After I wrote my book Running of the Bride, I thought the story would sell itself, especially with wedding season approaching.

I’d reached out—individually—to hundreds of media outlets, without knowing if I had targeted the right people. Though the book received local and small-scale attention, branching into a national literary market seemed insurmountable.

I already knew HARO was an incredible resource for journalists because I had used the service to hunt down contacts for a piece I wrote for The Writer magazine. I thought, ‘Why not become the source?’ It was a game-changing decision!

My first big hit came when a reporter from Grazia magazine posted a query for real-life wedding stories. By the end of the day, I was working with the reporter on a story hook and supplying high-resolution photographs.

That was just the beginning. Through HARO, I also connected with a reporter from UK’s Chat magazine and an event coordinator for MommysLinks.com. The demographics of the publications match my target audiences, and I saw a very real increase in sales because of the exposure.

HARO’s simplified layout and targeted queries have proven key. I don’t need to identify a publication, pinpoint an editor and hope I reach the person on a good day. All the groundwork is done. I just have to respond.

I will continue to use HARO to promote Running of the Bride. But before long, I might just be back on the reporter side, vetting sources for my next book.

– Rachel Eddey