Business Forums & Groups Are Not the Place to be Incognito

Using a nickname or “handle ” is an accepted practice on forums, blog comments, groups, and message boards. Often, these nicknames reflect your industry, hobbies, or interests.

That is just fine for personal discussions—but not for business activities. You always want to use your name and a recent photo (not one from ten years ago) so people know who is typing, who they are communicating with, and that you are legit.

Everything you do online, every keystroke, when representing your business, matters.

Branding, Branding, Branding

When used for business purposes, forums or groups are not the places to use a nickname, handle, or department name to hide your true identity. That’s not very personal, is it? Onliners are seeking authenticity.

Just using your first name is okay. But if someone looks you up, include your last name in the profile options on the sites you use to communicate about your business. Including your last name is even more critical if others at your business share the same first name.

If your name is John and there are several Johns at your organization, those you communicate with have to determine “which” John you may be. In my case, since it is just me, myself, and I, I am the only Judith, so just using my first name sets a more informal tone without confusion that matches my personality.

j doe, john doe, or j a doe — all small case; not acceptable either. Never type anything that reflects on your business without typing in proper case. In most circumstances, the name fields should reflect your full name in the appropriate case.

What are you hiding from?

Do you use a pseudonym, nickname, handle, or department name in business forums or business group comments along with a blank profile? Hmmm… Why do you want to be incognito? What exactly are you trying to hide?

If you use a handle, ensure your profile is complete with all your information—first name, last name, website, and more. The more, the better, to show that you are for real. This is the only approach that will show you are credible, identifiable, and not hiding behind a nickname.

Hiding behind a handle is also a sign that you don’t want to take responsibility for the words you type or your actions. It makes folks wonder if you are legit. Unfortunately, this also removes the personal touch often missing from electronic communications, which is critical to trust and relationship building.

That personal touch can lead someone to choose to do business with you over a perceived competitor. Not to mention that you do not want to be mistaken for a spammer and not taken seriously.

But wait, I was told otherwise just the other day…

A recent excuse for using a nickname was that if someone didn’t like what they said, it would reflect on their business. The person relayed that someone commented, “… and to think I was thinking of doing business with you,” because of the choice of words.

I get that. That is why there is a time and place for everything. You know what I say all the time? “If you wouldn’t put it on business letterhead, don’t put it in an email (or a group, forum, social media.)

Some separate the business and social personas with separate accounts. Set up another account under your nickname on your own domain name to shield your commentary and potential repercussions.

It is wise in business communications to be careful about political or touchy opinions that should be left out of business discussions. You deserve the grief you’ll face if you use language or veer into topics that aren’t typically used in business scenarios.

When Misteps are Made

Again, I’m talking about business communications here. If you make a mistake, learn from it, take your comeuppance, and don’t do it again.

Most folks are forgiving and more apt to understand if you are not hiding behind a fake name or handle—or, worse, ignore the situation altogether. Everything online is about perception, and perception can make or break any business.

In all these years, I’ve yet to receive a valid reason not to use one’s proper name in business comments, groups, and on social media (again, for business), and, at the very least, to complete the profile options. Avatars and handles alone do not enforce your branding or confidence.

If you want to take advantage of the potential for personalization and customer relationship-building, transparency is crucial. Technology is nothing if not an open door to gain leads and grow your business.

So go fill out your profiles and usernames reflecting full identity disclosure in business forums or comments, so you are perceived as reliable. As a result, you will be taken as seriously, and that’s good for business.