Branding Part 3. Specific Steps to Develop Your Brand

1. Open a Separate Email Account. Go to google.com and open an email account that you will use only for your online brand. You will use this account to set up your online profiles (#2), to purchase your domain name (#3), to start your blog (#5), to comment on other sites (#6), etc. This will help to keep you organized, and to keep these activities separate from your work or hospital email, and separate from your personal email. 
2. Update Your Online Profiles. Use your focus exercise from above to outline the story of why you are unique. Use your profiles to differentiate you and your practice/hospital from all the others. Focus on LinkedIn, Google Profile, About.me , Facebook, Twitter. Also take a look at Doximity, Sermo, Ozmosis, Physicianconnect.
3. Buy Your Domain (http://yourname.com, http://yourpracticename.com, 
   http://yourhospitalname.com). This is perhaps the only place (aside from a blog) where YOU can control the message about your brand online.
4. Professional Photographs. Chances are, you don't have a great professional headshot. Consider hiring a professional to take photos of you, your practice personnel. Use these consistently throughout your professional online profiles.
5. Start Your Blog. You are an expert in some area(s)! Use that expertise to educate others. 
   BE the resource! This is the only other opportunity that you have to control your message.
6. Comment on Other Sites. Find 10 sites or blogs within your area of expertise. Read them regularly (subscribe) and make regular comments – diplomatic, positive, considered comments that support and educate. NEVER leave a negative comment.
7. Set up your digital listening post. Go to www.google.com/alerts and set up alerts so that you are notified any time someone comments in the digital world about your name, your practice, your domain name, the name of your hospital. 
8. ALWAYS respond to people who mention you anywhere on the web. Monitor the web for mentions of your name or your practice name. Use Google Alerts.
9. Write. Publish a Book. Document your expertise. Write it down. Start now. There is no better means of broadcasting your brand.
10. Write more. BE the resource! Deliver eBooks, Newsletters, White Papers.
11. Distribute Your Content. Publish your eBooks on Scribd.com. Publish articles on eZinearticles.com. Publish your PowerPoint presentations on Slideshare.com. Post your blog articles on Facebook and tweet links to them on Twitter.
12. Write MORE. Accept invitations to “guest post” on other people’s blogs. If ANYone thinks that you are such an authority that they want you to write an article, ALWAYS SAY YES!
13. Distribute your brand – ppt presentations on SlideShare, Scribd; Tweet blog post updates, feed blog RSS to Facebook.
14. ALWAYS respond to people who comment on your blog. Make is thoughtful, grateful, and personal.
15. Get Exposure. Speak at local, regional, national, international meetings where you will be viewed as an expert. Don’t belong to any organizations? Well …
16. Join Two Professional Organizations. Get active. Contribute. Participate. Add value. BE a resource.

You are already a great doc. You already have a great practice.

Now develop the BRAND so this truth is recognized and appreciated far and wide. Establish yourself as a expert, and trusted resource and you will benefit your patients and your practice. That’s a great Win/Win!

Don’t expect to do all of these steps at once!

Take small bites.

Chew thoroughly before the next bite.

Gradually, over time, your brand will develop with your participation. The rewards will surprise you!