It doesn't matter how cruel the reality programs get, there always seems to be an endless supply of people willing to humiliate themselves to get on television. There's just something exciting about appearing in front of millions of people.

In fact, just knowing someone that's going to be on TV or on the radio is exciting, so when you know you are going to be on the air, send an alert to your mailing list.

Send notes, e-mails, faxes ? whatever it takes ? so they know when they can catch you. You'll be surprised at how many people tune in. After all, they now know a real celebrity!

Of course, most people will still miss it. It isn't as easy to send a "reprint" of a TV or radio appearance, but it can be done. Get a video copy of your appearance. (Never ask the reporter (unless they offer), they have to get to work on their next story.)

Call the station the next day and see if you can get a copy. If not, call a media monitoring service in your area. Most cities have one. They tape every local TV and radio broadcast and can provide the video or audio you need.

Afterwards, send copies of any video or audio tapes (smart move: get them edited to 5 minutes length maximum) to your best prospects and referral sources.

Recently a longtime vendor sent me (and a thousand others, no doubt) an e-mail saying he'd be on 60 Minutes that weekend. I couldn't watch that night but I sure was thrilled for him ? and impressed. And he was top of mind for a good few days. Which is exactly what he wanted to happen when he sent me that e-mail.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.