Your personal brand is simply how others visually, emotionally and professionally perceive you. It answers the questions, “Who are you and why should I pay attention to you?” For the most part, people are motivated by their own needs, not yours. So the more needs you meet, the more influence you have, and the stronger your personal brand becomes.

A great example of someone with great influence and a strong personal brand to match is Seattle’s own Nancy Pearl, author of Book Lust, NPR commentator and erstwhile head of Seattle’s Public Libraries. Readers can’t get enough of her recommendations, book stores and libraries offer standing room only for her visits, and she even has her own librarian action figure. Nancy Pearl has essentially become the book lover’s rock star.

So… how did she do it?

First of all, she makes it clear who she is and what she stands for—she is a warm, open librarian committed to connecting the public with books. Her knowledge of and love for books is unmatched, which is her key differentiator.

Her success with the public stems from her zeal to connect with readers without pretense. Her passion to engage everyone—regardless of academic background—is driven by her personal love of books, and it’s this authenticity that leads us to value her book recommendations and adore her in return.

Follow these steps to create your personal brand:
1. Figure out who you are and what you stand for.
2. Determine what sets you apart from the pack.
3. Create your personal brand story to communicate your value.
4. Pull the key concepts from your story and weave them into everything that you say, write and do.
5. Tell your story to anyone who will listen.

-Bianca Abate

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