After sending several press releases, you finally got a nice article in your local newspaper, a trade journal or a national magazine. Or perhaps you were interviewed on radio or television. You got some of your 15 minutes of fame. Now what?You may think that once the show is over or the publication is no longer on the newsstands, the value of your appearance ends. However, there are many ways to keep your publicity working for you.

First of all, if there is a call to action in the story you will hear from people months or years after the story ran. Always ask the interviewer to include information on how their audience can get something free from you (e.g., download a free report from your Web site) or how they can order your product. I often receive orders from customers who saw an article that appeared more than a year earlier. Although there is no guarantee that your call to action will get in the story, ask.

Here are some additional ways to continue getting results from publicity successes, long after your moment of fame.

Set up a media room on your Web site. Post all of your press releases there, and when you appear online, link to articles about you.

Include your media appearances in the bio you post on your Web site, print in your brochures, and give to clients and media. The fact that you appeared on Oprah, or that your were quoted by The New York Times or featured in other major media will give you more credibility.

Get permission to reprint articles. Put copies in client proposals, mail them to current and prospective clients, post PDF copies of articles at your Web site, and include them in your press kit.

Get permission to use clips from television and radio interviews on your Web site. The video clip of your appearance on CNN will have more power than simply saying that you were on CNN. And audio and video clips allow other media to see and hear how you perform on the air.

Make a demo CD or DVD of your television and radio appearances. Even if you have only appeared on a couple of local shows, use them to show producers of national shows what you can do. Most national television shows will not book you without seeing what you are like on the air.

Ask for testimonials. This is especially effective for radio interviews. Booking additional interviews will be easier if you have testimonials from several shows saying what a great guest you were, or the response they got from their listeners.

Ask radio interviewers and producers to pass your information along to their sister stations or online. There are several Web sites where radio staffs share information about guests. One mention could get you booked on many more shows.

Keep in touch with producers, editors and reporters with whom you have worked. Let them know when you have another story that might be right for them. If you gave them a great story, they will be glad to hear from you.

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