December 11, 2015: I recently read a blog post by an entrepreneur about a service called HARO, which stands for Help a Reporter Out. Subscribers to this free service receive several emails a day that compile lists of media inquiries, categorized by subject. The author rightly praises the service, which I’ve found immensely helpful from both the perspective of a PR professional and the perspective of a reporter.
But in his headline he describes the service as “Your PR Agency’s Worst Nightmare.” In his view, HARO is an effective alternative to a PR agency. On this point I have to disagree.
Naturally, as an agency professional, I’d like to think that PR agencies are not obsolete. But my criticism of the author’s argument has to do with his concept of what PR entails rather than the future of my industry. Below are my main critiques of his stance:
1. HARO represents only one tiny component of the PR process.
HARO is a wonderful tool. But it is a reactive tool. Good PR people do much more than review and respond to media inquiries. Part of the job of an agency team is to propose stories to media, both news stories and feature stories. To do this successfully, we must familiarize ourselves with the media outlets that are important to our clients, cultivate relationships with relevant reporters and editors, and come up with story angles that balance the interests of our clients with the interests of readers and viewers.
2. Successful responses to HARO inquiries are carefully constructed.
When it comes to reactive PR, identifying an appropriate editorial opportunity is only the first step. PR people have to then “sell” the reporter on our client or executive source. That means we have to craft our responses in a way that attracts a reporter’s attention. Some companies have such innovative products and services that it’s not hard to generate attention from the media. For most companies, however, it’s not so easy. In these cases, PR professionals can make a difference.
3. Not every entrepreneur is a good source or spokesperson.
Even if your products and services generate media attention on their own, or a response to a HARO inquiry leads to an interview opportunity, the next challenge is the actual interview. Some entrepreneurs are excellent spokespeople. They understand what the media want and how to convey information and opinions effectively. They also understand how to stay on message with respect to advancing their own interests. It sounds as if the author is one of these people. But not everyone is. And that’s where a PR team can help. We prepare spokespeople for interviews, coach them, and clear up any misunderstandings that arise during or after an interview. The end result is a far greater chance that these spokespeople will appear in stories.
The author has had abundant success by using HARO, it seems. That’s great! But I’d be surprised if most other entrepreneurs have enjoyed such success without the involvement of PR professionals, whether they’re in-house or at agencies. Even the author admits that “PR is a tricky business.”
Let me be clear: I have no problems with my clients using HARO. Perhaps they might find an opportunity that they think we should pursue (note the use of the word “we”) that I might not have considered. But I’ll still keep doing my own HARO monitoring, as well as using Profnet (a similar service that costs money but that generally lists different opportunities from those in HARO). I’ll also keep working closely with my clients to proactively develop stories that appeal to the reporters at the outlets that reach the audiences my clients want to reach.
Does that last sentence sound complicated? It should. PR work is an ongoing, time-consuming and complex process. By all means, entrepreneurs, use HARO. But don’t neglect the other components of PR (which include social media, by the way) that can help you achieve the results you seek. If you can manage this all on your own, then I’ll be duly impressed. But if you draw upon the services of PR professionals, you’ll probably feel a little saner and also get a lot more sleep.
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