Peter Shankman is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, PR maven, and corporate keynote speaker who is also a friend. He’s perhaps best known for launching H.A.R.O. (Help a Reporter Out) in 2007. This free service linked sources with journalists in a way that was both convenient and incredibly effective. H.A.R.O. quickly became the standard for thousands of journalists looking for sources prior to being acquired three years after launch by Vocus (which later became Cision).
This past year, Cision disabled the feature that H.A.R.O. was famous for: a convenient, free, push notification service delivered through email. This event opened the door to Peter launching a new service that replicates some of the more popular features of H.A.R.O. while increasing the service’s utility by partnering with Muck Rack to provide more detail on journalists and their beats. Peter’s new service is called Source of Sources (AKA “S.O.S.”)
As S.O.S.’ site copy notes, “Up to three times a day, you’ll get an email with queries by journalists from various media outlets. If a journalist is asking something about which you’re knowledgeable, simply reply directly to the source. It’s that easy.” Right now, S.O.S. has about 21,000 users and Peter clearly hopes to increase that number in the next months and years.
I was eager to catch up with Peter to discuss his new venture, how the PR landscape has changed in the years since he launched H.A.R.O., and get his views on other relevant topics, including:
- How influencers (who may or may not be journalists) are becoming increasingly important in publicity efforts.
- The PR strategy of identifying the bigger story and finding a way for one to become part of it when pitching to journalists.
- The catalyst for creating S.O.S., which Peter and I both believe addresses a persistent problem in the industry.
- The importance of providing a platform that benefits both journalists and small businesses.
- The challenge of categorizing queries for journalists and sources.
- The importance of creating a short, relevant pitch that answers the journalist’s query and provides contact information.
- How S.O.S. is partnering with Muck Rack to create more utility for journalists and story pitchers.
- – Why Peter is committed to making S.O.S. free (in the same way that H.A.R.O. was always free).
