Establishing a robust digital presence is crucial for any business to thrive. Backlinks play a vital role in enhancing this online footprint. As Sebastian Jania, a seasoned professional from Ontario Property Buyers, puts it, “One of the ways to effectively strengthen the backlink profile for a real estate investment website is through doing pitches on various platforms.” One such potent platform is HARO, or Help a Reporter Out. In this article, we’ll dive deep into how you can effectively craft a HARO pitch for your real estate backlinks, drawing from the wisdom of experts like Sebastian.
1. The Preliminaries: Crafting Your Template
Imagine walking into an open house event. What’s the first thing that greets you? It could be the warm smile of the agent or the enticing aroma of fresh baked cookies. Just as this initial impression sets the tone for the rest of your visit, your HARO pitch template serves a similar function—it is the first impression you make on reporters or bloggers who might feature you and your real estate business.
As Sebastian Jania of Ontario Property Buyers puts it, “This template is going to go through your name, your company name, your website, and it will also address your ask, such as getting a backlink to your website.” To paint a clearer picture, let’s break this down.
1.1 Name and Company Information
The beginning of your template should include basic information like your name and your company name. This can be considered as the equivalent of your business card in the digital space. As a real estate professional, ensuring the reporter knows exactly who you are and what company you represent is vital to establish credibility.
Remember, the reporters or bloggers you’re pitching to are likely sifting through many similar pitches. The clarity and precision of your information could be the differentiating factor that gets your pitch noticed.
1.2 Website Link
Next comes the inclusion of your website link. This serves a two-fold purpose. First, it enables the reporter to verify your identity and expertise in the real estate industry by providing a direct portal to your professional accomplishments, listings, testimonials, and more. Second, it places the seed of your backlinking ask. Even if it is not directly addressed in the pitch, the presence of your website link subtly communicates your intent.
1.3 Your Ask
Just as a real estate agent must clearly understand and convey their clients’ requirements to potential buyers, your template should express your “ask” explicitly. Are you looking to get a backlink to your website? Or are you aiming to position yourself as an industry expert through your insightful responses? Clearly outlining your ask from the get-go will help align your pitches with your overall goals.
1.4 Initial Response Statement
Last but not least, your template should feature an initial response statement. Think of this as the elevator pitch of your overall pitch—the brief snapshot that outlines the topic of the pitch request and gives a taste of what’s to come. Just as you would summarize the features of a property in a real estate listing, this response statement should encapsulate your pitch’s main points succinctly and compellingly.
The power of a well-crafted template lies in its ability to create a robust foundation for all your HARO pitches. With this sturdy base, just like a well-constructed property, you can build various pitches that cater to diverse requests, ultimately strengthening your real estate business’s backlink profile and boosting your online presence.
2. Identifying Your Domain
Much like a realtor choosing the neighborhoods they want to specialize in, it’s crucial to identify the domains of expertise you want to focus on for your HARO pitches. The domain, as Sebastian Jania explains, refers to your area of expertise, not a URL.
2.1 Choosing Your Domain
Just as a realtor might specialize in luxury properties or first-time homebuyers, your domain will be an area where you have in-depth knowledge. This could be “real estate investing,” “home renovation,” “property management,” or “real estate market trends.” Your domain should be one where you can provide expert insights, which will make your pitch more attractive to reporters.
When choosing your domain, consider your unique selling proposition as a real estate business. What distinguishes you from your competitors? If you’re a realtor specializing in historic properties, for example, your domain could be “historic real estate.” If you’re an agency that deals mostly with luxury coastal properties, “luxury beachfront real estate” might be your domain.
2.2 Setting Alerts for Opportunities
Once you’ve identified your domain, you’ll be better equipped to look for opportunities or set alerts for opportunities containing keywords related to your domain. Various tools, including Google Alerts and Mention, can help you keep track of mentions and questions related to your domain. Just like how a real estate agent would monitor property listings in their target neighborhoods, you should keep a close watch on HARO and similar platforms for relevant opportunities.
