Have you ever been part of a conversation to later learn that you and the other person left that conversation with completely different understandings? When you next see them a conversation starts something like, “I thought you meant†or “I thought you said†and it dawns on you that a misunderstanding has taken place. You were in the same room, same conversation but not on the same page. It’s kind of like this very funny 30 second Chevy Cruze commercial. Everyone is sitting in the same room but hearing different things.
Chevy Cruze video on miscommunication
You can’t blame it on their age because on any given day this happens to most of us and sometimes more than once a day. It reminds me that there are multiple chances for this to happen in communicating with an online audience. But what has this got to do with increasing your subscriber numbers you ask.
THE PLACE OF AUTHENTICITY
Last year was my first year of developing a consistent online presence. There was a lot of conversation about “authenticity†in the blogs I was reading and in what presenters had to say at the three power blogging conferences I attended. Now there seems to be fewer posts dedicated to online authenticity but its relation to increasing my subscriber count remains of high interest to me. My issue has been how can I own my online life in a way that is both open and private.
I have experienced this openness in others but I could not bring it to life in my online life. I know what it is because in reading other peoples’ blogs where I have developed an affinity, it is because I feel a real sense of who that blogger is. And I am finding there is a delicate balance between meeting my intention to be honest and open and at the same time functioning within what I define as my public boundaries.
HERE IS THE QUESTION
What are you prepared to share in order to help your audience experience you? How I answer this question is the number one solution to increasing my subscriber base. DAH. It’s counter intuitive in that I cannot talk about something I am unwilling to talk about. And if I am not clear on who I am talking to I will have a very little idea of what is on my audience’s mind.
The one sure thing I have learned is there is more to share than there is to hide. My ability to “feel†someone or to identify with their experience is what authenticity is about and what others connect to – whether I am guiding this process, moving in tandem with or following someone elses’ lead. So I will pull the curtain back a bit more in my own life and work a little harder at communicating even while hanging in the space of what I don’t know. In that frame I expect my public boundaries will begin to fade and I will be of more service to you, my readers if I drop this defense.
This is my intended message for this post. I am wondering, is this your takeaway? Please share your response in the comment section above.
By the way, take a look at my review of Karen White’s book, “The Beach Trees†over atBLOGHER.com and join one of the principal characters’ journey to find her authentic voice.
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Patti Foy | Lightspirited Being says
Hi Patricia,
This is a really important — and big, I think — topic. It’s funny because my husband and I were just discussing this (with a little twist) a little while ago.
I consider this with my blog a lot. I still don’t have an answer per se, or even MY answer. I experiment and see what feels right (ha ha, almost wrote “write”) on any given day with any given topic.
I don’t have a problem sharing much of anything with my regular readers. It’s those others whom I’m afraid may just me for something or other (common with blogs like mine) that make me balk. You know: “Them”.
Great topic though; always great to hear new thoughts on this. Thanks for sharing yours!