ARTICLE:

Remember the old quip, "it's easier to tell the truth, as you won't have to remember which lie you told to whom?" Okay well, something like that. The point is, a facade is the ultimate lie ... and it's hurting YOU most of all.

I used to cater to the "experts" claiming that every marketer needs to be professional. That's TRUE of course, but what I SHOULDN'T have necessarily listened to were the exact standards of professionalism that THEY defined.

I was lost.

I'd be coldly "professional" one day, and staunchly opinionated the next. And who could blame me? I was still finding my voice.

I didn't realize that what's considered "professional" is often a matter of opinion.

For instance, we've all been told not to use exclamation points in our online writing, we've been admonished for using "smilies", and we've been condemned for addressing colleagues by their first names. But in the end, it's up to *you* to distinguish between a general rule and public opinion -- without forgetting what's true to YOU.

I used to write in an overly formal, coldly "professional" tone, I only used smilies with people who used them with me first, and I followed a lot of the other plain vanilla rules that the "experts" doled out.

But that wasn't ME; that was only what other people THOUGHT I should be.

And now, I understand that it's alright to contradict opinion -- even in business.

Especially in business.

I use exclamation points sometimes to drive a point home, or to show that I'm excited or sincere about what I'm writing. Smilies are sometimes necessary so my message isn't interpreted as rude or confrontational. (Readers don't have my body language or tone of voice to judge my messages by, so my smilies ARE my body language.)

But does any of this make me any less of a professional?

Does it mean that I don't treat all of my deserving customers and colleagues with the utmost care and respect?

Do ANY of those things mean that I don't know my business?

I think not. And anyone who dares to think it has been sorely misinformed.

That's right.

I'm a young woman who KNOWS she's got it going on in both her career and life, and who's not afraid to express her opinion -- both of which may be considered "taboo" by the twisted, haughty, sometimes discriminatory society we live in.

So be it.

Why would I portray myself as anything less? To do so would be to do a grave injustice to my character, and a serious insult to my intelligence. And don't YOU do that to yourself.

BE WHO YOU ARE.

There are millions of people online, a good percentage of whom will be your target market, and more are getting wired every day. Don't mute your personality and sacrifice yourself to win the approval of a few "prospects" or potential business partners.

It's just not worth it.

For every dozen people who don't care for the real you, there are hundreds of others who will LOVE what you say, AND how you say it. Why compromise your happiness and sincerity? People will surely see through THAT.

So start today, while this chat still has you in its motivating grasp. Get out there and BE WHO YOU ARE. I've found my voice and I'm going, full steam ahead.

Are YOU loose? If not, you should be.