My HARO Pitch Got Rejected…Now What?

From Rejection to Success: How to Improve Your HARO Pitch Acceptance Rate and Get Noticed!

If you’re reading this, it’s most likely because you sent me a pitch on HARO (Help a Reporter Out), and I wasn’t able to use you as a source for the story I was writing…

Or maybe you sent me an unsolicited pitch via email that isn’t a good fit at the moment.

Or maybe you just googled “HARO pitch rejection” and landed here…

As discouraging as that may be, there’s still hope for your perfecting your media pitch and getting earned publicity!

But, before I dive in to all the ways we can potentially work together with or without HARO, lets journey back to 2017 when I shared “11 Ways to Make Your HARO Pitch Irresistible” with PR Daily.

Here’s a recap of my HARO pitching suggestions, that are still just as true today:

• Systemize. Filter out the reporters or bloggers who aren’t relevant to your brand or industry. Avoid reaching out to people on HARO who aren’t actually aligned with your expertise.
• Deliver what they’re asking for and be concise. If I had a dime for every time someone pitched me on HARO without providing answers to the questions I’m asking, I’d be a very wealthy woman! I know HARO queries can be time consuming, but if you’re going to put in the work of reaching out, then at minimum answer ALL of the questions that are being asked.
• Followup. If you can, followup with the reporter or blogger via email or social media, and offer to answer any followup questions they may have. Obviously draw the line at stalking or harassment; but two or three followups is usually okay, and will likely set you apart from the competition.
• Provide value. When you’re answering the questions on HARO, stay away from overly vague, fluffy filler responses. Let your expertise shine, and provide real value to the reporter (and thus, their audience).
• Include a brief bio, link to your website, and social media handles. Make it easy for them to find out more about you.
• If you have a large social media following or email list, mention it! Most reporters or bloggers would be happy to know you have a large audience that you’ll be willing to share the story with.

Remember that pitching the media isn’t all about you. The best media pitching strategies (and HARO strategies) are mutually beneficial. If you’re only asking for something from the media without giving them something valuable in return, you’ll likely be left wondering why you never heard back from them.

Now that we got that out of the way….

I’m a firm believer that solid relationships are the cornerstone to success in journalism. And media pitching. And business. And just life in general.

So, what are the best ways for us (meaning you and I) to build a relationship, and keep in touch for future opportunities?

#1 Follow me on social media, keep an eye on HARO queries, and open my emails.

#2 Submit a guest post to the Media Moguls PR public relations blog.

#3 Hire us for a paid PR services collaboration.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. PR and Media Relations strategy is best used as a long term play. But it’s a strategy that pays dividends over and over again. And it helps to have solid partners along the way.

Email us if you have questions, or want to have a chat about working together.

I look forward to working together in the future! – Blair

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