Get your eyes on progress and better branding
New year wishes + evolution of the newsletter + my top tips and books to start the year.
👋 Hello Brand Revealers. Happy New Year!
It has been such a long time since I last wrote to all of you. I hope January is treating you well and that you are giving mindful motion to this new year.
With every new year, we observe the same patterns of words. You can read about resolutions, goals, success tips and more. While they are useful and valuable in building your brand, yet, what I want to claim for you this year is an eye on progress! A year in which you take tangible steps toward realizing that vision of your brand. One step at a time!
What do you wish for a brand?
To that extension of a founder, creative or entrepreneur. To that writer, artist, politician, scientist and more. You may have learned by now, with this letter, that we are all brands. Some in the making, others in the redefinition, some in the mastery and even more in the learning phase. A collective of people believing in a vision. A crazy faith and vision that ‘‘they can create their space’’. From that audacity, they can transform this space into a living source for themselves, their loved ones, and their audiences.
For many, building a brand is crazy, sometimes overwhelming. You are not a brand until someone says you are one. You are not a brand until it feels like one: meaning you enjoy the fruits of your brand working and magnetizing for you. You are not a brand until...
Let's quiet the voices of doubt this year and focus on those small steps that enable our brands to thrive in their Kairos seasons* ?Â
I wish you a year of peace in that process. A year of enjoying the fruits of your branding efforts. Furthermore, may you be able to witness both YOU and YOUR brand walking side by side towards that vision.
It is never an easy task, especially within the era we live in. It takes the ''rite de passage*'' and many lessons to finally accept the pace of your Brand(ing). Doing the best you can until you receive that information to do better. I wish you a better brand year!
*1. Kairos seasons or opportune moments • 2. Rite of passage
Some ideas to tackle in 2024
✅ Print your way to branding
The moment I started incorporating print into my studio, I saw a huge potential for storytelling and format. Print your voice and make it available as a tool for your audience. "Think Print, Think Digital" goes hand in hand.✅ I believe in collaboration. And even more in ''creative and entrepreneurial collaboration'' (I will share about this soon). It is a highway of opportunity and growth. Co-brand, co-create, co-found, and co-earn. Think differently about creative endeavors and business. Collaborations are nests of innovative ideas.
✅ Take action to speak more and position yourself better. For example, you can start a newsletter or pitch to traditional media, blogs or podcasts to expand your voice.
Format of YBL for 2024
What is coming?
The newsletter now has a rhythm I like, such as navigating through interviews (Q&A with Brand Revealers and Marketing buddies) and diving into longer investigations (Food brands, Play brands, or Mind Brands). I do feel it is now time for me to share more insights and tips on how I am building my personal brand. Thanks to a series of medium posts with behind-the-scenes stories and actionable steps. This would not only complement the ecosystem of the letter but also offer a 360-degree view including mindset, strategies, inspiration, history and vision.
What are your thoughts? In the meantime, here's a preview of upcoming posts:
Podcast repurposing: An upcoming interview with a researcher on decision-making and branding.
Join the branding table: Introducing new Brand Revealers (teaser: our first Canadian Brand Revealer this month) and a Marketing Buddy (a top writer and expert on community and belonging. I am excited to share his special appearance in the letter.)
New long investigations coming soon: Space brands are on the way. I tackle themes I am curious about so we’ll see what sticks.
I want to explore more audio and video posts.
As always, feel free to share what you would like to read in the letter. If you have a guest you believe would be a good fit for the letter, be the middle man or woman. Who knows, they might be the next featured Brand Revealer or Marketing Buddy.
3 books to start the year
The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino (my year Routine, to infuse those positive concepts and motivation into my technology/ mind).
Sales pitch by April Dunford (I heard her on the podcast on self-publishing; she just lifted any anxiety over going all in on self-publishing! This book is my starter of the year!)
Porter Sa Voix by Stéphane de Freitas (the power of understanding speech, eloquence and how it is pivotal in branding).
2024 support?
I have some spots for:
• Consultations (Transformative Mindset and Brand in motion) I now include support on creating your Substack newsletter (these sessions will help you prepare and launch your Substack as well! A specific offer will be available soon. For now, it is a topic within the power talks).
• Branding projects (brand design, crafting a visual universe, animated assets for your storytelling…).
If you want to work with me, you can reach out and tell me more about your awesome brand and project. Let’s see what we can craft together!
📈 Brand(ING) Tip / 01
Pitch to a journalist. Make your voice available to a new audience.
You can start using a platform called Haro (Help a Reporter Out) and pitch to journalists on topics that resonate with your brand. There is no secret to a good pitch: bring in value and your personality. To achieve this, leverage your experience, problem-solving skills, and empathy. Make it a weekly or monthly routine to select and submit pitches to relevant journalists. I will be sharing a post on this topic soon!
💡Craft a short and intentional email: introduce yourself, highlight the main pain point, and explain how your story can contribute to the premise. Incorporate compelling arguments to entice your reader to reach out. Include your contact details and social media information (even if they in the signature). Strive for effectiveness and engagement, and above all, infuse your dedication and heart to each word you state.
Progress is the branding currency.
I leave you with these wise words by Giovanni Giorgio Moroder.
Peaceful branding!
Keva.