2.3 Time Allocation
Time management is critical in the real estate industry. Agents juggle open houses, client meetings, paperwork, and more. Similarly, when it comes to HARO pitches, Sebastian Jania advises being strict with your time. “By being strict with your time you can leverage Parkinson’s law as well as try to squeeze in as many responses as possible,” he shares.
Designate a specific amount of time each day or week for pitching. This could be an hour every morning or a few hours on a quieter weekday. By doing this, you can ensure that pitching becomes a consistent part of your marketing strategy without overwhelming your schedule.
In essence, identifying your domain is like choosing the ideal neighborhood for a real estate investment. It’s about understanding your strengths, keeping an eye out for opportunities, and managing your time effectively. With a clear focus, you can ensure your HARO pitches are tailored, targeted, and more likely to be accepted by reporters.
3. Time Management: The Real Estate of HARO Pitches
In real estate, as the saying goes, “Time is money.” The same holds true when you’re crafting HARO pitches. Effective time management can determine whether your pitches are successful, much like timing can affect a property sale. According to Sebastian Jania, “When you’re going to go after opportunities related to these domains, make sure to allot a certain amount of time for the particular write-ups.”
3.1 Leveraging Parkinson’s Law
Parkinson’s Law states that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, if you allow yourself an entire day to draft a pitch, chances are it will take you that long. On the other hand, if you set aside a specific, shorter amount of time, you’re likely to complete it within that window.
Sebastian Jania suggests using this principle to your advantage. By setting strict time limits for each pitch, you can increase your efficiency and squeeze in more responses. This is much like an agent who sets strict timelines for their daily tasks to maximize productivity.
3.2 Prioritizing Opportunities
Just like in real estate, where not every property on the market is worth your time and investment, not every HARO opportunity will be worth pursuing. It’s important to be selective and prioritize the opportunities that align best with your domain and have the potential to reach your target audience. Once you’ve chosen the opportunities you want to pursue, set aside specific blocks of time to work on them. This focus can help you to produce better quality pitches and increase your chances of success.
3.3 Making the Most of Your Time
Time management doesn’t just involve allocating time for writing pitches, but also efficiently creating them. Sebastian Jania suggests using a tool like SpeechTexter, which allows you to speak into your microphone and have your thoughts written out for you. “By doing it this way your writing will be a lot more natural and will also be very easy to quote for the company that is going to be publishing your comments,” he says.
Just as a real estate agent might use technology to streamline their processes – such as virtual tours or automated email campaigns – you can use digital tools to make your HARO pitching process more efficient.
Just as time management is crucial in real estate transactions, it’s equally important when it comes to crafting HARO pitches. By setting aside dedicated time, prioritizing effectively, and making efficient use of tools, you can create more impactful pitches that boost your backlink profile.
4. Structuring Your Pitch
A well-structured HARO pitch is like a well-planned open house – it needs to be engaging, informative, and leave a lasting impression. According to Sebastian Jania, “The following step is to select the opportunities that you’re going to go after and write the various paragraph headings.”
4.1 Paragraph Headings as Your Blueprint
Think of paragraph headings as the blueprint of your pitch, just as floor plans are for a house. They provide structure and guidance, outlining the main points that each paragraph will address. For example, if you’re answering a query about the advantages of hiring a real estate agent, your headings might look something like this:
- The Value of Professional Knowledge
- Understanding the Market
- Saving Time and Reducing Stress
- Negotiating Power
- Closing the Deal
These headings give a clear path for your pitch, allowing you to focus on fleshing out your thoughts under each heading, much like you would when staging rooms for an open house.
4.2 Building Out Your Thoughts
The next step, as per Sebastian’s advice, is to put your thoughts into the pitch. He suggests using a tool like SpeechTexter to dictate your ideas as if you’re explaining them to a friend. By taking this approach, your writing will flow more naturally, just like a real estate agent who effortlessly showcases a property to potential buyers.
