Personal Branding: Your Value, Confidence and the Likeability Factor!

What is Your Value?…One of the best examples I’ve heard of someone confidently expressing their value was from a story about the famous artist, Picasso.

by Ellen Looyen
Personal Branding and Marketing Strategist

Ellen Looyen

A woman was seated next to Picasso at a restaurant and wanted him to just “scribble” something for her on a napkin…So she boldly approached his table, with her napkin in hand and said,

“If you would be kind enough to just scribble something on my napkin, I will gladly pay you whatever you think it is worth.”

Picasso did just that; and when he handed her back the napkin, he said, “that will be thirty thousand dollars.” She gasped and exclaimed, “but that only took you 3 seconds!”

To which Picasso replied, “no my dear, that took me thirty years!”

What is your value…and how confidently do you articulate your gifts and talents?

How Do People Typically React or Respond to You?

Tony Robbins says that “the way you make people feel, influences their purchase decisions.” It’s no coincidence that we call people who we like and feel good about, “attractive.” Most “attractive” people are confident, positive, comfortable in their own skin, open, authentic and likeable.

According to Tim Saunders, author of “The Likeability Factor,” the Four Keys to Likeability are: Friendliness, Relevance, Empathy and Realness.

If you possess all four of these things, you’re much more likely to instantly connect with others and have them like you, trust you, open up to you and eventually do business with you.

Wherever you are in your career and in your life, don’t waste any more time not knowing the “Four Keys to Likeability.” Mark McCormack, super agent for celebrity athletes, says, “we don’t always judge people on their performance, instead, we judge performance based on how much we ‘like’ someone!”

“In a world where you can be anything…be yourself!” –Anon

There is something most attractive about people authentically being themselves…they seem very comfortable in their own skin…they feel more authentic…and thus, they put others at ease, too. They’re more likeable, trust-able and therefore more connectable. And typically, they’re also much more comfortable and effective in their communications with others.

Usually that comfort comes from a deep self-knowledge and self-appreciation of who you really are…being aware of your strengths as well as vulnerabilities; and being astutely aware of the IMPACT you have on others…the first step to building a powerful personal brand!

Ellen Looyen, “America’s Leader in Personal Branding” has been in her own Branding, Marketing and Training business since 1988. She has helped all types of businesses (from entrepreneurial start-ups to major corporations, like Chevron ), discover their unique Brand identity and articulate their value in a compelling and charismatic way.

Ellen is the featured branding expert in the bestseller, “Get Clients Now” and is a frequent Branding Commentator on SF’s #1 radio station, KGO NewsTalk 810. To learn more visit Branded with Charisma!