There are times where I really enjoy blogging and sharing my experiences or thoughts – some of which I hope helps others in similar circumstances. Then there are times where I struggle with wanting to blog because I want to keep things professional, yet personable. I want to say what it on my mind; the good, the bad, the ugly. And for the most part I am an open book but wonder if this is good…for me, my family, or my readers.
I would like to ask you for your advice.
- How transparent should you be with your blog especially when you are an entrepreneur and business person?
- Do you separate the two and have a professional blog and a personal blog?
- Should you really say what is on your mind or always keep the perspective of what you say can come back to haunt you and hold back?
The media tools we have available to share all aspects of our lives is incredible but to me it can seem like a Catch 22. I may have asked this a hundred times and even posted about it, but I would like for any person who has thoughts on this topic to respond by post, e-mail, or Twitter.
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My general rule is to keep clients away from my Facebook/Twitter/Flickr accounts. Knowing that business relationships are in those spaces makes me uncomfortable. I’ll friend/tweek/flick family, friends and peers without the same hesitation. However, I have serious “regret issues,” so I’m trying to manage those by avoidance. I’d rather blush or apologize to a peer than a paying client.
Hey Becky!
Thanks for your two cents.
I keep people I don’t know or trust outside of my Facebook account. And even sometimes people I do know don’t get accepted.
The hard thing with Twitter is that it IS a great tool for business or personal stuff, but it’s difficult to balance two accounts. I admit that I can’t vent about work, family, or clients because of my “open follower” policy and to close it off would impede my purpose for using it. It really is a double edged sword!
You know from our conversations that I have struggled with combining sites – it gets cumbersome keeping up several fronts but then you risk scaring people off from the variety of both aspects of your life.
Technology was supposed to make life easier but at times I think it just makes it more difficult.
If you are a professional, everything is professional. Keep your perspective. I’ve experienced others’ efforts to separate personal from professional; LinkedIn for professional, Facebook for personal. This is the Internet, where eventually your personal Facebook presence will be exposed to your professional contacts. My experience; damage control on Facebook is virtually impossible.
Les,
Great points for sure! All things will come to light eventually.
What about the idea that people like leaders and business people who show that they are human and as fallible as the next person?
As one who has been in the branding and marketing profession for quite a while, I have discovered that consumers are more likely to buy from someone who is trustworthy. You gain trust by being open and letting people have a glimpse of the real you.
The flip side is sometimes people say they want honesty from others then are the first to burn you at the stake when it goes against what they actually want to hear.
Just more thoughts to add to the mix. Thanks for sharing your insight!