I am learning a new business skill currently:  how to promote a book. It is a time-consuming and often uncomfortable thing to do. I feel like I am pushing a boulder up hill. But tenacity is one of my strengths, and I am choosing to persevere.

 

Recently, I reviewed an article I wrote several years about how to take on new, challenging things. There were 10 steps in the training regimen I outlined in that article, and I am doing about seven of the ten suggestions consistently. Not bad.

 

One of the tools I am using (step #3 from the article above) to develop my new skill is called HARO, which stands for Help A Reporter Out. If you want to position yourself as an authority in your field, as PR pro Marjorie Young recommends in her upcoming book The Reputation Matrix, you may want to check HARO out.

 

When you sign up as a source in the HARO database, you receive three emails per day containing a categorized list of 50+ stories for which journalists and bloggers are seeking sources. If you see a story on which you have expertise, you email your pitch to that reporter. Working the HARO list is time-consuming and deadline driven. It can be worth the effort and attention, though.

 

Here are some stories I’ve been quoted in recently:

12 Weekend Habits That’ll Set You Up for A Successful Week by Jennifer Parris for Romper

Three Ways Autumn Promotes a Happier Frame of Mind by Linda Wasmer Andrews for Psychology Today

Avoiding Burnout. Interview with Dr. Melissa Gratias on The Lisa Show on BYU Radio

50+ Productive Things to Do When Bored at Work on UpJourney

4 Ways to Organize Your Desk for a Calm and Focused Mind by Jessica Hicks for Thrive Global

How to make your Mondays more productive by Gwen Moran for Fast Company

A Back to School List from the Experts – 30 Tips to Cover All Bases by Amba Brown for Thrive

Get a lot more done while lowering stress (with Melissa Gratias) – Episode 17 of Brad Wolff’s podcast for leaders

Why There’s No Such Thing as Overnight Success by Gretchen Brown for Rewire

 

 

I hope that some of these titles intrigued you enough to add them to your reading/listening list.

 

Some of these stories have resulted in clients with whom I am working right now. Much of my efforts will not have any impact at all. However, I have enough experience to know that life and work are full of surprises. There may be seeds germinating out there about which I have no clue.

 

One of my past clients secured a role as a recurring character on a television show. For a time, his social media was blowing up with engaged followers. Not being a person for whom acting was a professional ambition, he confessed that he did not know what he was going to do with his notoriety once it lessened. He didn’t see how it would benefit him long-term.

 

I commended him on building his platform. He may not know for what purpose he would use it in the future, but when he was ready, he would have a well-established platform.

 

What’s your platform?

 

A platform is your ability to be seen and heard by like-minded people. This summary by Michael Hyatt is the best explanation of a platform I can find.

 

If you have something to say or to sell to anyone beyond your immediate family or current employer, you need a platform.

 

And the time to start building your platform is…about two years before you need to use it.

 

But, it’s never too late to start or improve it. I began augmenting my platform with an Instagram account very recently. It’s slow-going but, as I said earlier, I am persistent.

 

If you want to promote your expertise, I recommend that you do one small thing every day to add another brick to your platform.

 

One thing. Every day.

 

Here are some suggestions:

• Improve your social media profiles
• Invite the people with whom you interacted that day to connect on LinkedIn
• Follow the thought leaders in your field on social media
• Start your own blog (you can begin by publishing articles on LinkedIn)
• Sign up for a free HARO account

 

Having a platform will mean that, when you are ready to announce something outstanding, people will be there to respond.

Thanks for engaging with me and my platform from time to time. I’m truly honored that you choose to give me some of your time and attention.

 

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Melissa Gratias (pronounced “Gracious”) used to think that productivity was a result of working long hours. And, she worked a lot of hours. Then, she learned that productivity is a skill set, not a personality trait. Now, Melissa is a productivity expert who coaches and trains other businesspeople to be more focused, balanced, and effective. She is a prolific writer and speaker who travels the world helping people change how they work and improve how they live. Contact her at getproductive@melissagratias.com or 912-417-2505. Sign up to receive her productivity tips via email.