Big brands have been early adopters with the ability to gain greater visibility with their audiences due to their brand name. And while the focus has primarily been on the difficulties that big brands face by opening the flood gates of communication and making themselves vulnerable to the comments of the consumer, I have yet to see anything focusing on the reputation, responsibility, and accountability of the consumer. So here goes…

Consumers Behave: Top 4 Reasons Why You Need to Think Before You Speak

1. Reputation:
When did cussing, swearing, and yelling become acceptable? It hasn’t. Even if it is online. The comments you make last forever and even with the ability to delete them on some sites – a handful of people may have seen your comment. The old rule of conducting yourself appropriately in public still remains online. You are still in the public eye, and more so online due to sharing abilities.

From pictures to comments, what are you posting that may jeopardize your reputation? Ask yourself before submitting that comment if it is something you would want your friends, family, colleagues, potential employers, and other potential influential people to see. People will always criticize and judge that is just the way of the world, but what ammunition are you putting in their pocket?

Mom says: “Think before you speak,” and “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all.”

2. Credibility
Perception is everything. If you are constantly self-promoting your own stuff without engaging and participating with others you are entering into a death trap. If your commentary is fabricated, automated, or untrue, people will see through it. Without trust, there can be no true respect, relationship or friendship.

Mom says: Be yourself. Kindness and authenticity go a long way.

3. Misinformation
I don’t know how many times I’ve stumbled into the Q&A on LinkedIn where people are answering questions about topics they know nothing about. Or a blog post providing guidance and advice on topics they aren’t familiar with. I’m not going to give people advice on how to remodel their kitchen just because I know how to use a hammer and nails. You shouldn’t either, misinformation can be dangerous.

Mom says:Keep your mouth shut. You don’t always have to know the answer. Don’t feel you have to say something.

4. Exclusion
Keep in mind that many places have the right to refuse your business. If you are prepared to take the heat and possibly never be able to purchase or receive service again from a particular organization then good for you. Otherwise, conduct yourself in an appropriate and professional manner. Would you tell your client or your customer that you hated them to their face? I’m not saying walk on eggshells, but find an assertive way to handle the situation or you may find you have excluded yourself from others as well as been excluded from receiving business.

Don’t embarrass others with your actions.

Mom says:Treat others as you wish to be treated.
Mom also says:Don’t air your dirty laundry.
Mom also says:Always be a lady/gentleman.

What comments, opinions, blog posts have you seen that made you embarrassed for the person?

photo credit: playingwithbrushes

Okay, well why this may seem the case at first glance. I’ll provide you with one of two benefits in this post. The first of which is my take on the evolution of electronic communication, the second in a separate post will be on how Twitter can impact media and affiliates.

First, think about it…while you love your friends and family and would honestly like to have the time to talk on the phone with them for 2 hours every time they call, and boy, wouldn’t we love them to talk to us when we call as well, the truth of the matter is we just don’t believe we have the time to talk, so we don’t. Luckily, email came into play.

Email became a quick and easy way to communicate, but shortly it also became a time consuming and obligatory effort. While sending an email to a friend with subject line “Hi” quickly became spam and a completely moronic way to send a communication just to say hi, turned into a back and forth message of superficial catch up and not really communicating or catching up. You find yourself emailing back and forth in this endless email communication with friends that really wasn’t qualitative to either party involved.

So, even better, instant messaging came out. Finally, a way to say hi quickly and yet, unproductively. Once again you find yourself in and endless irrelevent chat with friends that leaves you unproductive and unsatisfied. (btw, I did not forget about text messaging – this takes too long unless you are tweenager and have fingers that text at 80 mph).

So, finally…Twitter arrived. A way to blast communicate to friends and family to keep them up to date on what’s happening in your life. A way to tap into your mentors, friends, and families lives without the obligation of chat…but yet more personal. Kinda. With the ability to reply, etc. at your own leisure and others leisure.

Of course there is more to Twitter than just this which I will attempt to cover in my next post….
Right now, I’m on the beach of Hawaii and not sure why I am blogging about Twitter (my new obsession). Until tomorrow, or next Wednesday. Twitter long, twitter hard, and most importantly…just Twitter.