Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation in Online Communication

A few moments ago, I put forth a question to my Twitter and Facebook followers, and it only seemed apropos to pose the question here as well.

Is it really that difficult to apply elementary levels of grammar, spelling, and punctuation to online communication?

If you spend any amount of time whatsoever in the world on social media, it would seem that the answer is a resounding yes!  It seems that people largely believe that it is far too much trouble to apply those basic rules of grammar that Mrs. Finkelstein beat into them back in the second grade.  And if people (in general) believe otherwise, their actions don’t seem coincide with their words.

To me, this is not a matter of formality or tailoring your behavior to the circumstances.  I have heard some argue that social media specifically, and electronic communications in general are by their nature less formal than other types of interaction and therefore do not require the same level of formality.  I disagree wholeheartedly.  I do agree that there different audiences and situations allow different levels of sophistication in language.  However, that doesn’t mean that there is ever a circumstance where simple, basic grammar, spelling and punctuation shouldn’t be followed.

When you send a Tweet, post a Facebook status or comment, send an email, or submit a blog post, you are adding to a permanent electronic fingerprint of yourself.  Like it or not, how you say things often leaves just as strong an impression on people as what you say.  Leaving out all of the capital letters and punctuation from a Facebook status is the online equivalent of showing up for an office job with a wrinkly, dirty shirt, torn up jeans, and hair that hasn’t been washed or combed in a week.  It leaves a bad impression on people.

What impression do you want to leave?

Social Media and Personal Branding - Some Initial Thoughts

A couple of months ago, my employer(Aptera) hosted a discussion on social media, presented by TQM Network.  The main discussion points were around use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter within the context of business. A couple of specific points really stuck with me, and have guided my use of social media since then.

First, if you use social media, and also happen to work for a company that someone else owns (that's most of us, yes?), then whether you like it or not, everything you do or say on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, or any other social media network represents not only you, but the company you work for.  There is vast truth in the idea that every employee of every company is a salesperson, for better or worse.  How you represent yourself, both in person and in cyberspace can and does give people an impression of what kind of company it is that you work for.  Potential customers make conscious and unconscious decisions about whether or not to do business with your company based on more than just what the salesman says.  And since most of us would prefer to keep our job, it makes a lot of sense to do our part to help our respective employers put their best foot forward.  The bottom line here is that we need to always remember that everything we post on the internet can and does contribute to the impression that the world has regarding the company we work for.

The second topic that I walked away with was that of "personal branding".  Just as everything a company does collectively establishes their corporate brand, so it is with individuals.  Everything you post on the internet collectively adds up and establishes your personal brand.  Once you realize that, you then have some decisions to make about what you want that brand to look like.  For example, do you want your personal brand to say that you are a trustworthy, professional person?  Or, would you rather let everyone know that you spend most of your free time hungover?  It's an individual decision, but let there be no doubt that whether you actively make that choice or not, you are building your personal brand, one way or another.

While there is no single "right answer" on how best to build a brand, there is one word that I try to keep in mind: consistency.  You should use common profile and background images across all of the social media networks that you use, including IM clients.  For example, I have the exact same profile image on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Talk, and Windows Live, as well as this blog.  I also am currently using that same background image on my laptop, so that as people see it, they will recognize that same image online.

I've really just scratched the surface here on the topic of how people represent both themselves and their employer in social media.  I am certainly not an expert, I just wanted to get some of my initial thoughts out here with the hope that I can start a discussion on the topic.  I welcome any thoughts you may have on the topic, so feel free to comment here or drop me an email at shannonneumann@live.com.

I Need a New Business Idea - Minipreneurship

I certainly am not one to complain about my income. I love my job and I feel like I am compensated fairly for it. But, there's always room for more, am I right?

Actually, simply wanting more money is not my motivation for pursuing potential business ventures. Sure, more money would be great, but my real goal is financial independence. That is, not being dependent on that paycheck to provide for myself and my family. The goal is to create multiple streams of income, such that the paycheck becomes the source of funding for investments and other ventures, rather than the sole source of income. My problem at this point is not one of desire to achieve my goals, it is a lack of creativity in terms of coming up with ideas for new income streams.

I read an article this morning (I can't remember what the point was or what website I saw it on), but I do remember it talking about the growing number of "minipreneurs" in the United States. These are people who are, in increasing numbers, starting up small side ventures as a way to augment their incomes or ease the transition into a new line of work. The obvious benefit of this "micro-startup" strategy is one of decreased risk. A person can continue to maintain their day job while also generating income at night.

Anyway, back to my lack of ideas. I need to come up with 2 or 3 really good ideas for sideline ventures I can work towards in some of the limited time I have at night and on the weekends. As soon as I come up with something, I'll be sure to write about my success (or lack thereof). Wish me luck.