY ideas you can pitch. Knowing the broad theme is helpful, but not the most important aspect to your pitching. Think big! Think broadly!

African-American Career World Magazine

African-American Career World Magazine is the career link between African American students, graduate students, and professionals and the employers seeking to hire them.  Featuring career strategies, industry trends and role model profiles that aim to inspire the African American community.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR PLANNING FOR NOW: Black History Month, Healthcare, Government, Military

Black Enterprise

Since 1970, Black Enterprise has been the premiere source of business information and advice to African American professionals and entrepreneurs. They seek to empower their audience to take control of their wealth and success.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR PLANNING FOR NOW: You’ll have the publication dates, which is key because this magazine works on articles months in advance. Knowing these dates is how you will pitch really timely story ideas that can work for most any broad theme.

The African American Golfer’s Digest

The African American Golfer’s Digest, launched in 2003, is the nation’s leading publication for avid Black American golfers. It is unique in that it is a 100% minority and woman owned and operated business, and the only golf magazine specifically for the African American demographic. Available by subscription only and independently published, it is an integral guide that features activities enjoyed by golfers including tournaments, book reviews, celebrity news, fundraisers, traveling, competition and healthy living.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR PLANNING FOR NOW:  Finance

These Are Only A Small Sampling Of Editorial Calendar Themes!

Many more editorial calendar ideas are in Tin Shingle’s Editorial Calendar Collection. These are a small sampling, highlighted for you to see what you need to dive into.

Members of Tin Shingle at the All Access Level of Membership have instant access to ALL of our editorial calendars. We currently have the editorial calendars from over 100 publications for 2019! All searchable by Title and Area of Interest! Browse through and let your inspiration take hold!

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

Send in media contact or editorial calendar requests to member@tinshingle.com

Happy Money Monday! The Power Of Growth

Happy Money Monday!

This Money Monday Message is dedicated to the primary caregivers in the house - the moms and dads whose businesses took a hit (or let's be honest - a nosedive) when the first kid came along. Your income may have tanked, or you may have done your best to maintain the status quo, and stay afloat - doing the day to day to keep those numbers the same.

Keep Looking At Those QuickBooks Reports

As you grow your kid-legs (aka sea legs), things get easier. Because you have less time to f*around making excuses for bad client behavior or lack of pitching for new business, you begin to tighten things up in your business department (or you threw in the towel completely, but since you're a reader of Tin Shingle, you're probably back in the game - YAY YOU!).

Look at your Gross year over year. If you take a salary, look at that year over year. If the number is low, that might be depressing to you. If that number has stayed the same, you have some work to do.

If That Number Has Grown...

But if that number has grown...if you took a salary of $6,000 one year, and $24,000 the next year, well that's some pretty impressive growth right there. While $24,000 in and of itself is far from the 6-digit number you’re going for, you can look at your percentage of growth and know that if you grew the business that much, you can spread your wings and do more.

PS: QuickBooks Has Helped With This Salary Growth

While this is not a sponsorship by QuickBooks (though we are channeling a partnership and do want them in our scheduled sponsor content for you), using QuickBook's Payroll at the full level has helped enormously with the cutting of payroll checks. The first payroll company we used was an old-school company that charged a big fee just to have it, plus a $45 fee to cut a check, and then a $99 fee to cut a check, and then a big old $157 fee for not cutting any checks at all during a quarter.

Having payroll even for just 1 employee has been helpful for avoiding incorrectly estimating taxes. But the favorite part is how easy it is to cut a payroll check any day of the week - even if it is sooner than the regular payday. If you need money now from your business, you don’t need to call 1-800-CASH-NOW, you can just cut a payroll check and have the money go where it needs to for taxes.

How can you not pay yourself as a business owner? Well, as a business owner, you may have another job, a supporting spouse, gifts allotted to you, dividend income, who knows. This has been written about before on Tin Shingle, the Crutch Syndrome, and you should go re-read it if you need a mindset shift in growing profitability in your business.

Meanwhile, have a great Money Monday, and go shake those money trees!

Next TuneUp: It's Time. Gift Guide Pitching.

37 Ways To Pitch A Holiday Gift Guide

When: Wednesday, July 24,2019
Time: 12pm EST
Where: At your computer or on your phone.
Price: Free for all during this live broadcast.

