How To Promote Yourself Authentically Without Sounding Sloppy

Copywriting for authenticity doesn’t mean letting it all hang out.

When I first started working online, the most popular advice was, “Be authentic. Your online presence should be just like your offline self. Be authentic. Be real.”

That’s great advice. For most businesses, coming across as authentic online will require some thoughtful planning and careful decisions.

Great speakers often sound spontaneous. They work very hard to sound spontaneous without threatening their professionalism.

Make-up artists know that you need lots of creative skill to come up with a look that says, “I’m not wearing make-up and I look gorgeous.”

Dolly Parton famously said, ‘It costs me a lot of money to look this cheap.”

What does it really mean to be authentic?

Psychologists know that we have many possible selves, not just one. If you think about it, what’s your authentic self when you

…talk to the pastor of your church
…attend a formal wedding with people you care about
…hang out with your closest friends at a coffee shop or bar
…work out at the gym
…meet the parents of your significant other for the very first…