I know it’s asking a lot but you need to set aside a minimum of 15 minutes a day to build your brand. You can do many things in 15 minutes a day that will help build visibility credibility and a strong personal portfolio.

Here’s a short list to get you thinking about your "packaging" your brand.

• Refine your "elevator" pitch.
The best ones simply don’t happen overnight. They come from refining and condensing the message down to its core elements. Spend time every week tweaking yours. If you want, send it to me and I’ll give you my impression. (Serious branders only, please.)

• Update your resume.
This can be done in increments. List your best, most recent accomplishments and put them into sound bytes that can be inserted into any resume or personal self-promotion. Remember to use real benefits here, not dry language about where you went to school or what happened ten years ago. Tell me what you have accomplished lately.

• Call a couple of magazines and introduce yourself to the editor.
Spend just a few minutes on the phone and follow up via email with your expertise and credentials and a suggested idea for an article.

• Do some vanity searches.
Type in your name in various search engines. Remember to use the quotes around your name so you won’t get a lot of unrelated queries. Not showing up? It’s time to get busy building that brand.

• Start a personal blog.
You have to be serious about keeping it updated. Most people start one only to become pressed for time and quit. NOTE: It takes about six months to get results.

• Write a personal press release template.
Once you do, you will always have it on hand when you get that important call. NOTE: In the "Packaging Yourself Workbook,” we have done all the work for you so all you have to do is fill in the blanks.

• Research the industry trade shows schedule for 06.
Find out which shoes or conferences you should attend where you can learn something new, or more importantly ones where you can be a speaker.

• Start working on your own personal website.
This will requite a lot of time and effort to do it right so spend a few minutes every day. You can generate lots of personal press around this too.

• Set up your competitive news alerts. You know the people you admire or aspire to emulate. You need to know what they are doing.

• Last but not least renew your professional memberships even if youhave to pay for them yourself. Its one of the least expensive self-promotiontools available

Give six months dedication to building your brand. That’s the soonest you are likely to see results. In any case keep meposted about what you are doing and above all tell about your successes.

These tips and more come from the extensive library of personal branding tools developed by JoAnn Hines the Chief People Packager available in the "Packaging Yourself Workbook."

If you have a question or issue that needs an answer please let me know email packagingcoach@aol.com.

How to create an elevator speech; How to make most of those first 30 seconds or less; How to use networking to build your business; How to speak your way to fame and fortune; are all included in the Packaging Yourself Workbook Order now @ http://www.packaginguniversity.com/pkgustorefront.htm

To subscribe to the personal branding e-zine "Packaging Yourself" email me @ pkgcoach@aol.com