4.3 Ensuring Your Pitch is Quotable
Making your pitch quotable is much like making a property ‘sellable.’ Your pitch needs to be interesting, insightful, and memorable to stand out amongst the sea of pitches that journalists receive daily. By speaking into the microphone and naturally expressing your thoughts, you’re more likely to articulate concepts in a way that’s easy to quote, hence enhancing the quotability of your pitch.
Remember, in real estate, it’s not just about listing a property, it’s about making it so attractive that buyers can’t resist. Similarly, your pitch shouldn’t just answer the question—it should do so in such a way that the reporter finds your insight invaluable and worth sharing.
Structuring your HARO pitch is a critical step in the process. Just as every successful real estate project starts with a solid plan, every successful HARO pitch begins with well-thought-out paragraph headings and ends with detailed, quotable content.
5. Drafting Your Pitch
Drafting a successful HARO pitch is like designing an appealing real estate listing – it requires thoughtful preparation and a clear delivery of key points. Sebastian Jania’s strategy includes a unique approach: “The tool that makes the pitching process much faster is a tool such as SpeechTexter this allows you to speak into your microphone and have all your thoughts written for you.”
5.1 The Tools of the Trade
Technology can streamline the pitch drafting process, saving you time and making the process more efficient. Tools like SpeechTexter function as a digital scribe, transcribing your spoken words into written text. This tool can be invaluable, especially when you are juggling multiple responsibilities, much like how a property management system can help real estate agents track and manage multiple properties.
5.2 Speaking Your Pitch
“Rather than writing or typing a long pitch, simply speak into the microphone as if you were teaching a friend about a particular topic,” advises Sebastian. This conversational approach can yield a more authentic and engaging pitch. Just as a casual, friendly real estate agent may put potential buyers at ease, a more relaxed and genuine pitch can resonate more effectively with the reporters.
5.3 Repeating the Process
Creating successful HARO pitches is a game of numbers – the more pitches you submit, the higher your chances of being chosen for publication. This is akin to a real estate agent showing a property to multiple potential buyers to increase the chance of a sale. “After you’ve completed your pitch, the next step is to repeat and jump into the next pitch,” Sebastian points out.
5.4 Patience is Key
Lastly, remember that good things take time. Some pitches may be accepted quickly, while others might require a few weeks. Similarly, some properties sell the day they hit the market, while others may need more time. “It’s important to remember that these pitches can take time to materialize into links or may not result in links at all,” notes Sebastian.
In conclusion, drafting your HARO pitch involves employing the right tools, using a conversational tone, and being patient. The entire process echoes the steps taken in a successful real estate transaction – from listing the property to closing the deal.
6. Persistence is Key
Just as a seasoned real estate agent knows the importance of following up with potential clients, persisting with your HARO pitches can be the determining factor between an unsuccessful attempt and a published pitch.
6.1 Tracking Your Pitches
Sebastian Jania advocates for a disciplined approach: “follow up with all reporters to be sure that you know where they stand on your pitch.” This systematic approach mirrors a real estate professional’s best practice of maintaining a customer relationship management (CRM) system. It helps keep track of client interactions, showing houses, and closing deals.
6.2 Securing Your Backlink
Sometimes, you might find your pitch has been published, but without the much-desired backlink. Sebastian has a solution for this too: “Should you get a publication but no link, make sure to find the reporter’s contact information and reach out to them directly.” This is akin to a real estate agent who doesn’t shy away from directly reaching out to a prospective buyer, even if their initial attempt didn’t lead to a closed deal.
6.3 Building Long-Term Relationships
Finally, always remember that one of the most valuable aspects of HARO is the potential for building long-term relationships with reporters. In Sebastian’s words, “Lastly, make sure to let them know that you’re open to other opportunities to write for them and continue to develop that relationship.” Similarly, a real estate agent understands the value of nurturing relationships, knowing that today’s browsers could be tomorrow’s buyers or even refer future clients.