You may have discovered Tin Shingle back when you were Googling "how to get my product featured in a gift guide in a magazine." And you may have done that Google search in the fall. Because you were feeling holiday-ish!
But as you discovered, the Holiday Gift Guide issues were all closed. Sad Face.
That's because the editors were putting together the Holiday magazines now - in July! This is your time! This is your chance!

This TuneUp is going to tell you:

• How To Pitch: 37 Different Ideas

• How To Pitch: That First Email - What To Include In The Pitch

• How To Followup After You Pitch

• What You Need In Place If They Reply

Join Katie live at 12pm EST to get ideas for your PR outreach. This Live version of the Training TuneUp is free for all to listen/watch. It is recorded and added to the list of TuneUps that Tin Shingle Members can stream at anytime.

Just Added Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library: allbodies.com

Just added to Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library: allbodies. (formerly Cycles + Sex). An expansive digital outlet for reproductive and sexual health. Great writers are attached. You’ll begin finding which ones in Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library, for ideas on who to pitch as you get the word out about your business. Allbodies. Also sells product, from bleeding and cycles to hormone health to sex and pleasure. Wow.

If you don’t know how to pitch the media, Tin Shingle has the platform for that. Our self-Guided DIY videos (called TuneUps) will open your mind and guide you in the best ways to email someone at a magazine or newspaper in a way that works for their brain to feature your business to their readers. The most natural and organic win win.

How Halima Aden's Cover Photo In A Hijab And Burkini For Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Changes The Game

Back in April of 2019, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, for the first time in its 55-year history, published a model dressed in a hijab and burkini onto its cover. The Somali-American model, Halima Aden, was born in Kenya and lived at the Kakuma Refugee Camp until until she was 7 years old before moving to the United States, according to an article in Harper’s Bazaar. The photo shoot for this cover was shot in Kenya.

Says Halima of this milestone moment in her Instagram: "Don’t change yourself… Change the GAME!! Ladies anything is possible!!! Being in Sports Illustrated is so much bigger than me. It’s sending a message to my community and the world that women of all different backgrounds, looks, upbringings...can stand together and be celebrated."

What Does This Mean For Your Media Coverage?

From a media perspective, this cover photo and fashion spread creates conversation opportunities that can be timely at almost any time for you to create reasons to catch the media’s attention to feature your business. This is referred to as “piggybacking on a trend story” and is an easy trick to thinking up story angles that will catch the attention of a writer, editor or producer. For more on how to piggyback a trend story, see our TuneUp educational series for videos about it.

Examples Of Story Angles Around Halima Aden’s Cover Photo

Story angles will vary based on what your business is. Remember, you have permission to think up a reason for someone in the media to feature you’re business, and you’re doing it via this side-door way. This approach isn’t a “Hey! Feature my business because it’s awesome!”

No no - it’s the approach that is more like: “Hey - about that burkini fashion statement…Did you know that XY and Z…” You’re pitch is not going to sound that casual, but you get the drift. You are the expert. If for some reason this moment in history relates to something in your business - either a product you sell or a philosophy you put out as to what your business stands for - then attempting to attach your brand to this moment is worth the pitch to the media.

Take a look at the photo spread below from Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, and see a list of editorial ideas for directions you can go in when thinking up your pitch:

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Story Angles

One way to get a neat story angle idea is to read through the Comments in articles or social media posts about this milestone moment. Reading the comments can be painful if they are from stone-throwers who are uneducated, spiteful, stubborn, or just reactionary. But, they give you an idea of where some people’s heads are at, and a story angle will present itself.

• Where Did The Burkini Come From? Answer: An Australian designer, Aheda Zanetti, born in Lebanon who moved to Australia when she was 2, designed the burkini for Australian beaches after she watched her young niece play her first game of netball with her school, wearing a team uniform over more traditional Islamic attire. According to an interview with the Washington Post, Zanetti said: “When I looked at her, she looked like a tomato," Zanetti says. "I wanted to make sure we blended in with the Australian lifestyle."

