Don’t Go for the Best

Happy New Y…..

Are you already feeling a bit tired of wishing it to literally everyone? Do we have to continue this until the beginning of February? 🫣 Not that I don’t wish you a happy new year, I really do. I even have a specific wish for you. It’s about your 'Zone of Genius' (Read on below to discover what I mean).

I certainly hope you had a good rest during your holiday because I will be firing off a lot of inspiration in the next few weeks in this newsletter. Maybe a bit less about the technical aspects of branding, but a lot more about leadership, inspiration, beliefs, playfulness, and joy. I want to tickle you with content that makes you reflect on your professional (and in fact also private) choices in life!

I'm back, baby - and I love to take you on my journey!
(Okay, I will say it then: Happy 2024!)

Just a quick note: I really want to tell you how thrilled I am to be writing again. There was a little 'holiday' in between, but oh boy, I came out of it completely buzzing. Those hours at my desk, reading, writing, and thinking – people always wonder when I find the time, but I just really enjoy doing it! There you go, a little side note before we dive into the really interesting stuff. 💥

➡️ Leadership - Zone Of Genius

"So, obviously, I've been reading all these cheerful wishes for 2024, and it got me thinking: what do I wish for? Well, I really wish to do only the things that give me energy. In the last few months, I've certainly discovered some of my talents. And have to say, I’m a communication genius (If I am not proud to say this out loud, who will :-))
But the question is: does every communication task gives me the same energy? Nope. So, is doing what you can do well the path you have to follow? Maybe. Or do you need to look for things that give you energy? 🤔

I came across this image on Matt Schnuck's Linkedin. And he's right, go and look for your ZONE OF GENIUS - the common ground between the things you excel at and the things that give you energy. That’s the sweet spot where the magic happens!

In 2024, I will continue to explore my Zone Of Genius. I'll remain the queen in communication, which I love. Additionally, I aim to delve deeper into leadership issues. How can you plant a flag for your team? What kind of leader do you aspire to be? How about professional loneliness? For example, if you're a team leader or CEO, and it feels lonely at the top. Or if you're an entrepreneur tired of brainstorming alone. All of this is also communication, which I can assist with !

To find my Zone of Genius, I plan to stay playful in life, to discover, and to be curious. By the end of the year, my goal is to spend 80% of my time in the ZONE OF GENIUS! How about you? Have you already considered where your Zone of Genius lies?

➡️ Audience Building - Don’t Go for the Best

“What’s the best Disney film of all time?”

It’s a personal question. It is an emotional question. There is no right answer. Your best is not my best.

The lesson for your content brand? “You don’t need to be the biggest or the best. You need to be their favorite.

How? I hear you thinking!

Have a clear vision who you want to be. Where you stand for. And what is your mission? This is the starting point of every impactful communication.

Don’t be generic. Don’t be forgettable. Don’t be dull. There is nothing worse than being dull and beige.

Act differently: Don’t be satisfied with “just helping” your audience or acting like an expert. Be a visionary.

Grow super fans: Move listeners from strangers to super fans. That requires you to grab attention, hold attention, and then convert attention.

Now this ad is what I call genius advertising 😜 👇

Btw, if you need some help, you know where to find me! 👀

➡️ Branding - Do something cool with barcodes!

I'm a real fan of brands that go the extra mile for their brand experience. Again, if you have a clear vision of who you want to be, those little details in the customer journey are really the cherry on the pie. Love, love, love!

➡️ Books!

I'm currently reading three books at once, experiencing a bit of FOMO because there's a whole stack waiting for me. But the one capturing my attention today is 'The Good Ancestor' by Roman Krznaric. This book delves into how the system gets stuck due to our constant focus on short-term solutions, not least in the business world but also in politics.

I'm reading the book in preparation for the FTI festival in Leuven, one of the projects I'm currently working on. Krznaric is one of the speakers during the Future Generations Conference! As I've been crafting the festival's narrative and storytelling this week, I was searching for the pains the festival addresses. This book is fantastic and a real eye-opener.
Read it – or take the easy way – come to the Future Generations Conference on March 19. For those interested, I can share a discount code valid until the end of January. Drop me an email!

Hope you enjoyed reading!
See you next week

x Ingrid