Howzit, you wildly successful travelpreneur!
We’ve recently returned from our second trip to the Cape Winelands where we stayed at the beautiful Grande Roche Hotel in Paarl (see #sponsor section below for a link to their site). Besides being an absolutely gorgeous property, the food was divine; especially the High Tea.
Where have you traveled to recently?
So, our topic for this week is the 5-step process I use to get my travel (and any other niche) stories published in magazines and online publications.
Although these 5 steps are rather simple and purposefully repeatable, you do need to do some prep work to see success. That’s the whole reason why I systematically guide my students through the preparation steps first. If you don’t follow the right steps, you’re going to struggle.
So, as you move forward with travel writing I want you to remember that there are 5 important steps to the pitching process and if you're having any trouble, it’s likely that you may be missing a step.
5 Steps for Pitching Success:
Develop a unique story idea - I’m going to tell you something now that may seem obvious but most people forget when it’s time to pitch… The destination is NOT the story! You need to come up with an interesting angle for a travel story, not just write about your trip to Paris.
Research the market - once you have a story in mind it's time to research publications and find those that are suitable for your idea. And if you don’t know how to research publications, the answer is simple: read the magazine/publication.
Create a query letter - now is the time to write your powerful pitch or query letter customized for the story idea and publication you're pitching. Making sure that both your story idea and the pitch is aligned with the publication increases your chances of success.
Pitch publications in batches - whether you send 2 every day of the week or 10 each Monday, you need to be pitching frequently. I suggest sending at least 10 pitches to publications a week; especially when you're starting out. In the Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs membership monthly pitching challenges, participants commit to sending at least 10 - 25 pitches during the month.
Repeat this process - in order to send 10 - 25 pitches one week each month, you need to be repeating this process each month. The more pitches you send when starting out the better as you're more likely to get a piece accepted and get published. The more content you have published the easier it will be when pitching editors and brands in the future.
There you go! My quick and easy 5-step process for getting your travel content published.
If you need more guidance or want some accountability to take action and actually send those pitches, then join us in the exclusive Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs membership.
And don’t forget…
The 5-Day Email List Building Challenge for Travel Bloggers starts Monday 29 August. Sign up and make your way onto the private community platform (there is a short onboarding process) for lots of fun extras leading up to the challenge.
The Good Stuff 🔥
#sponsor
Nestled at the foot of the magnificent Paarl Rock is a small, luxury hotel unlike any other. Where the atmosphere of a bygone era brings a sense of gracious, unhurried living. The Grande Roche Hotel is a celebrated historical monument turned 5-star hotel boasting beautiful gardens and innovative cuisine in the Manor House of the Grande Roche Estate. The year 2022 marks three decades after opening as a luxury country hotel. In celebration, the Grande Roche Hotel is offering two accommodation packages valid for the months of August, September, and October.
Freebies 🆓
👉 Epic Experts Gifts Giveaway!
👉 Fall Blogger Bundle Giveaway!
👉 Back-to-School Business Boost Bundle!
Paid & Sponsored Opportunities 🤑
👉 Have experience with Burning Man? Dan from SFGate is looking for a freelance writer with unique pitches on cultural phenomenons at the festival and just generally really cool stuff (not looking for diaries/personal essays). Pay $200-400. Check out his Tweet and send him your pitch.
👉 Abi from Canadian Geographic is looking for short feature stories for the Discovery Place section (600 - 800 words) of the magazine. Stories all about Canada. Read the guidelines here. Check out her Tweet for more info.
👉 Evolve | (Paid, Remote, Part-time) - Hiring an Editorial/Content SEO specialist makes renting vacation homes easier.
👉 Surfside Beach, SC Hotel. Looking for any summer SE beach travel stories? We would love to introduce you to a hotel property located just steps away from the sparkling South Carolina coastline. The Holiday Inn Oceanfront at Surfside Beach, South Carolina is open to hosting media. Contact Mary at Butin PR via maryeva@butinpr.com
👉 Capture the stunning landscapes and culture of Scotland this autumn! Visit stunning Scotland on an all-expenses-paid trip this fall! About the trip: Are you a UK resident passionate about discovering jaw-dropping landscapes, immersing yourself in regional culture, and capturing it all on video?
*Remember if you want first access to these leads, call-outs, and opportunities as well as the ones I don’t share in the newsletter, plus exclusive guides, templates, resources, and pitching sprints, you can join the Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs membership!
Tools for Travelpreneurs 🛠️
👉 Need to receive payment in different currencies? Check out Wise! It’s the best way to get paid in multiple currencies. Wise makes it easy to receive funds into your local bank account from international clients, global sales, or affiliate marketing platforms. Plus, the transfer fees are a lot lower than other options such as PayPal. This has been a lifesaver for my business lately as it’s tough getting international payments in South Africa.
Interesting Reads... 📰
👉 Check out Refind. Every day Refind picks 7 links from around the web for you, tailored to your interests. Loved by 50k+ curious minds.
👉 Remote work and travel: things are changing. Has remote work changed the travel landscape?
Bonus Content 🤩
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Creator Shout-Out 📣
Looking for a magical website? The Website Fae is all about magic and mystique. Chantelle’s mission is to help creatives and mystical business owners in creating a cohesive brand and a magical website that resonates with them and their clients.
💌 Have something you’d like to promote to 2020+ Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs readers? Purchase ad or sponsorships space. Learn more here!
Until next week…
With love,
Daniella
PS. If you want to become a travelpreneur, here are 4 ways I can help you:
✈️ Grab one of my FREE courses, books, or templates for travel bloggers: https://payhip.com/OurSoulfulT...
🌎 Join the Wildly Successful Travelpreneurs membership for only $9/month and direct access to ask me anything + exclusive opportunities, resources, templates, guides & pitching sprints.
✨ Work with me privately to make your travelpreneur dreams come true: https://payhip.com/b/wXeEV