Do you remember the early days of email when people were just starting to wrap their heads around this new medium? Instead of talking on the phone or face-to-face, email allowed people to multitask their communications, freeing up time, and eliminating scheduling conflicts without skipping a beat in their workday.
Initially, results were mixed. Without eye contact, body language and listening for subtlety and nuance, some found it difficult to comprehend both the message and the medium. People had yet to learn the etiquette of email and how to communicate exactly what they meant. In essence, people had to break the code of this new communication medium and script their messaging with astute political savvy and diplomacy.
It seems to me we are at a similar tipping point with “virtual branding.” Some do it very well and some are baffled.
Make sure you lock your virtual brand down! Your brand depends on your credibility, so you can’t leave your social or business media unprotected, or even your communication device. We’ve heard the horror stories of misguided or hijacked Facebook pages. If you let someone Twitter on your account or text on your cellphone, you could be doing irreparable damage to your personal brand.
And… never forget that face-to-face networking builds your professional network, and blogging can never replace a comforting voice over the phone.
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