Personal Branding: “How They See You is How They Pay You”

Personal branding has become a prominent and influential topic lately. But what is it, and why do we need personal branding? Each of us has a certain image, and reputation in the eyes of others, but it depends on us whether we intentionally shape it and whether we can leverage it for our benefit.

Building a strong personal brand, trust, and community is essential not only for politicians, real estate agents, lawyers, or investors.

If you want to increase interest in your services, sell more, expand your network, and build more valuable relationships with others, start treating yourself as a brand. The fact is that our income is closely linked to our image (or so-called “brand”) in the market.

Understanding what a brand is and what it can be useful for is the first step to consciously creating it. Otherwise, our actions will be chaotic and inconsistent, and well-thought-out consistency is crucial in the whole process.

“How They See You is How They Pay You”

Personal branding, or how others perceive us, consists of the values, knowledge, skills, and experience we possess. It’s our external appearance and how we communicate and present ourselves. It’s the overall impression we make on our surroundings and the first association when someone hears our name. Whether we like it or not, each of us has our brand because we are judged by others every day.

The rule “How They See You is How They Pay You” also applies in the business game, and understanding its basic principles can help us achieve our goals. Personal branding is not just about how others perceive us, but also about what sets us apart from others. It could be an element of appearance (e.g., attention-grabbing eyeglass frames), the way of speaking, voice tone, or distinctive gestures.

The foundation of a good brand is not only the first impression and external appearance but, above all, the values that define it.

Be Yourself

It’s easy to say, but how to do it and, most importantly, where to start? Don’t compare yourself to others and let yourself be known as a professional. Of course, you can draw inspiration from others, but filter those inspirations through authenticity in line with your personality and natural predispositions.

Present the best version of yourself at the moment, but also remember that you don’t have to be liked by everyone! It’s not even a realistic desire. Find your style and suitable means of expression.

Most people sense a lack of authenticity and consistency. It’s also a mistake to think that our skills and knowledge will speak for themselves, especially in an industry with intense competition and information overload.

Nothing happens on its own

We want to believe that our clients will quickly recognize the value in what we offer and find us themselves, but will it happen?

How to stand out in the market and show others what’s best about us? Why would a client choose us?

Running a profitable business nowadays relies heavily on trust and long-term relationships, so the way we communicate and build relationships, especially with newly met individuals, is crucial.

It’s a much more complex and delicate process than it seems. It requires a strategic approach, knowledge, skills, and patience.

Engagement in Changes

Building a strong and effective personal brand requires an idea of who you are, a decision to change, a specific strategy, and consistency in action.

I often hear during consultations: “It’s not my time yet; I’m not ready for this,” “I don’t have enough skills yet,” “I don’t know if I have anything interesting to share,” “I don’t look good enough to stand out.”

Creating a professional image is a process that primarily requires a reshaping of one’s self-perception. It’s challenging to start building a strong personal brand if you don’t have the foundation of a high sense of self-worth.

Therefore, at the very beginning of the journey, I encourage you to ask yourself a few fundamental questions:

• Who am I?
• Where am I heading?
• Why do I do what I do?
• What gives me fulfillment and joy?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• What skill do I want to share with others, and how can I help them?

A critical but constructive analysis of your natural resources and a willingness to work on what you want to change are key to creating stable foundations for further actions.

Our beliefs and habits are often obstacles in the whole process, and it’s challenging to recognize and modify them alone to support our vision.

That’s why, as a personal branding strategist and social media sales trainer, I mainly work individually, in a 1:1 format. I support clients in shaping their image and building an engaged community in the online and offline worlds. During the first consultation, I diagnose the client’s needs, biggest challenges, and mission, and look at their media activity from the perspective of both a specialist and a potential client interested in their product or service.

During consultations, we discuss many crucial issues, such as how to stand out in the market, create a consistent and effective communication strategy in social media, and which tools can help increase sales. In addition to providing all the know-how, everyone receives exercises tailored to their personality, vision, goals, and industry.

I often say that the best time to build a personal brand is today because it’s a shame to miss the opportunity for personal and professional development. However, a conscious decision to start and readiness for upcoming changes are needed. If you don’t feel capable of acting independently, find someone you resonate with, trust them, and create a specific plan to which you’ll commit. I’m confident that you won’t regret it.

Paweł Fesyk

Personal Branding Strategist, Image Creator, Social Media Specialist, Sales Trainer, and Image Photographer.

Founder of Montownia Marek. Supports the creation of personal brands online for both those starting their business journey and entrepreneurs who value their online presence.

For many years, associated with the American company World Ventures as an event photographer throughout Europe. Has never worked a traditional job.

Assists in creating personal brands for real estate agents, lawyers, mayors, and entrepreneurs.

Collaborated with individuals such as Fryderyk Karzełek, Jakub B. Bączek, Marc Accetta, Gosia Górna, Prince Jan Żyliński, Anna Oszajca, Kuba Midel, Dawid Dowbusz, Magdalena Tul, Johny Wimbrey, Matt Moris, Marta Malak, and many others.

Privately loves to travel, meet new people, experience new places, play the drums, and ride mountain bikes (MTB).

Paweł Fesyk

May 21, 2023 Stockholm