You've been contacted for an interview by the media? They want to know your opinion? You are finally going to have an opportunity for some valuable "exposure:? I'm happy for you, but be careful what you wish for. As US General Stanley McChrystal just learned,if you are a public figure, there's no such thing as a private comment. You don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to appreciate the fact that advances in communications technology mean that any government can access every detail of your personal life. The real threat to your personal brand lies not with a faceless bureaucrat, but with your friendly reporter. Yes I'm talking about the harmless sounding, thrilling and terrifying Media Mention. There was a time when your biggest media challenge was getting your name spelled correctly. With the explosion of entrepreneurial journalism, your facts, position and expertise is all up for grabs. In the era of instant news, it's pointless to cry "I was miss-quoted!" or demand a retraction or suggest the reporter had an "agenda". Of course they had an agenda, a point of view and a deadline. Deal with it. In fact, don't wait until you're contacted for an interview, set your own agenda to frame your point of view. Here are my tips for leveraging your media mentions.

Set Specific Goals

A lot of effort goes into media interviews, blog posts or composing an article. Make the most of it by starting with what you hope to achieve from the exercise. As soon as the interviewer mentions their story "slug" or angle on your topic, you need to be able to make the connection to one of your articles, products or presentations. Start with the destination in mind (your bank account).

Identify the Audience

The publication location should clue you in to who it's for, but probe to learn if the audience will contain qualified prospects for your products or services.

Identify the Publication

Identify the source of the interview request. Chances are you've been contacted by a freelancer. You are looking to appear on the biggest billboard next to the busiest highway. Match the value of your participation (what you give) to the value of the exposure (what you get).

Connect the Dots

If they allow a click-able link, make it the shortest distance between the interview topic and an appropriate product page or next step (tip sheet, white paper). If a direct link from the interview is not possible, use a blog post to create your own. Since this media interview scenario happens on a regular basis, you might consider developing a media interview policy. It should include your expectations, desired outcomes, and the steps needed to meet those goals. Make sure to include a section about what should happen when publishers don't meet your expectations.