Take a look:

• The implicit endorsement of the media makes it stand out from the competition.
• It is not advertising; you are building credibility.
• Maximize your exposure by posting it on your website and sharing it through social media.

A colleague of mine, a former newspaper reporter, tells a story about a smart lawyer she knew. He would alert her whenever he had a particularly juicy case. yew she promised to include her name along with her client’s in her story. Whether he won the case or lost it, people remembered his name and associated him with high-profile cases. He had discovered that having his name in the newspaper bought him something that no amount of publicity could get: credibility.

For anyone trying to build a business, sell a product, or get their book in the hands of more consumers, the implicit endorsement that comes from being interviewed by the media is what I call “marketing gold.”

Let me explain. Thanks to the Internet, you and all competitors, big or small, have an equal chance of reaching your potential consumers. So what makes one company, product, or book more attractive than others? It’s the endorsement of the media that makes you stand out. Let’s face it, yeah USA Today has chosen to review your book, or refer to it in an article, gives reason to believe that there is something special about it. If a doctor is quoted in the news about solutions to a particular health problem, your instinct will be to check him and his product first, because the media must consider him an authority to have quoted him.

When the media recognizes that you have something important to say, you gain credibility. This is the marketing gold I’m talking about: endorsements from TV and radio show hosts, editorial coverage in newspapers and magazines, and now, bloggers, news websites, and social media followers as well. All of these forms of recognition give others the confidence that you are as good as you say you are. But it’s up to you to use this “gold” as a critical part of your marketing to let people know that these endorsements exist.

The return on investment is generally not immediate, which can be frustrating for people who expect an increase in business or an increase in sales with each media interview. That used to happen more often in the old days, I’m talking about the 90s, when a radio talk show host could chat with you for 30 or 60 minutes and newspapers had twice as many pages to fill. It became clear that when a customer’s message clearly addressed an urgent public issue, coupled with their expertise and solution-oriented content, they could hit the jackpot.

From January to April, an IRS expert who discussed resolutions to IRS problems or gave on-air advice on how to prevent IRS abuses would always see a big increase in book sales. Or the health expert, who aired during flu season and explained why his health program would make them feel better faster, would sell a ton of product.

But the old days are gone and here we are in 2012. Today’s radio interviews are short (7-10 minutes in the biggest markets) and newspapers don’t have room for full stories about interesting entrepreneurs and writers. There are far fewer opportunities to capture an audience for a significant period of time.

So how do you increase your investment in public relations? Promoting your exposure in the media is a strategy that pays big dividends over time, but it requires effort on your part.

• Your website should prominently display your endorsements: “As seen on CBS,” “Featured in the Louisville Gazette,” “heard on WFLA radio.”
• Be sure to mention the media coverage to your Twitter followers and Facebook fans as well. Third-party endorsement will help you create more contacts, because people like to know who the experts are and follow them.
• Use the media you have gained to gain more exposure on television, radio, and in the press. It also serves as credibility for journalists and they are more likely to want to interview you if you have already been vetted by other media professionals.
• Let your personality shine through online and respond to journalists and followers alike with interesting comments and ideas, not pleas to buy your book or product.

Yes, it takes work, a strong theme, and a message that resonates. But if you invest wisely, you will become rich in marketing gold.