Too much transparency?

I’m about to say something that’s going to get me kicked out of the “Cool Web Kid’s Club”…. sometimes too much transparency is a bad thing.

As more and more companies, authors, and employees share information about their companies or projects, I have to wonder if this is always a good thing. Certainly transparency is almost always a good thing. Certainly too many companies have absolutely no clue how to actually talk to consumers. I have been thinking about whether to even post this entry for a few days. After all, companies don’t need any reason to stay locked away in their ivory tower - Lord knows they’re finding enough already.

But I do believe that before bloggers started opening their doors to the world, they need to think through the process. It’s basic strategy and planning really.

I listened to an interesting podcast  lately, Seduction and Strip Clubs. The first few were quite interesting - the host basically focuses on how to talk to women, and specifically, how to talk to strippers in strip clubs. Sure, I’m happily married so I’m not looking for tips. But the stories are interesting.

The first few pulled me in, and I discovered that the host is just about to release a book - Seduction Code. In the podcast where I first heard him talking about the book, he was joined by one of his friends. Up to this point, I was thinking that this guy was pretty suave, cultured, and at least fairly sophisticated. But the moment that his friend started talking, the hosts’ credibility started to crumbe. The friend was a hardcore redneck, and his stories made it extremely obvious that the stories the host was telling were a bit questionable.

So I decided to check out the Seduction Code Web site to see if I could find more info about the host.  I found this quote from him:

SEDUCTION CODE has been Broken by a 299 lb man with a birthmark on his face!

Says he will give up his last Jelly donut before he gives up the code !

That fat guy is ME

This was the beginning of the change of my perception of the host. Perhaps this is a fault of my own, but hearing that the author was a 300lb man made me instantly question the validity of his book. Perhaps I’ve gotten sucked into our society’s unrealistic sense of beauty, perhaps I’m more used to thinking of “Seduction Experts” as more like Will Smith in Hitch. Or perhaps I’ve heard too many stories from guys who don’t get a name, phone number, or date, but are convinced teh girl was hot for him.

When I first heard of the book, I thought it would be worthwhile to pick up. (Cool stories, techniques to better woo my wife, what’s no to love??) But that transparency lost the author a sale - I’m not really interested in the book anymore.

You’ll often hear me talk about how (as a company) working with community is a “dating” relationship.  And like dating, you want to ease into the full transparency. Honesty and openness are an absolute requirement. But like dating, if you’re dumping every detail of your personality on the first date, your date is going to run screaming from the room.

Dating has a purpose - to find someone to build a relationship. Corporate community work also has a purpose -  to sell products through improved interaction with consumers. With either dating or community work, sharing too much information too early is simply a huge faux paus, and ruins your ability to achieve  your goals.

Michael recently pointed out the best quote I’ve seen so far about all this:

 ”I’m telling you here and now that you must start thinking relationship ==> reputation ==> revenue as your model of growing income through social markets.”

Let me be 100% clear - this is about how to best present yourself, your company, whatever. It is not the same as traditional, “only show the positives” marketing.

I’ll be writing more about this “dating” concept later in the week. This single idea is the basis for my style of interaction with the communities I work with.

Building Community

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