• Making Up Words (fun with trademarks, for all the attorneys in the house): Zanetti trademarked the word “burkini” and tried to protect it as its popularity grew all over the world. Fortunately or unfortunately for her, the word became like “kleenex” and instead of being traced back to her brand, became a universal word describing a style. Zanetti made up other words too, including “hijood”. According to that Washington Post article, an hijood is “a portmanteau of hijab and hood. It was a breathable and easy-to-put-on garment that would cover the head and allow modest Muslim women to play sports easily.”

• Is The Burkini New? Not Really! Take a trip back to North America during the 1800-1900s where women waded into the water in full dresses and shoes, which got modified over the years as women moved around more in the water, and needed less fabric to weigh them down.

• How Is Fashion Formed Through Need? As with North American white women during the 1800-1900s, traditional swimwear designed for modesty and complete sun protection to preserve whiteness was modified as women desired more movement in the water.

• Is Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Catering To Women Now? Known for objectifying women in barely-there bathing suits, some men in comments felt put out and put upon by seeing a women completely covered. As you can see from the photo shoot above, the designs of the burkini are beautiful, are a celebration of fabric and color, and show the body in a different way. Is a body more exciting because it is fully exposed? Or because it has a combination of tight black with puffs of fabric? Total skin is sort of boring!

• North American Fashion Is Heading Towards Full Coverage For Sun Protection Anyway: Look at the bathing suits for surfers or kids, and you’ll see lots of tops that are full sleeves. The bottoms are growing longer also as parents go to growing lengths to protect the as yet un-scorched skin of their children.

• Designer Treatment Of Full Coverage Bathing Suits: Look at the designers in this spread at Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, including Cynthia Rowley and No Ka'Oi.

So many ideas.

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How To Use Tin Shingle To Help You Pitch

So you have these ideas. Who do you pitch them to? This is where Tin Shingle’s Media Contact Library comes in really handy. You log into our PR Center, and head over to the Media Contact Library. You can search through the thousands of people we track in that database, and you’d start by putting in some Areas of Interest. Like:

• “Women’s Interest” (you’d find names like Adam Glassman Creative Director at O, The Oprah Magazine, or Alenna Greco, a former Assistant Editor at Glamour who is now a freelance Editor rock star for Cosmopolitan Magazine.

• “Designer Fashion” (you’d find Alexandra Michler, former Editor at Vogue and now Director of Fashion Development at Vogue).

So many more directions you could pursue in our Media Contact Library. Next step is to write just the right pitch for that person you found. You won’t be writing the exact same pitch to different editors. While that feels efficient, if often gets you crickets (aka silence and no responses). You’ll want to tailor this pitch to the right person. Tin Shingle’s Pitch Whisperer Community Support Group can help. Share your draft with us first in our safe space Community, and get feedback before you send!

All of this is included in Tin Shingle’s Membership Program. Check it out and get cranking on those pitches to get the word out about your business.

All About Animals! Editorial Calendars

National Wildlife Magazine

The flagship publication of the National Wildlife Federation, their readers are passionate about nature and wildlife. They are enthusiastic about the great outdoors, love to travel, and appreciate nature whether in their own backyards or beyond. As conservation activists, they are committed to preserving the planet through eco-responsible lifestyles. With a combined digital and magazine audience of nearly 6 million, they dedicate themselves to ensure the conservation of wildlife in a rapidly changing world.

Screenshot from the National Wildlife Federation.

Editorial Calendar Alert

NWF is currently working on their winter and early spring stories. Keep consistent with the season, and check out the current issue for ideas . Here are a few recent articles to inspire you.

River Otters, Chickadees, & Butterflies, Oh My!: Seattle Wildlife in the City Week

DIY Buzzworthy Mason Bee Condos

Wildlife Garden Inspiration

Birds & Blooms

As the number one bird & garden magazine in America, Birds & Blooms encourages outdoor enthusiasts to celebrate the beauty of nature in their own backyards. With an audience of over 5 million, they inspire bird and garden enthusiasts with DIY ideas, gardening, building the ultimate bird feeder and more.

Screenshot from Birds & Blooms

Editorial Calendar Alert

Birds & Blooms is currently accepting submissions for their early spring issue! Take note of the types of articles they feature and get cracking!

Easy-to-Make Ice Ornaments

DIY Seed Packet Letters

All Animals

The award winning magazine of the Humane Society of the United States is packed with stories of how the generous donations to their cause has helped animals. The latest progress in the fight for all animals is in every issue, as well as featured profiles, pet care tips, heartwarming animal rescue stories, and more. 

