Tips For Sending Your HARO Pitches
Remember that there will be many others responding to each query. So it’s important to stand out from the rest.
Here are some tips to get the most out of HARO.
Use the person’s name – If you see a name in the query, personalize your response by saying “Hey Harry” or whatever their name is. People’s favorite word is their own name – so use it!
Craft a good subject line – Don’t just say, here’s your answer or something generic like that. Try to include the question in the subject line. The key is to have your email stand out. Remember you are dealing with a real person!
Ensure your social media accounts are set up – Often, you will be asked to provide a Linkedin profile, so make sure to set one up. You should also have Twitter and Facebook accounts for your business that you can use in your signature.
End your pitch with all your relevant info – You will usually be asked to provide your name, title, social media, and sometimes a headshot. It’s a good idea to include all this info at the end. This makes it easy for the author to get your info and they might even include links to your socials along with your website. That means more links!
Here is a good format to follow:
Get a headshot – Sometimes you will be asked to provide a headshot. If your pitch gets published, your headshot will be included in the article. Keep this in mind. Not all queries require a headshot, but your chances of getting more publications improve if you have one.
Read the query carefully – Some queries may have more than one question. Ensure that you answer ALL questions. To make it easy for the writer, create subheadings within your response and include the questions followed by your answer.
Opening sentence – Introduce yourself and let the reader know why you are qualified to answer their question. If you skip this step, your pitch will likely be ignored and sent to the bin.
Crafting your answer – Remember, you need to provide an answer based on your personal experience. The reporter can get general information online, he or she doesn’t need you for that. So be original and give your own two cents about what you think about the topic.
Connect with the reporter – You are dealing with a real person, so don’t provide a robotic response. Include things like “feel free to reach out for anything else” or, “have a great weekend” or anything that makes it sound friendly and not stuffy.
Stay within the required word count – Some pitches are expected to be within a certain word count, like anywhere from 100 to 300 words. Some even less. Make sure that you stay within these limits or your pitch could be ignored.
Check everything before you send – Check your grammar and spelling. Make sure your response is the best you can do. Don’t include fluff. Make sure your answer is succinct, personalized and to the point. Once you’re confident – hit send!
This content was originally published here.