- Reporter in Buffalo “gearing up” for a story.
One of my favorite daily e-mails comes from HARO (Help a Reporter Out.) The site and concept was conceived by social media guru Peter Shankman. As a simple explanation HARO is a clearing house where reporters and journalists can reach out to each other for the common good.
As a Fire Department you can pitch over 29,000 journalists about a story that you are looking to gain media attention for. From the reporters standpoint they can offer their own pitches to folks with an expertise they seek for quotes, information or a full feature story. For example if a journalist is doing a story on college dormitory fire safety they will place it on HARO looking for expertise. If your department services college dormitories you can connect with that reporter to help them work on the story.
HARO is a mutually beneficial win-win.
Here’s a look at how the slightly offbeat Shankman will lay down the law in his first e-mail to you! –
First off, a little history. HARO was originally created as a Facebook
group; it’s grown like mad, and now it’s a social media company with
over 100,000 members. Oh, yeah, and it’s free. But you knew that
already, right?
We have FIVE SIMPLE RULES of HARO:
http://helpareporter.com/the-five-rules-of-haro/.
READ THEM, and we won’t have any problems, ok?
You’ll get three or so emails a day from us, all with reporters looking
for sources.
What’s really great? In just a couple of months, you’ll actually be able
to sign up for HAROs by specific area of interest and expertise. As soon
as some new improvements are made to HARO; we’ll be in touch via email
with easy-to-follow instructions that will help respond to queries in
the industry category/ies where your expertise is put to best use, and
to receive only the category HAROs of interest to you.
Oh, and even better? We’re creating an area where reporters will be able
to post their finished stories so you can see whether or not you’ve been
quoted in a piece from a query you pitched! And, if you’re really good,
reporters may even post a few pitching tips that will help improve your
pitches and your chances of being quoted in their next story. How cool
is THAT?
Anyway, for now – the Master HAROs that you’ll receive are going to be
formatted like this:
A paragraph or two of me ranting about something funny.
Query Title
Query Title
Etc
**********************
____________________
Query
____________________
Query
____________________
Etc.
That’s it. It’s amazingly simple.
Oh, and no SPAM from us to you, EVER. There. That’s our privacy policy.
Now that you love us even more, wanna do us a favor? Give your PR
buddies this link: www.helpareporter.com, and give your
reporter/editor/journalism buddies this link:
www.helpareporter.com/press – we’d really like your help growing this
list.
Next, here’s how to contact us:
Feedback, ideas on how we might better serve you, kudos:
feedback@helpareporter.com
On Twitter, we’re at http://twitter.com/helpareporter . Follow us!
Just so you know, URGENT HAROs go out on Twitter all the time. That’s
one of the main reasons you should follow us there. The other? Because
we tweet cool stuff all the time.
On Facebook, join our Fan page at http://www.facebook.com/HelpAReporter.
There you can read great stories from sources and sponsors who have been
quoted in the media or who have sold their products and services
directly off those little HARO ads you see at the top of every HARO. You
can post your own success stories there too. It’s awesome!
And, if you want to sponsor a HARO because we have the most amazing open
rates in direct email; give us a shout at advertise@helpareporter.com.
Finally, if you need help with something (you’re not getting your HAROs;
you thought you signed up, but maybe changed your email address and
forgot, etc.) email us at support@helpareporter.com. Seriously, missing
a HARO could mean missing a media or promotional opportunity of a
lifetime. No kidding.
Again, thanks for joining the HARO family. Now go help a reporter out,
would ya?
Blue skies, jeff.bressler@smithtownfiredepartment.org!
Peter Shankman
Founder & CEO, HARO
__________
Copyright 2010 Peter Shankman. All Rights Reserved.
601 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019, USA
I have been using Shankman’s HARO since its inception in 2008. It has grown from a simple e-mail list to an attractive website with links to Facebook and over 16,000 Twitter followers.
I have hooked up with a few reporters over the last couple of years.
A great free source to place in your PIO media tool box.
If you have had any success with HARO, please share.
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