PRIVATE

I grew up in a musician’s household. It was a public and social upbringing and we were always around a lot of people. It was understood by my brothers and I that we’d be well behaved in public and we were, with few exceptions. Not that we were kid geniuses or anything, we just understood consequences early on.

If we strayed from the lessons we learned at Mom’s Preparatory School of Proper Social Etiquette and Good Manners the correction was passed to the Dean. Upon the infraction Dad would lean forward slightly pursing his lips, tilt his head to one side and give you “that” look. It worked and his silent stare conveyed volumes, then the festivities continued as if nothing ever happened.

Privacy was something we had at home but only when Dad wasn’t teaching music lessons in his studio downstairs or Mom and Dad weren’t entertaining. Little did I realize then what a great education this would turn out to be for the world online. 

For Dad being in public was marketing. He was always 'on' and at his best when he left the house. As a musician and entertainer his social capital was realized through attraction. The strategy was to create and maintain a following large enough that he could draw a decent crowd night after night to the club he was playing at. If they had dinner, a few drinks, and the dance floor was full for the evening, he was a huge success. And that's how he made his living for 46 years.

If that doesn't sound like social media, I'm at a loss. I'm surprised I still find professionals every day in sales and marketing who want to attract more business and need a following to accomplish their goals, yet ironically refuse to participate online because they have issues with privacy. I argue being online is simply being in public.

Because I’m on Facebook, Google+, or blog doesn’t mean I reveal my deepest darkest secrets. Anyway, they're pretty boring really (like my FourSquare check ins) and not nearly as tantalizing as you'll find on the magazine rack at the local grocery store checkout lane.

We're in the people business, sales and marketing, creating content, generating leads and building relationships is what we've always done. The specific tasks and methods may change with technology and where we do them also, but PRIVATE isn't about hiding. It's still important to meet people at Club Today on opportunities dance floor.

If your online conversations adhere to the lessons you learned at Mom's Prepatory School of Proper Social Etiquette and Good Manners and you don’t stray from your training so Dad has to give you “that” look. I’m thinking you’ll do just fine.