I suppose that headline may sound a bit harsh to some. That certainly isn't the intent.
But, if you were looking for sugar-coated, butterfly-chasing rainbows and unicorns truth, stop reading now. This blog post (and likely much of what I write) is not for you.
Now that we've got the disclaimer out of the way...let's start with an obvious truth.
There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being yourself. As I said recently in another post, you are uniquely designed, and unlike anyone else on this Earth.
So why then, is it that some marketing "gurus" (or Jedi, or whatever the heck the title-du-jour may be) would have you believe that you must don some sort of over-the-top persona in order to be successful? Some of them portray themselves as the "industry bad boys," or the "unlikely heroes" of Internet marketing.
Perhaps that works for them.
To me, it seems like a rather pointless exercise. Anyone that tries that hard to create a different personality should either be (a) working covertly for the government, or (b) looking to bunk with Sybil for an extended vacation at Shady Acres.
Perhaps it's because it goes against everything I learned from the time I was knee high to a grasshopper. For heaven's sake, even Popeye cartoons reinforced it - "I am what I am, and that's all that I am!"
Who am I to argue with Popeye?
If you truly want to connect with prospects, you have to do it by being yourself. Not some over-processed, airbrushed version of who you think you should be. Don't you have enough work to do as a small business owner? Why would you deliberately create more work for yourself, when you already have the business of being you locked down?
When you're talking about the social networks, the criteria for following someone typically boils down to those who:
- Create or share valuable content
- Offer the potential to network/partner/refer business
- Educate us in areas we're interested in
- Entertain us and provide a welcome diversion
- Enriches our lives
Customers and prospects can spot a phoney from fifty paces. Anyone who says otherwise is grossly underestimating the average consumer. You'll be far better served by projecting your real personality - both in your day-to-day business interactions, as well as on the social networks.
There will always be folks with whom your personality will immediately resonate, and they will likely be among that 20% that generates 80% of your business. Those who are not drawn in by your personality would likely "unfriend" you anyway. Once they realized that you were merely playing a part, you'd be toast - after all, sooner or later, everyone shows their true colors.
Social media is about creating authentic relationships with real people. If you are looking for a great character to play, start with the one in the mirror.
After all, you've been training for the part for years.
