Authenticity, as I’ve written countless times, is the key ingredient of successful blogging, Twittering and other forms of social networking. It’s also key to a successful e-newsletter. Authenticity means being genuine, trustworthy and credible (see definition here, here and here). But beware… don’t fake it.
Here’s an example of fake authenticity in an e-newsletter I received recently. The editor’s note starts out:
"I haven’t been sleeping well lately, but I’ve been thinking about you a lot… "
Yeah, right.
You (an e-newsletter publisher with thousands of subscribers) have been thinking lots about me. Not likely. Not only do I not believe you but I’m put off by this attempt to make me feel sympathetic. Instead, I feel manipulated. My advice to marketers who want to "get personal" is to keep it real. Don’t overstep the bounds of what’s believable.
Previous Comments
Jacquelyn Lynn said on July 14, 2009 at 08:59 AM
This advice also applies to telephone sales. Recently I signed up for a free teleseminar and wasn’t able to attend. A sales rep for the sponsoring company called me afterward, greeting me like we were best friends who had known each other forever. I would have been much more responsive to a straightforward approach without the phony chitchat. True but too often ignored: Sincerity in marketing really does work best.
Karla Jo Helms said on July 28, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Great post. It corresponds with “never lie in PR” - it will recoil… on you and your client!
Marcy said on July 30, 2009 at 12:43 AM
I think there’s a fine line between being just a little to engaging and being fake. More often than not, we can tell the difference. Some people just like small talk, or like giving people too much attention. But I guess given your experience, that’s just a bit too weird. We know what category that falls in! Lol
Brad W. said on August 12, 2009 at 06:10 PM
There is scientifically no difference between authenticity and fakery. There is no way to actually quantify the difference. Everyone is faking all the time… some just seem very authentic. All the world’s a stage.
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