How to Start Writing for High Profile Blogs

In 2010, I started blogging for the Huffington Post and the Harvard Business Review – not necessarily because I wanted to become a blogger so badly, but because I realized that the modern imperative to “build a platform” (and blogging is a key component of this) was a necessary precursor to everything else I wanted to do, including enhancing my consulting practice, building a speaking business, and landing a book deal.

Fortunately, it really does work, and in 2011, I was able to secure a deal with Harvard Business Review Press for my first book, Reinventing You.

I’m frequently asked how I was able to break into these venues (I later added Forbes and American Express OPEN Forum to the list, as well). Here’s the process I followed and that you can, too.

Build Your Clips. Before approaching any of the major publications in your field, you’re going to need to “build your clips,” as the old journalism saying goes. In other words, you need to develop an archive of articles that you’ve previously written, either for your own blog or as guest posts for lower-profile outlets (perhaps a neighborhood news site, or a local professional association). Any prominent publication wants to know you can write well, so you’ll need at least a few links you can point them to, so they can evaluate the quality of your work and see what you like to write about. Get these in place first. (You can learn more about how to write high quality pieces quickly by downloading my free Rapid Content Creation Quick Start Guide.)

Identify Your Targets. Next, develop your “wish list” of dream publications – and think broadly. When I decided at the end of 2011 that I wanted to expand the number of places where I blogged, I spent two full business days creating a list of about two dozen outlets, ranging from business magazines to regional daily newspapers to cable news channels. Then, I researched whether they had blogs on their site and whether those blogs ever featured contributions by outsiders (i.e., non-staffers).

If yes, they made it to the next round. Then, I spent hours more hunting around online to identify the name of the “web editor” or the “online editor” for the site and tried to locate his/her email address. (This is most likely the person who can approve you as a contributor.) This is more of an art than a science; you’ll need to explore the nooks and crannies of the site, hunt around on LinkedIn, and Google a variety of different search terms to find what you need. Don’t forget to try the basics: a Google search for “[name of outlet] submission guidelines” can often work wonders. (If you're interested in writing for prominent media outlets, you might like the in-depth online course I created on this subject, Writing for High Profile Publications.)

Reach Out Strategically. With my newly-created “media list” in hand, I wrote a template email of about two paragraphs, explaining who I was (highlights about my background), what I wanted (to become a contributor to their blog), what I hoped to write about (some potential topics or general interest areas), and why I was qualified (links to other posts). I sent this message cold to everyone on the list whose email address I’d been able to find.

Almost all of them ignored me; that’s the reality of the media these days. They’re so overworked, they’d rather turn down the next Hemingway or F. Scott Fitzgerald, rather than spending the time to look at your materials. It’s incredibly maddening, but you have to persevere – and recognize that luck can work in your favor, as well. Out of those nearly two dozen emails, only one person responded to me: the managing editor of Forbes. They were in expansion mode at that moment, and they were actively seeking out bloggers (currently, that’s no longer the case). We set up a call and 48 hours later, I was writing for them.

Breaking in to prominent blogs is often a long-term process. I spent months stalking the Huffington Post before I got any response; the Harvard Business Review came through because I randomly met someone who worked there, whereas other (less prominent) publications roundly ignored my entreaties. You never know which outlets will be on the lookout for your skillset at a given moment, so you need to make yourself ready now by preparing clips and your target list, and being persistent in your outreach efforts. If you keep at it, you’ll eventually wear them down and your talent will shine through.

Dorie Clark is a marketing strategist who teaches at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She is the author of Reinventing You and Stand Out, and you can receive her free Stand Out Self-Assessment Workbook. She has also created an online course about Writing for High Profile Publications.