What's in a Name?

As a young PR pro, you don’t have much time to take the phone away from your ear during prime pitching hours let alone delve into the inner workings of the communications business. However, at the center of a start-up in a rocky economy, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is to build your brand no matter the environment. That said, brand building doesn’t start at the corporate level alone – you need to consider your personal brand, your company’s brand and of course, your clients’ brands.

With not as many connections as my lovable (and well-connected) colleagues, I decided to start by working on my own brand – ultimately leading to greater credibility in the PR world. So I Kannekt, Facebook, Twitter, and Link In with colleagues and clients, groups and associations, with aspirations to one day have my name associated with a brand that stands for quality, hard-work and dedication!

It’s really not as difficult as I first imagined. Have a reporter friend? Follow them on Twitter to catch their most recent articles. Have a colleague you worked with at a previous firm? Connect with them on LinkedIn, then offer to meet over a cup of coffee to see what they have brewing in their life. It’s amazing how only one hundred and forty characters can open doors and opportunities.

So even with all of the warnings out there to “think before you tweet,” my feelings are, relax! Before social media, time was spent in idle email chatter and passing news through word of mouth. We’ve just changed our medium a bit to be more Web 2.0 (that’s your sign to cringe)!

So whether you’re @cconte, Joining my network!, or sending a message to your best friend, you’re taking the initiative to build a brand and form relationships.