How To Avoid The Spam Folder
Sorry, PDFs
I know this is going to break a few PR hearts, but some of the best pitches I receive never actually make it to my inbox.
Instead, they end up in spam. Which, in PR terms, is basically a burial ground.
The worst part? I don’t even know they’re there. I check my spam folder occasionally, but realistically, it’s maybe once a month if I’m being generous. By the time I stumble upon your perfectly-crafted pitch, the trend is over, the event already happened, the product launched three weeks ago and every other outlet has beaten me to the story.
Nobody wins.
After years of dealing with this, I’ve noticed a common denominator: attachments. Press releases. Media alerts. Invitations. Fact sheets. PDFs. More often than not, the emails sitting in spam have something attached. And while those materials can be incredibly helpful, my inbox often decides they’re suspicious before I ever get the chance.
Even when attachments do make it through, there’s the issue of storage. My Gmail is constantly hanging on by a thread. Between PR pitches, interview transcripts, editorial drafts, contracts, invoice and the thousands of emails I probably should have deleted months ago, space is limited. Sometimes I end up deleting emails simply because I need the room. Is it ideal? Not at all. Is it reality? Unfortunately, yes.
So here’s my suggestion… don’t make the attachment do the heavy lifting.
If you have compelling data, put the key findings in bullets right in the email. If you’re launching a new fashion collection, link me to the lookbook. If you have a press release, pull out the most interesting details and paste them into the pitch itself. Give me the story without making me open another document.
Because at the end of the day, your email has one job — to convince me to care enough to take the next step. If the most important information is trapped inside an attachment I never open (or worse, never receive) you’ve made the process harder than it needs to be.
And in an inbox as crowded as mine, easier almost always wins.
On My Radar
eyebobs Square Off
If you know me, you know my glasses are basically part of my personality. I’m almost always wearing the same trusty wire frames, so when I decided to switch things up, it felt like a pretty big deal. Enter the eyebobs Square Off frames, which instantly changed my look without feeling too far outside my comfort zone. They’re bold in the best way, somehow making me feel equal parts editor, businesswoman and person-who-has-her-life-together (whether that’s actually true is another story). The compliments have been nonstop, and at this point, I find myself reaching for them over my old favorites more often than not.
Dr. Jart Cicapair Soothing Color Correcting Treatment
This little jar is pure magic, and I say that as someone who has tried more complexion products than I can count. If my apartment were on fire, this might be the beauty product I’d grab on the way out. I deal with a lot of redness and post-breakout marks, and this is the one product I always come back to. The green formula transforms into a beige tint as you blend it in, instantly neutralizing redness and evens everything out without the cake-y look of layered makeup. On days when my skin is acting up, this is the difference between me wanting to hide and me confidently walking out the door.
Silver Jeans Co. High Rise Slim Barrel Leg Jeans
I am incredibly picky about jeans. They’re either too stiff, too tight, too short (5’10” problems), too uncomfortable or somehow all of the above. But these? These earned a permanent spot in my closet almost immediately. They have that perfect relaxed barrel-leg shape that feels current without veering into trend-overload territory, and the high-rise fit is incredibly flattering. They’re structured enough to make me feel put-together, but comfortable enough that I can actually wear them all day without counting down the minutes until I change into sweatpants. I’ve been throwing them on with everything from simple tanks to oversized button-downs, and somehow they always work.
Story SOS
I’m officially in my pitch me your best ideas era and am very much open for business. Right now, I’m especially looking for…
First-person beauty stories (the weirder, trendier, or more intriguing, the better)
Home content around design mistakes, organizing hacks, decluttering rules and nostalgic trends making a comeback
Fashion stories tied to emerging trends, colors, and silhouettes (Think capri pants, chocolate brown everything, unexpected accessories and the internet’s latest obsessions)
Anything else you got! If it’s a fresh angle that makes people say, “Wait, tell me more,” send it my way.
Quick reminder: when pitching, email me at alyssa.rotunno@gmail.com. Please don’t just hit reply to this newsletter, or your message might get lost.
Catch a Byline
Your go-to update for everything I’ve got out in the world. I’m just as in-the-dark as you on publish dates, so check out this week’s latest and see if the story has officially gone live:
Parade: Stylist Says This ‘Invisible Layers’ Haircut Makes Fine Hair Look Twice as Thick
The Everygirl: Don’t Freak Out, But Capris are Trending—Here’s How to Style Them in 2026
The Everygirl: ‘Matcha Nails’ Are Trending—And It’s About to Be the Shade of Summer
The Everygirl: 15 Whimsy Date Ideas That Feel Effortlessly Fun and Romantic
HuffPost: Women Haven’t Given Up On Love — But They Are Rejecting This Old Expectation
Want a Consultation?
Want real, no-fluff advice on how to make your brand actually stand out? Or, are you a writer trying to break through in the industry? Either way, I got you.
I can hop on Zoom, a call or swing by in person for a Q&A to answer all your pressing questions about pitching, events, mailers, trips, follow-ups and more—basically, anything you’ve been wondering about, all from a blended PR + media POV that actually makes sense.
We can switch it up however your team wants. Most calls are virtual, but I am always happy to chat over a cappuccino—because why not?
Hit me up at alyssa.rotunno@gmail.com and let’s make it happen.