Just as in real estate business, persistence, regular follow-ups, and relationship building are vital in optimizing your HARO pitch strategy. These tips serve as your guide to consistently create compelling pitches that stand out in the flood of responses that reporters receive daily. It’s a process, but remember, every published pitch is a step towards enhancing your online presence and building your real estate business’s credibility.
7. Tracking and Follow-Ups
Just as in the world of real estate where meticulous record-keeping can make the difference between a chaotic transaction and a seamless one, the same principle applies when it comes to tracking your HARO pitches and following up.
7.1 The Importance of Keeping Track
One of the most crucial steps, as pointed out by Sebastian Jania, is to monitor the outcomes of your pitches systematically. “Make sure to track the results of your pitches in a spreadsheet,” suggests Sebastian. This spreadsheet can be as straightforward or as intricate as necessary, but it should, at the very least, include the date of the pitch, the reporter’s details, the pitch topic, and the outcome.
Think of this as the equivalent of a CRM in real estate. Tracking interactions with potential buyers, open house dates, final deals, and follow-ups, can significantly enhance efficiency and ensure no opportunity slips through the cracks.
7.2 Reaching Out
In cases where your pitch gets published without the desired backlink, Sebastian advises that you get proactive. Consider this the real estate equivalent of a follow-up call or email after a house showing. The goal is to keep the dialogue open and reinforce your value proposition. Just as you would negotiate a real estate deal, you may need to negotiate the inclusion of your backlink.
7.3 The Art of Persistence
Following up with reporters to understand the status of your pitch is essential. Remember, persistence pays off. It’s similar to how a real estate agent might regularly check in with potential buyers, gently reminding them of the value the property brings, and staying top of mind. Sebastian adds: “Lastly, make sure to let them know that you’re open to other opportunities to write for them and continue to develop that relationship.”
By maintaining detailed records of your HARO pitches and regularly following up, you’re not only increasing your chances of gaining valuable backlinks but also building enduring relationships that can benefit your real estate business in the long run. Like closing a property deal, securing a successful HARO pitch takes time, persistence, and savvy communication skills.
8. Build Relationships
Building relationships is central to any business, but it holds particular importance in industries like real estate and digital marketing. Just as a real estate professional cultivates relationships with buyers, sellers, and other industry professionals, a successful HARO campaign relies on forging strong ties with journalists and editors.
8.1 The Power of Networking
Sebastian Jania highlights the importance of nurturing relationships with the reporters you interact with. “Make sure to let them know that you’re open to other opportunities to write for them and continue to develop that relationship.”
Just as real estate professionals often rely on referrals and repeat business, your goal should be to become a trusted source for reporters. When they need expert insights on real estate topics in the future, you want to be the first person they think of.
8.2 Positioning Yourself as a Go-To Resource
Position yourself as an expert in your domain. The more valuable and insightful your responses to HARO queries, the more likely reporters will come to see you as a reliable source of information. This strategy is similar to how real estate agents establish themselves as local experts to attract potential buyers and sellers.
8.3 Keep The Conversation Going
Just as a real estate professional would continue to engage with a potential client after a property tour, you should keep in touch with reporters once your pitch has been accepted. Send a brief note thanking them for the opportunity, and express your willingness to contribute again in the future.
8.4 Reaping Long-term Benefits
Building strong relationships with journalists and editors can provide long-term benefits. You’re not just acquiring backlinks; you’re opening doors to future collaborations and expanding your professional network. It’s similar to a real estate professional maintaining good relations with former clients. They might not only use your services again but also recommend you to others, amplifying your reputation.
The same principles that underpin successful real estate business relationships also apply to HARO pitching. By cultivating these relationships and demonstrating your expertise consistently, you will maximize your chances of securing valuable backlinks for your real estate business.
Conclusion
Writing a successful HARO pitch can be much like selling a property. It requires preparation, understanding of your domain, time management, proper structuring, and persistence. Above all, it necessitates clear, concise communication and the ability to build relationships. As you continue to hone your HARO pitch, your backlink portfolio will reflect the strength of your real estate business, helping you thrive online.
