To the outside world, your business needs to look flawless. Unfortunately, a lot of entrepreneurs do not realize this and as a consequence damage their reputations beyond repair. As the saying goes, a reputation takes years to build and a few seconds to destroy.

If you are at the helm of a corporate organization then you need to maximize your business’s good publicity. Doing this can help you to build a larger following and achieve financial independence.

One service, HARO, puts businesses in direct contact with journalists and writers who can then write articles, citing them as sources.  This post will tell you how you can use HARO to improve your public image.

Showcasing Your Expertise

HARO’s service works by putting journalists in touch with industry leaders and experts who’re eager to share the depth of their knowledge and expertise and promote their businesses. When you sign up for the service’s master list you will begin receiving emails from journalists looking for particular services. If any of these emails request services you offer you can then send a pitch over to them, telling them everything there is for you to about yourself and your business.

If you and the journalist come to an agreement they will then work with you to create an article. In this article, you will be expected to give insight into your particular industry (or whatever the article’s subject matter is) and answer questions the journalist has for you. At the end of the post, a backlink to your website will be provided and a little bit more information will be given about you and your business. There are journalists working for some very prominent and influential organizations looking for sources on HARO, meaning you not only get to promote yourself and showcase your expertise, but you get to do it on a leading site like the Huffington Post or in a publication like The New York Times. HARO Link building provider Authority Builders that while large publications like this do frequently use HARO, you will also get exposure to many mid size publications and independent businesses generating their own content in the process. 

Prominent and Influential Publications

As mentioned in the previous section, journalists working for leading news organizations use HARO to find sources. If you are somebody who’s interested in promoting your business then rather than spending time worrying about social media focus on getting your website’s link featured on important websites like those quoted in the previous section. Getting your website’s link posted on these sites can do wonders for your traffic and SEO performance.

Bear in mind though, the publications your business is featured in need to be ones relevant to your audience. If your business focus exclusively on selling spinning wheels to antique lovers, being featured in XXL Mag won’t be an especially good idea. If your intention is to promote your business and expand its following and knowledge of it among consumers then you need to work with publications they are likely to read. Promoting your business in places your target audience doesn’t frequent is an extremely bad idea and a massive waste of time unless it is a media powerhouse like The Times or New York Times.

Sending Over Pitches

To work with journalists on HARO, you will need to send them pitches. Pitches should always be structured in the following way: your email’s title should clearly explain what you are offering and how your project will benefit the journalist. Then, in the first paragraph include all of the most important information and summarise the entire pitch, so you can capture the reader’s attention. Top journalists structure their pitches in this way which is why you should be doing this too. Not only will the journalists to whom you send pitches appreciate the structure they will also be able to read through it a lot quicker and determine whether or not your pitch is right for them.

Bear in mind that once you have signed up for HARO’s master list you will begin receiving hundreds of emails a day. It is a good idea to filter these emails. Filtering them into specific inboxes by keywords will help you to deal with them more effectively. Ensure that you have a specific inbox where emails relevant to your business and niche are sent in order to simplify sending pitches.

Be Consistent

Achieving positive exposure is not easy. If you want your business to thrive then you need to be consistent. As with all things in life, consistency is key. Being consistent in sending pitches and just generally promoting your business will help you in a multitude of different ways and show consumers you are dedicated and passionate.

HARO is a great service to work with if you want your business to achieve success. You don’t have to be a marketing genius to use it. Be sure to spend time formulating pitches so that they are easily readable otherwise, journalists won’t give them a second look.