Screenshot from the Humane Society of the United States

Editorial Calendar Alert

Though the topics are unavailable for their next available issue, here are some of the type of articles that All Animals features.

Eating for Tomorrow

Dog Days - 15 Ways Kids can Help Animals This Summer

HealthyPet

Reaching nearly 1 million pet households, HealthyPet is an educational magazine by veterinarians specifically for pet owners. They promote responsible pet ownership by offering content focused on pet healthcare, lifestyle, behavior, safety and medical care, reinforcing the veterinarian’s position as the primary source for information on healthcare.

Screenshot from Healthy Pet

Editorial Calendar Alert

Though the topics are not made available, each HealthyPet issue includes:

• Seasonal topics (preventive care, summer safety & parasite prevention, senior wellness, dental health) 
• In-depth articles on diet & nutrition, fitness, and specific diseases/conditions 
• Pet behavior advice from experts 
• Tips to help keep pets safer and happier 
• Questions/suggestions for readers to follow up with their veterinarians 

Some articles featured:

3 Senior Dog Athletes who Defy the Limits

Help Your Overweight Cat Lose Extra Pounds

Love Your Pet But Not the Mess? A Guide to Keeping Your Home Clean

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

Join us! www.tinshingle.com/editorial-calendars

This Fresh Mayoral Candidate Is Campaigning Well With Newsletters In Her Voice

You know who’s doing a great job running for mayor? This girl!! Bianca Motley Broom. Down in College Park, GA. She is sending newsletters. To her people. Explaining her passion, her drive, and her desire to connect people around issues that involve them. Her newsletters include mention of her background, that she was a mediator, so connecting people is important to her. She introduces a concept she wants to use if she wins - Participatory Budgeting. 

Bianca created an Instagram account dedicated to her campaign, and a website. On it, she’s sharing what issues are important to her, like Wellness Wednesday Yoga In The Park, Coffee with Bianca, City Services such as trash pickup and bagless lead pickup, soul food, outdoor music, and more. 

How do we know Bianca? I went to school with her, played high school basketball with her, and shared a Senior Project with our coach, a County Prosecutor. We even shared an afternoon in an autopsy room, and a shooting gallery. Bianca has my vote! 

Registration Open For Tin Shingle’s Social Media Challenge TuneUp

The new Tin Shingle Members-Only TuneUp is Open for Registration. This one is dedicated as the Social Media Challenge. Experts and Newbies are encouraged to come. Everyone can use a fresh set of eyes and ideas. Newbies will benefit from encouragement to put themselves out there and go beyond the fear of what happens when you do.

Recommended Tin Shingle Tool to use is our exclusive 2019/2020 Content Planner. We will be plotting ahead for which posts you are going to do when, and why.

Details for signup are here! See you soon.

Getting The Scoop On Big Print Publications From A Print Veteran Publisher

Had the privilege of meeting a real life magazine publisher, Beth McDonough, formerly with the designer favorite magazine, Traditional Home. We talked shop, which for me is giddy because I’m just a babe in the magazine world. Actually I’m not even in the magazine world, as I’m a veteran of digital. As a blogger, I knew how to out-rank web pages of glossy magazines. Thanks to their overly tight controls of how they tried to keep users on their websites, I understood how Google worked, and why Google wanted the more links off the page as possible - a signal of a truly helpful web page.

Today, as corporate print magazines reduce their print schedules, and require consumers to go to the store to pick up from the shelf, I’m still mind boggled as to why that is a good idea. Sounds like veteran print magazine extremely talented editorial staff also don’t see it as a good idea. And the profit sheets of these big corporate publication mergers also don’t see it as a good idea.

Thoughtfulness of a good reading and connecting experience is not factored into the big picture strategies coming from the C Suite, and as readers, we can tell. I’m so lucky to live in the same place as this veteran publisher, and that I could speak to her in real life at one of our local cafes, Ella’s Bellas. Print lives. Advertisers do want to see their branding in print. I am more hopeful than ever at the rise of niche media like mine here at Tin Shingle and at A Little Beacon Blog. The independent publications are going to do well if they know how to bottle this Advertiser enthusiasm.