Honestly Authentic

The past few weeks I have had the honor of several podcasts and interviews. Most are still in that post-production stage, but here is where I talked with Geek Girl Wife on her podcast. I had a great time talking with her about blogging! She gives a great interview!

One thing that came up time and time again was what advice did I have for other bloggers? The main advice I gave was to be authentic and real. Don't pretend to be someone you are not just to gain a "following" because sooner or later that act will be seen through.

Not long after that interview we had a discussion come up in The Pit concerning what you put online. Whether it is pictures or personal stories, it has been discussed for years...how real is too real?

So how do you be an authentic blogger without being too real?

A blogger is a personality. Yes, whoever is writing is a real person but whatever they are writing is their personality. When you are reading what the blogger wrote, you are reading the work. So look at it as a work environment. How much do you share about yourself in the workplace? You may have pictures of your kids, a collection of clown masks, whatever; but how much of who you really are do you share?

That's my rule of thumb when it comes to my online personality. It is my real authentic personality, but I don't share things online that I don't want to be talked about around the water cooler.

Another thing that I have talked about that ties into this is the "hate" mail. Once you have put yourself out there and especially if you have been authentic; there will be people who don't like you. Some of the biggest mom bloggers out there right now have "hate" sites dedicated to them. Luckily, you and I probably don't have a hate site yet, but we may have run into people who seem intent on destroying us for whatever reason. So how do you handle the "hate"?

Ignore and move on.

Seriously. Have you ever had someone attack you verbally in real life? The more you defend yourself, the more you try to fight...the worse it gets. There is a saying that "if you play with snakes, you are going to be bit" Totally true. The best thing to do is virtually walk away from the fight and move on. You may need to defend something and that is up to you with how far you want to take it. Personally, if you catch me mad...I'll stand toe-to-toe all day; but if I have a chance to think, I'll walk away and wash my hands of it. I learned a long time ago that we should be constantly working on self-improvement. If we have time to tear down someone else, we aren't improving ourselves and those who spend hours, day, etc. plotting the demise of another will never learn how to better themselves.

So my blogger friends...that is my advice. Be authentic in your blogging, be real! Don't put stock in those who let you know they don't like you and never change who you are for anyone. Know that there will always be someone who is bent on destroying you and no matter what you do they will say you did the opposite. Enjoy your online personality and have fun with it, but most of all....just keep blogging!!

An Impact Is Felt

After the NY Times published THIS article that caused "mommy bloggers" around the world to unite against the attack of the importance of their voice; someone has finally gotten it right.

Diane K. Danielson of Forbes writes and article titled "What business can learn from 'mommy bloggers"

She praises "Mommy Bloggers" for:

They have a collective voice and are not afraid to use it to tackle corporations. Take the Motrin Moms, for example, who got McNeil Consumer Healthcare to stop running an ad that they found condescending. Imagine if that clout was used to demand they promote more women into higher management? Or to elect more female politicians?

They've built a powerful network. The Mommy Bloggers seem to be more about supporting one another than competing with one another.

They've convinced corporate America that women are an important voice when it comes to kids and products aimed at their demographic. Now that we have women giving opinions from the outside, perhaps they can help us get more women on the inside.

They've developed their own flexible employment. Yes, these women are building their brands around the fact that they are parents. But at the same time they are selling ad space and products via blogs and affiliate programs.

They are learning marketable skills. Sure they are not making the huge salaries, but they are developing skills beyond what traditional unemployment outplacement services are offering. Technology, blogging, Web design, video editing, marketing, communications, PR, advertising, writing, journalism ... Yep. They're doing it all and learning it all.

They are making the world a better place. The transparency they are bringing to child care and product safety and the rapid dissemination of information is a huge benefit for all. They are not making decisions based on shareholder value but on their own personal values.

Read more: http://www.financialpost.com/news-sectors/technology/story.html?id=2778553#ixzz0kuhUPo3I

Thank you Diane for recognizing this hard working group of women!