public relations…social media…commmunications…marketing. Repeat.

Donald Trump. Martha Stewart. Beyonce. Oprah. The list goes on. People from all walks of life have achieved a considerable amount of success by building their professional brand.

It’s never too early to start building your professional brand. Who am I and what do I do? What impression do I want to leave on people? The answers to these questions are essential to successful branding. People dedicate their lives to building their brand. However; I have put together a quick list of five steps you can take to solidify your own professional brand.

Make a Plan. Building your professional brand is not something you should attempt blindly. You must first know what your brand is all about and what you expect to achieve from your branding efforts. Writing out a plan sets the foundation. It provides a sense of guidance for you as you work to build a name for yourself. In your plan you should layout what you want to do, how you would like to approach those efforts and the desired outcome.

Get Social. If you cannot afford to create a web site or aren’t quite ready to start and maintain a blog, LinkedIn is a great place to start building your professional brand online.

• LinkedIn: As a professional networking site, LinkedIn lets you network with other professionals in your industry or in related industries. It is a great way to put your resume, portfolio and personality on display. There are tons of branding efforts you can achieve through LinkedIn. Mashable, the top source for news in social and digital media, technology and web culture, published a great article about building your professional brand on LinkedIn.
• Facebook: With more than 500 million active users, Facebook is a great place to build your brand online. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

o   Create your own group or fan page: If activities in your personal life don’t really sync up with your professional brand, you might want to consider starting a separate group or fan page. This page could also serve as your own website.

o   Create a base: Once you’ve created a new page, send friend requests to people or other brands with related interests.

o   Keep your status updated frequently: Generating content through your status updates will help you build brand advocates and help you deliver your message to a targeted audience. However; don’t let too much time lapse between status updates. The less engagement or connection you have with your audience, the less connection they feel towards you or your brand.

• Twitter: Twitter is a great resource for online networking. Like Facebook and LinkedIn, it’s a site that creates the opportunity for you to strategically create an online base and deliver a targeted message. When strengthening your brand through Twitter, here are a few things to keep in mind:

o   Use a strong Twitter handle: Your Twitter handle should tell your followers who you are or what you are all about.

o   Create a background that delivers a message: Be sure to use a background that visually tells who you are and what your professional brand is about.

o   Participate in Twitter chats: Participating in Twitter chats put you in an environment with other professionals. It also creates an opportunity for you to establish yourself as an expert. Or better yet, start a chat of your own! A comprehensive list of chats, their descriptions and times can be found here. For journalists and PR pros, I recommend #Journchat and #PR20chat.

o   Establish Twitter Lists: By establishing lists, you can group your followers into categories and monitor what they are tweeting. You can even go to your followers page and follow some of their lists. When someone adds you to their group, they are essentially saying you are someone they want to monitor. They are interested in what you have to say. The more lists you are included in, the more clout you are perceived to have.

Be sure to include your social media presence on as many documents and electronic forms of communication as possible (resume, business cards, email signatures, Vcards, etc.)

Join professional organizations. Joining professional organization will connect you with other professionals with a similar background. Professional organizations create a great opportunity to network and share your specific area of expertise. Word of mouth and referrals are great ways to generate business. The Public Relations Society of America and the American Marketing Association are great resources. Visit their national website to find your local chapter.

Get it in print. Establish your area of expertise by writing articles in industry publications and professional newsletters and journals. Contact your local newspaper or other local print media outlets and pitch your area of expertise to them.

Look for speaking engagements. Your local high schools and colleges are great places to find speaking opportunities. Teachers are always looking for actual professionals to reinforce what they are teaching to their students and offer real life insight into a particular field. Volunteer groups and mentor programs are also great resources.

Got some experience and ideas you’d like to share? Go for it! How have you established your own professional brand?