Public relations professionals love to revel in a big story. Those two pages in a trade magazine with a killer photo and fantastic placement can make your week – maybe even your month. And a five-minute segment on national television? Oh, that carries bragging rights for at least a year!

Think of all those times you’re sitting in a professional development session, waiting for the keynote address. The bio always includes “[SPEAKER] has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, MSN.com and Good Morning America.” (This is even better, because now someone ELSE is touting your successful placement!)

They do this because it establishes credibility. It tells people that you’re someone they can trust. I mean, Mr. Top Editor-of-the-world-who-hears-everything-from-everyone thought you deserved some coverage. That editor trusted them enough to use their name and tell their story.

See, the real value of PR isn’t JUST in that 3-column by 10-inch space or those 30 seconds on TV. (Yes, that’s important, too, and often prompts action!) The real value of PR is in how you use the placement to your advantage. It’s in giving your sales force a reprint of the story placement so they can use it when calling on prospective customers. It’s reserving a spot on your homepage that says “As seen in Roofing Contractor,” with a link to the story. It’s e-mailing your clients with a link to the story. (Between you and me, sometimes it doesn’t even matter if they open the story. They’ll be impressed just to know you were quoted.)

You’re essentially telling the world, or at least your stakeholders, that they should care about what you have to say. Because someone else with a lot of credibility trusted you.

So, go ahead, love your story. And talk about it with everyone you meet for the next year – or maybe two!