Is it real?

Goodmorning sunshines!

I’m stressed out because in the last newsletter I shared which events I will attend and where I will be. But what I have never told you is—and this is really important information—I can’t remember faces. Like, if you wear glasses one day and the next day you don’t, or you wear your hair up and then down, or you change colors, I won’t recognize you. This is not BS and is a real condition called prosopagnosia. Look it up! Brad Pitt also suffers from it. So don’t hate me if I don’t recognize you, I still love you, nor am I arrogant. Just speak to me. And mostly remember: I’m like Brad Pitt. That’s the takeaway here 🤣

This said…

➡️ Leadership : Is that an authentic smile?

It is crazy how our brain works. It’s a wonderful and mysterious world that we still know far too little about. I’ve become one of those annoying people who listens to mental power podcasts or stories about how safety and trust change our behavior—positively or negatively.

Let me tell you a story about our trip to Namibia. During our journey, we stayed in various types of places: campgrounds, lodges, and one high-end hotel. This pure luxury hotel was something we booked because we felt we deserved it after the dusty camping nights. It was a hotel where we were pampered, with staff constantly checking if we were enjoying ourselves. Everyone smiled, everyone was friendly. But … I hated it there. I didn’t feel at home, and it’s certainly not because I can’t handle luxury. Believe me.

I had to think for a long time about why this luxury hotel wasn’t my favorite. Why did I feel a warmer connection at other, much cheaper places? Where does that difference lie? For me, it’s mainly in the feeling of safety in the work environment. I mean: Are people instructed to smile by their boss, or do they smile because they’re happy? Do people just like their job, or do they love it? Staff members with an authentic smile have real emotions involved. It’s the difference between liking and loving something. You don’t just like your kid or partner; you love them.

How do you get team members to love their job and not just like it, or simply do it well? For me, that’s where leadership comes in. You can give clear instructions to your team, explaining that they must always smile at guests and you can reprimand them if they don’t. Or, you can be the leader who checks in with the team, asks how you can support them in their job, so they can perform their job with genuine pleasure. The result? That authentic and sincere smile.

Watch this video of Simon Sinek, it is woooow

➡️ Customer Experience : Welcomed like queens

Off Topic, or maybe not entirely: this week, I went to eat with a group at Humm in Antwerp. I met the owner, Frederik, at a networking event a few months ago. That’s how it happened that I booked with my “monthly friends dinner group” at Humm. Seems logical to me: entrepreneurs support entrepreneurs. But Frederik took the experience to the next level:

Upon arrival, we were welcomed like queens. We were offered a glass of cava, we ware pampered by the staff, and Frederik came over for a chat—super warm, super kind. The next morning, I received a message asking how we enjoyed our time there.

Never underestimate the customer experience. Or the power of word to mouth. Thanks to Frederik's efforts, Humm will always be top of mind when someone asks me for a nice spot. So, here’s my recommendation—go there, it’s a great place on Dageraadplaats in Antwerp. And not unimportant, the food was delicious!

➡️ Brandlove : Fred Againagainagainagain…

What Frederik of Humm does in micro level, does Fred Again (the DJ Artist) in macro! Do you know why he is my biggest marketing genius?

Yes, yes, I’m a forty-year-old Gen Y/X, and I am just hooked on Fred. I think not only is his music 10/10, but the way he connects with his listeners/followers and maintains this authentic approach to himself and his music fills a gap that no other musician has gotten RIGHT. Both his music and his marketing presence feel like he’s your friend IRL—authenticity is at the heart of everything he does.

My favorite takeaways from Fred Again’s marketing strategy:

• Authenticity and personal connection flow through his content. None of his posts are polished or look like he even planned them. It feels like he’s posting from the heart (I realize there is a team behind it, but it’s so well done!) For me, he just uses social media in the way it was intended to be used: as a direct peer to peer channel. It doesn't matter of one of the peers is an artist, and actor or a rocket scientist. It's the human connection that built social media.

• He plays with last-minute gigs, which is smart. It means you have to turn on social post notifications to avoid missing out. And if you want to attend a last-minute concert, he has an exceptional, personal marketing flow that takes you to a “personal” WhatsApp chat with Fred, then to a sign-up form for his community page.

• He writes music like diary entries, sampling voices from his friends or people he’s met along the way. If you leave him an audio message, you might end up in a song!

• He interacts with his fans!! Whether in person or on social media, his community management is 10/10.

To Watch: The Program

I received a lot of emails from you telling me that you bought the book KPI’s die echt werken. I’m curious to hear how you’re finding it! (And maybe next time I should include an affiliate link here, haha!)

This week, I started a new book, but I haven’t read enough yet to share my thoughts. So instead, I’d like to share a Netflix documentary series that moved me to tears. I’m talking about The Program - Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping. Perfect Back-to-School material. (It’s not—I’m kidding because I was crying!)

Nevertheless, happy Back-to-School week!

x Ingrid