Posted by on Dec 2, 2010 in Networking, Social Media | 5 comments

Have you ever met one of your heroes, and found out that they weren’t what you were expecting?

I have. Once, I met the Backstreet Boys. Totally exciting. Except not. They were late, slightly rude, and sort of dirty. So now every time I hear their songs, it’s tinged with that memory of the disappointing in-face meeting.

While my Backstreet Boys meeting crushed my personal dreams of marrying Nick Carter (I wouldn’t even have to change my last name!), the same issue can have serious repercussions in the business world. Some people are fantastic on social media–helpful, funny, humble, grateful, and full of great content. But when you meet those same folks in the flesh, they can come off as rude, arrogant, brash, and downright unpleasant. From then on, all of their content can take on a nasty tinge by association, tainting otherwise great information.

While you can’t save everyone from themselves, you can make sure your online and offline personas work in harmony. This isn’t to say that you have to fake being sunshine and light in person, nor to say you should cuss like a sailor on social media. Be true to yourself: if you’re sarcastic in real life, it’s okay to be sarcastic online. Just look at Robby Slaughter for proof that it works.

Ultimately, if you’re a fake in any arena of life, you’ll ultimately be found out. But when one area of your life is seriously hurt by your behavior in another, it’s time to re-evaluate and make sure that you’re acting appropriately online and off.

...
Looking for regular doses of small business marketing ideas?  

Sign up for our newsletter and have the best of our fresh ideas about web design, social media and marketing strategy delivered to your desktop twice a month!



Sign Me Up
Email:  

More on This Topic

  • http://www.slaughterdevelopment.com/ Robby Slaughter

    I got called out! That’s going be great for my Klout score! :D

    But seriously, what if you’re sitting in a presentation and you’re DYING to say something, but you keep biting your tongue? I think that experience (which we’ve all had), goes right to the heart of the issue. We censor ourselves in so many environments yet at the same time place tremendously value on people who can “talk straight.”

    I like to say that there is truth in unplanned advertising. Character is who you are when no one is watching. Great PR work is not spin, but earnestly helping the public to understand.

    Good stuff. Keep up the blogging.

  • Pingback: Tweets that mention Who are you, really?| Roundpeg | Small Business Social Media | Roundpeg | Small Business Marketing | Indianapolis -- Topsy.com

  • http://www.roundpeg.biz Allison

    Robby,

    I love that picture of the fired intern fairy. It always gives me a giggle.

    But you’re absolutely right on the issue of PR: Great PR work is not spin, but is all about honesty. The first rule of PR is to be honest, because you will always be found out if you’re lying.

    However, it’s the issue of whether or not to share every thought (especially critical ones) that gets tricky. I like to think of myself as a “straight shooter,” but unfortunately, it’s not all about me. In a public setting, it’s necessary to weigh many factors before speaking up: how will this reflect upon my boss, or the rest of my company? Will it change how clients or potential clients perceive me?

    While I would love to be able to speak my mind all the time, sometimes it’s just not possible. Thanks for your comment–I always appreciate your perspective.

  • http://www.slaughterdevelopment.com/ Robby Slaughter

    >While I would love to be able to speak my mind all the time, sometimes it’s just not possible.

    I think that it’s always possible to speak your mind, but sometimes it’s not advisable.

    One of the many benefits of a free society is that we can be more free with our words. What you have to say is always interesting; but I have a feeling that what you feel you probably should not say might well be the most interesting of all!

    I think that in the most honest version of the world, we find no need to keep our words to ourselves. That’s certainly not practical, but it seems ideal.

  • http://Www.BgKahuna.com BgKahuna

    I agree with Robby. You can say just about anything that you would
    Like to but it is not always advisable. I think social media has changed the communication model in the sense that we don’t see our audience to know exactly who they are. . This causes people to overshare. Information is posted and you don’t know who is going to see it. Having a bad day and want to bash your employer by name? I’ve seen it done and think it not a good thing. I have also seen people having a bad and being slightly vague with what is going on.

    I don’t think every thought that goes through people’s minds should be posted. I bet you’re surprised to hear that from me You can be a straight shooter just by being honest to your audience. There is also a way to say things. I am a straight shooter in real life because I believe it’s best to pull the bandaid off and address the issue and solve it . I don’t think I am online because I like to keep things funny but light.

    BTW I am having soup for lunch.

    Sorry for any typo’s, I’m mobile and an idiot.

  • http://www.roundpeg.biz Allison

    Kahuna,

    Thanks for your post. I think that there always has to be a balance between truth and pain. While this may surprise my coworkers, I actually hate to hurt people’s feelings. It’s one of my current challenges to be able to give constructive criticism (“pull off the bandaid”) in a non-confrontational way. I actually find this much easier to do in the social media realm. I find myself deleting a lot of posts before they ever go out: I get the therapy of expressing it, without the embarrassment and fallout of actually sharing it.

    And trashing your employer in any written format? Never, ever a good idea.

  • Pingback: Who Are You in 140 Characters or Less « Affiliates « How to get Rich blog