Valley PR Blog

Pitch Me: Susan Lanier-Graham

By Charlotte Shaff on July 28th, 2008 In ValleySource

Name:    Susan Lanier-Graham
Title:     Editorial Director / Freelance Luxury Travel Journalist
Outlet:   Editorial Director for Stone Reviews Arizona / Freelance for Regional and National Publications
Phone:     480-236-2770
Email   

1. What do you do? Stone Reviews Arizona is exactly that – we review 12 restaurants, 1 spa, 1 hotel and 1 entertainment venue for each bimonthly issue. We are seeking both editorial copy and advertising copy. One thing we DO want to make clear is that this is NOT a publication that only features restaurants, etc. that advertise. This is an editorial magazine designed to help both residents of and visitors to Arizona. As Editorial Director, I assign all reviews (these are 175-200 words with at least one large, full color glossy photo), I set the editorial schedule and I coordinate with the publisher, the sales staff, and the graphic designer. As a freelance writer, I specialize in luxury destinations, hotels, spas, restaurants and those articles, which I sell to both regional and national publications, are most often full-length features of 1000-2000 words.

2. What kinds of stories are you looking for?   For Stone Reviews, we want mid- to high-end businesses that will be of interest to an affluent, educated and social audience. Our demographic includes both men and women, ages 25-65 who dine out, travel, pamper themselves and enjoy theatre on a regular basis. All of these are in Arizona. As far as my freelance work, I look for similar stories, but outside the state as well as things within Arizona. Anything that appeals to that demographic. I deal almost exclusively with affluent readers in both of my positions. I can also place items about “things” that appeal to an affluent market (nice pens, travel gadgets, etc)

3. What’s the best way to approach you with a pitch?  Emails are best. I hate phone calls unless I have a question. If paper press kits are available, with graphics, I like to receive those (36148 W Vera Cruz Dr, Maricopa, AZ 85238).

4. What recommendations do you have for PR professionals?  Please have high resolution graphics available. That is the number one issue we face — graphics are a HUGE part of today’s publishing world because things are so visually driven. Don’t flood me with press releases, but make them count. Give me something more than 30 days out. When I get a release on October 1st for a Halloween bash, it’s too late to run it. In fact, if I get a press release about summer drinks and promos in June, it’s too late for me. If you represent a company that offers an item, it’s nice to actually SEE the item, whether graphically or by actually receiving the item. Photos are okay if they are true representations of the items.

5. What’s the strangest/weirdest pitch you’ve ever received? Oh that’s easy. I received information on some items for traveling with children. The press release made them sound intriguing and I thought they’d fit nicely with an article. I never received one of the items. The other item was what the designer ended up calling a “pee-pee bottle”. I received two bottles, both regular sport bottles, but in pink and blue with “pee-pee cup” imprinted in big letters on the side of the bottle. They’d be a perfect size for water while exercising, but I’d never use something with that on the side. Besides that, why would a parent want one? You pull over to the side of the road and let the children do their thing. I can’t imagine why a PR rep would take on a product like that.

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