In Formation

Sometimes I run into people online who are very rude. They seem to think that this is excusable because they are "not really like that in real life". While I understand that behavior changes according to the context, I don't think it's a good idea to misrepresent yourself. The situation may change, and behavior might adjust, but you should always be yourself.

When you're out doing some business networking and meeting people for the first time, you generally know how to act. What to say, what kinds of jokes it's ok to tell and what are not, and you can do all that and still be yourself. Perhaps you are different in a room full of people you know well, and perhaps not.

When you're blogging, you want to humanize your marketing, but at the same time, remember that you are representing your company. I have a personal blog that I use when I want to say things that I might not say at work - not that there's anything there that I am ashamed of, but it just doesn't fit in a work environment. Some things I might talk about in both places - software, for example - but if I'm having a bad day, it's not going to show up here.

In both places, I'm myself. My online presence reflects how I am in person. If I say something rude online, I'd probably say the same thing if I were in a parallel situation in person. In a professional environment - here or face to face - I'm pretty much the same.

I believe that this sort of authentic presence is key to having people trust you. It's certainly worth doing.