Why Some People Get Publicity and Some Don't

If you're looking to get publicity for yourself and your fitness business, it's a smart move to sign up for the free HARO newsletter.

I've recommended HARO before, but I haven't gone into too much detail about what HARO might be like from a journalist's perspective.

Getting the inside scoop on what happens when a journalist puts the call out for sources can help you understand how and when to respond to HARO requests so you experience more success and make the best use of your time.

Not too long ago, I used HARO to search for sources for an article about fitness business names and logos. About three hours after the newsletter went out, I'd already received more than 30 responses. And I know journalists who get way more than that.

Using HARO can get overwhelming for journalists--fast--so make your email as focused as possible. No digressions, no super-inflated bios and, please, no attachments/links to articles you've already written on the same topic!

Here are a few no-brainer reasons why I immediately hit the delete key on some HARO hopefuls:

From the sidelines. A surprising number of people began their response by saying: "Someone forwarded this to me..."

Here's what that lame opener says to me: 1) the person is a bit clueless as to what's going on, and/or 2) the person isn't serious enough about getting publicity to actually sign up for the HARO newsletter.

I'd rather quote HARO subscribers (or those with publicists who subscribe).

It's OK to respond to a HARO query that someone forwarded to you. But why tell the journalist? Keep it to yourself--it'll make you look more professional.

Too many links. Tell me in your email what I asked for and why you're the best person to be a source for the specific piece.

After that, I might want to see a bio, portfolio, YouTube videos and relevant accomplishments, but I don't want you to send me on a wild goose chase across the web. Keep links to a minimum.

The why'd-you-bother-responding response. Don't overwhelm me with too much info, but don't underwhelm me either. I got a few of these: "My company does business logos. I can help. Call me."

Delete.

Missed the boat. If you've been out of town or just got busy and missed the deadline for responding to a HARO query, let it go.

Don't email after the fact, saying, "I was on vacation, but for future reference here's a bunch of neat stuff about me."

I won't remember any of it.

So who got the gig? A couple of people with solid credentials who gave me specific info about themselves (related to the article topic). They also showed passion for the subject, including a thought or two that made it easy for me to imagine quoting them.

Honestly, I got about half a dozen or more great emails from thoughtful, qualified professionals.

Unfortunately, I just couldn't choose everyone.

If you've been responding to HARO queries and you're doing everything right, don't get discouraged.

When you don't hear from a journalist after responding to a HARO query, it doesn't necessarily mean you're on the wrong track. It just might mean there are plenty of other contenders on the right track alongside you.

So do your best to make an outstanding impression. And keep trying--persistence pays off when you know what you're doing.

More Direction for Using Twitter and HARO

I recently recommended joining Twitter and HARO to boost your fitness marketing opportunities. If you've already done that, or you're still figuring out how to make sense of it all, here's a little more guidance.

Tip 1: Please, please, please add a picture and thoughtful bio to your Twitter profile - it'll help you gain followers. Include a bit of professional info in your bio, but also a thing or two on a more personal level.

Even a well-thought-out series of words that describe you can be effective. Here's how I wrote my Twitter bio: www.twitter.com/amandavogel

Tip 2: If you haven't already, check out these two posts on this blog:

1) The Top 10 Reasons I Will Not Follow You on Twitter (it's by another writer and links to Mashable.com), and

2) Using Twitter for Marketing & Publicity (it's a video from Hubspot.com that you can watch right from my blog).

Tip 3: Try out a site or two that will help you manage Twitter and finetune your networking potential there.

Tweetlater.com lets you set up keyword alerts so you know when people are tweeting (chattering on Twitter) about you and/or stuff that matters to you (hint: it's a good way to choose pertinent people to follow).

Also, have a look at Tweetgrid.com to get a real-time overview of who's talking about subjects of interest to you.

For example, type "fitness" into a search bar and see what pops up. You can also make your searches more specific, such as who's talking about fitness where you live.

Tip 4: If you subscribed to the HARO e-newsletter (HARO stands for Help a Reporter Out) as way to score publicity, but you're unsure about how to respond to journalists, read this article by a writer from Mopwater PR.

Still in doubt? Ask me for more tips by posting a comment here or posting to the discussion board on the Active Voice Facebook Group.