subject: Does Your Business Have a Social Media Persona? [print this page] Does Your Business Have a Social Media Persona?
If your business is online with its very own website then you most likely have a persona online, although you probably did not think about your online persona when launched your website. You just wanted to get your business on the web. Your website talks about your business, possibly you, and has pictures. If you were to describe your online persona that your website puts out... what is it?
I would wager that the word professional came to your lips.
What about fun, hip, cool, classy, kicking, awesome, expert, wow, or generous?
Can all of those descriptions go with a professional look and feel?
All right I will stop with the questions. You do not need to have an answer for them now, but what you need to do is think about the answers for them, how you perceive yourself, how others perceive you, and how you want to be perceived. Doing all this thinking will help you define your persona.
You need a persona to attract, engage, and establish relationships in social media.
After I saw Kiss on stage, I wanted my show to look like the fourth of July. The persona of Rick James was wild and crazy, sex, drugs and rock and roll.- Rick James
Authenticity
If you have done some reading about social media online then you have read about "being real" and "being authentic" when it comes to engaging with others. This is something that you cannot be careless about. Once other members on the social network sites feel you are unauthentic you will lose the potential of reaching large audiences. People are on social media sites to network and engage with other real people.
To be authentic you need to know thyself. This means asking your current customers, your competition, and anyone with an opinion to give you the honest truth about how your business presents itself to the world. You might not like what you hear but it will be incredibly helpful.
While you might think you are one funny person - heck I'm in stitches thinking about you right now - if everyone around you does not think so then there will be a huge disconnect. This disconnect will result in confusion, complaints, and lost sales. Spend the time to discover who you are.
Once you have discovered what your perceived persona by the outside world is, you need to decide if you are going to embrace it or change it. Either way your work is not done. You need to do a total review on how you communicate with the outside world. Does what you say and what you show match?
All of your marketing material needs to match up with the voice you are using in whatever social media platform you are using. You want your new fans/followers to dig deeper and learn more about your business. You want them to become experts about your products/services and rave about you to their network. That will not happen if there is a huge disconnect between your social media account and your website. You will be seen as not being authentic.
Who does this best? Take a look at Starbucks. Their website, Facebook fan page, and their tweets all have a persona that matches with their brand image: hip cool and coffee. What makes it even better is that Starbucks has individual baristas participate in the social media discussions. Each of them adds their individual flare to the discussion but it does not break from the overall persona of Starbucks. Instead it enhances it, making the Starbucks social media experience 100% authentic.
Because we're actors we can pretend and fake it, but I'd rather the intimate investment was authentic. - Keanu Reeves
Combining Personas
You may have decided that your personal persona - the fun and whacky you - is not business appropriate. How sad. Why hide yourself from the world? Is it because you feel it is not professional enough? Afraid you might offend someone?
I hate to burst your bubble, but even the strict "professional you" is offending someone. So why hide the real you from your business?
The first rule that you must understand and repeat to yourself everyday: People buy from people. Repeat the mantra because it is true. People love to buy from other people and establish a relationship that is mutually beneficial. In fact the whole economy is based on people buying from other people. It is the exact same way in social media. So I ask you again, why hide the real you?
If your business is considered by everyone who has an interaction with it as being professional, I am not saying that you should burn that persona and become super crazy. No, because that is insane. There is some part of you that is that professional persona. Instead, you can combine your professional and fun side. It will make you even more authentic.
Think I am crazy? Look up Jeffery Gitomer. He is an author and number one sales trainer. He is both professional and fun. People want to be around him and he attracts a lot of business. He made the decision long ago to combine his professional and fun loving personas. It has been a success!
Like Jeffery, you can do it too!
People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing. - Dale Carnegie
Social media is becoming more than just cats playing with laser pointers, bulldogs skateboarding, or the latest stupid human trick. Social media is a medium that allows your business to engage in authentic deep conversations with your clients, potential clients, and your community. It is a great tool that can result in successful business ventures if you are true to yourself first.
Take the time to understand how you want to interact with the outside world. Determine how you want that world to interact with you.Be fearless and allow serendipity to be your guide. You will be amazed about what you learn, who you meet, and powerful business connections you will make.
In order to do that you must be authentic.
Erroin A. Martin is a Business Advocate with the Von Gehr Consulting Group, LLC, a business coaching and consultancy provider for business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs. He has fifteen years experience working within the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, natural resources, medica
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