Over the past few weeks, I've come to realize that while it isfine (and necessary) to be a generalist in practice, specializationis the key when it comes to self-promotion--you must know what youdo and do it better than anyone else. And as I've recentlydiscovered, one good way to specialize in yourself is by creatingand living by a personal marketing plan.

Fresh from just such an exercise, I offer the followingsuggestions, but keep in mind that my personal process has beensummarized for this format. My actual journey was very detailed andintrospective. To get a more in-depth how-to, I suggest youresearch some widely available books and seminars on thesubject.The first step is to define your business "self." It isvery important to know your personal drivers and motivatingfactors. By knowing what you want and how you wish to be perceived,you can make progress in creating that identity. Begin by answeringthe following--or make up your own related--questions:

"I want to be known as (the best/an expert) in_______________________"
"People will mention my name when they are asked to think of_______________________"
"I'm really good at _________________"
"___________ is what differentiates me from others in my field.