Finding Expert Sources

What’s on the iPod: More Than a Feeling by Boston

Yesterday was one of those days where I thought I’d get so much work done. I had plans. I was marketing. I was writing. I was lining up sources for an article. Instead, I lined up pillows on the bed and took a long nap. After a few weeks of hard, physical work and four late nights in a row, I couldn’t stay awake. I knew I’d crash after the last wedding was over, but I didn’t realize how hard.

I crashed with a raging sinus headache. Not ideal.

So everything I had to do yesterday I’ll be doing today. That includes lining up interviews for my next article. Coincidentally, Ashley just asked the question the other day: How and where does one find expert sources, and do they need to be lined up before one even queries an editor?

The answer to that last question: no. I don’t even mention it to my sources before I query. The reason is simple: you’re not always going to get the assignment. No reason to get sources all hopeful (or have them or their PR agents emailing all the time) if the assignment never comes.

And yes, that’s okay. Unless you’re promising a superstar interview, you can offer up the names of potential interview sources that you may or may not use. Chances are, though, if you’re talking about them in your query, you’re going to use them.

The first question is almost as easy to answer — where do you find sources? Let’s take any topic — skin cancer, for example. Your query could be about how to protect against skin cancer all year. Where are the experts? Easy — American Cancer Society, American Association for Cancer Research, American Academy of Dermatology, researchers, authors, etc. There is an endless list of potential interview sources.

Let’s try a harder one: Internet scams. Your query could be about how to spot a scam before getting ripped off. Where are your experts?

Almost as easy — your experts are the FBI, the Internet Crime Complaint Center, and a bevy of authors who have written or spoken on the topic. An Amazon search will locate authors, and an Internet search will locate plenty of experts.

No matter what topic you choose, you can locate expert sources without too much difficulty. Here are some favorite places for me to find my experts:

ProfNet. Still my favorite source, ProfNet is a massive database of sources and their PR contacts. Other writers use Help A Reporter Out (HARO) with good results, though I’ve yet to find anyone that way.

LinkedIn. That’s what it’s there for, after all. LinkedIn allows you to search for specific industries, which can lead you to your experts. Also, use the Groups to connect directly with your sources.

Internet searches. You needn’t know their names — just the topic. I’ve been known to type in the subject I’m writing about and hit the “News” tab before searching. The results are usually filled with people being quoted. I don’t use more than one of these sources, if I can help it. It’s better to mix it up just to keep your content fresh.

Companies. Plenty of companies offer their executives up as experts, and their marketing and PR departments are only too happy to connect you. Look for companies doing business or research in the area in which you’re writing, then reach out to their marketing/PR team.

Personal network. It’s why we connect with people at trade shows, on Twitter and LinkedIn, and through past work. Someone somewhere is just right for your article, and it could be someone you’ve interviewed in the past. Reach out to your favorite PR people, send a Twitter request, or pick up the phone.

Associations. I love associations, especially the trade associations. Where else will you come across so many potential experts from so many different companies in one location? If there’s a talked-about or emerging topic, there’s an association or organization that deals with it in some way — even the obscure angle contains one similarity you can work with. Reach out to the media contact with your request. Just let them know you need one or two or you could be inundated.

Amazon. Oh, the books you’ll find on that topic you’ve chosen. Type the topic into the search box and look through the results. Locate a few authors, then do a cursory search for their websites and contact info.

Research and studies. I’ve interviewed countless sources whose companies have published surveys, studies, or other statistics that are relevant to my article. For example, my last article on the anti-vaccine movement was actually triggered by a news release an editor had seen on the insurance costs associated with not vaccinating. That study became the basis of the article, and the company that released it became one of my sources. To locate studies, try typing “[topic name] statistics” into your Internet search.

Writers, how do you find sources? What is your go-to method for locating sources?
Do you tell sources about the article pitch before you get the assignment? If so, do you do this with every pitch?