“Help a Reporter Out” (HARO) is one of the greatest tools you’ll ever find for promoting yourself and your book. And, it’s free.
Basically, HARO is a web-based “source repository” (their words) where reporters, journalists, free-lancers, and other in the media go to find experts or sources on topics they’re writing about.
For example, suppose a reporter is doing a story about mother-daughter relationships in the 21st century. Through HARO, the reporter can easily connect with sources for his/her story– people knowledgeable about the subject who are interested and willing to give information and be quoted.
So, how does HARO help an author like you?
Pretty simple. You’re an expert, right? You’ve probably spent hours and hours researching your subject and gathering information for your book. Who better than you to serve as a source for HARO reporters.
Returning to the example above, if you’ve written a book about family dynamics, parenting, women in the workplace, or any similar topic– you probably have lots to share with the reporter about mother/daughter relationships in the 21st century. You can be a great source for that story.
It’s easy to become a “source” on HARO. Just sign up and you’ll receive daily notifications of every reporter and journalist looking for source information that day. The notices are organized by subject matter, so you can quickly scan the list to see if there’s a reporter looking for source material on your topic.
Each listing also gives detailed information for how to get in touch with the reporter, deadline information, and a description of what the reporter is looking for.
Once you’ve connected with a reporter and he/she chooses to use you as a source, most likely the reporter will also include a mention of your book title and perhaps even a link to your blog, web site, or book page in his/her story. This is a great way to get exposure for yourself and your book.
As a publicist, I use HARO to connect Gray & Company authors with nationally-based reporters and others in the media. It’s an excellent, free publicity tool and one I highly recommend.
Click here for a link to the HARO site.