Being OFF is as Important as Being ON

I had the luxury of spending some time by myself on Saturday, wandering through the packed streets at my own pace and stopping where I pleased. I spent a ridiculous amount of time (and money) in a local bookstore, and then felt inspired to sit down and write in my new little notebook. Passing by one of my favorite cafes in my neighborhood, I decided to stop in and sit there to write, rather than in my familiar apartment.

The first thing I see when I walk in to the café is Robin Williams. And who is he sitting with? Craig Ferguson, one of my favorite comedians. (My apologies to the other guy they were sitting with – I’m sure he’s amazingly funny and fabulous as well, but I didn’t recognize him)

So yes, I just name-dropped. Forgive me – I’m excited because I rarely see celebrities. Honestly, though, it’s a rather lame name-drop, as I didn’t talk with them or take a photo with them or anything. I just happened to be in the same space as them. I don’t think they even looked up at me as I walked by, but I’m sure my face registered some surprise. I had to reign myself in from being an annoying fan. I sat away from them to control myself, but did bend an ear in their direction.

It was a revelation. They are NORMAL PEOPLE. It was just three guys sitting around together, catching up, talking about work. Nothing juicy, no punchline-per-second. If you’ve ever seen an interview with Robin Williams, you would think he had no OFF switch, but he most certainly does. He’s a normal guy talking normally with friends. Conversational, friendly.

There’s a time and a place for being ON. For these comedians, it’s on stage or in front of the camera. But when hanging at a coffee shop with friends, they are themselves. Think of your business writing in the same way. There is a time and a place to lay on the sales pitch, throw in jargon, focus on the product rather than benefits. The place for this is usually not your website.

There are so, so many avenues to express your business. Your website does not have to be the one and only thing that must include it all. Sales sheets, brochures, blogs, taglines, postcards, posters, trade show booths, videos, promotions, etc, etc – all can help you share your message in a more targeted way. They do not have to be expensive or viral, they just have to get to your message to your audience in an authentic way.

Authentic being key. On stage, a comedian is a performer. Sitting in a café, a comedian is a person. He would have no friends if he was performing 24 hours a day. Authenticity is key to making a connection with your audience. Allow your website to peek into your true self. Yes, there is a way to do that while still being professional. And then experiment with other avenues that pique your interest. There’s a lot of creative space out there – use it.