06/04/2010
I wanted to share a quick thought about forum posts (which can also apply to other online networking like Facebook and Blogs):
When posting to forums about things like our new iBracket product, there can be a tendency to "pretend" we're not Gravity Switch, and say things like "check out what I just found."
I don't think that gains us anything, and in fact showing that Gravity Switch is active on forums can help our geek cred since people can respond to it.
You just shouldn't lie online--even white lies aren't worth it. I tend to think of this as the "Seinfeld effect." If you break down ANY Seinfeld episode, it's about someone telling a white lie or being afraid to tell the truth, and one of the reasons I hate that show is because I think it has trained our generation that it's normal, acceptable behavior to do this.
If you're not comfortable, or feel you have to lie when posting something, don't do it! Ask yourself why you feel this way, and brainstorm a better approach.
This all comes back to the idea of your online networking persona being all about WHO you are, and that includes both your personality and your honesty.
Jason Mark
Gravity Switch Co-Founder