Adventures In Freelancing

As freelancers, we're so lucky to have so many resources at our disposal today. To write an interesting and salable story, it's imperative to include first-hand expert and anecdotal information. These kinds of sources are readily available to us by just sitting down at our computers. I've "met" so many fascinating people online through social media like Twitter and Facebook. Through these relationships, there are many people I could call on for a quote or to provide me information I need to enhance my story and to increase my chances of having an editor accept my pitch.

But for those times you just don't know where to turn for accurate information on the topic at hand, there's HARO - Help a Reporter Out. Many of you may have heard of HARO, but like me, you may not have taken the time to give it a try. Recently, I decided to use HARO for a post I've got in the works at my blog, Everyday Baby Steps, on fall fashion for plus size women. Writing up a simple query and submitting it through Help a Reporter Out brought me all the information I need for my post, and it ever provided me with ideas and contacts for future articles to pitch for publication.

The Process

Submitting your query is easy. Just head on over to HARO and complete a query form. Be as specific as you can. For example, I made sure to mention that I was targeting my article to moms and that I was looking for cute, comfortable clothing that would fit a busy mom's lifestyle. You'll also want to include information that might make people more inclined to contact you. For example, I mentioned that my blog has a Google Page Rank of 4 and that I have a wide online presence. This lets PR folks know that it's likely an audience will see my post, giving exposure to their product. You'll want to do this even if you're not reaching out to PR folks like I was because many sources are looking for some kind of exposure. Often times, professionals volunteer to be interviewed because it adds to their credentials or their resume.

Also, choose your deadline carefully. If you're really in a bind, be sure to indicate it on your form. Your query will then be sent out first as an urgent request. If you can wait, go ahead and allow a deadline of a week or so. My deadine was two weeks, and my query wasn't sent out for a while. From now on, I'll make my deadlines shorter.

The Results

I am very pleased with my HARO experience. I received a tremendous response from well known companies like Lee and Hanes and from smaller boutiques as well. I won't be including every company that responded in my article, as they weren't all a good fit for the audience I'm trying to reach. Take, for instance, the boutique that custom makes $700 dresses for their clients. I don't think the moms that read my blog would be looking for this kind of item!

I'm happy with the response I received, and some of the companies even sent me a review item, which is helpful. If you're hoping to receive items for review, you'll want to be sure your blog has a PR of 4. I was told a while back that (when my blog was a 3) that this is a requirement when asking for products to review.

I will definitely be using HARO in the future. As I mentioned earlier, this experience has generated a number of ideas for more articles, and now I've got sources to track down when I'm ready to write them. Whether you're interested in learning about the latest trends for your blog or in finding an expert to interview for that magazine piece you're working on, give HARO a try. And let me know how it goes!