Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

I always chuckle when someone tells me “Oh, Noooo!! I don’t use Paypal. I don’t want my personal information getting out!” Sorry, but it’s already out there, somewhere. (And it’s probably safer with Paypal than on your credit card company’s servers.)

Most of it only a Google search away. I can, for example, find the home address of pretty much anyone, including super-sheltered Big Company CEOs. I’m an old market researcher so I know how to search, follow clues, and cross reference. Good thing I’m not a stalker. If you don’t have the research chops or don’t want to spend the time yourself, you can pay $49.95 online, 24 hours a day and find out anything about anybody, including social security number. (Yikes!)

The Web also never forgets. If it’s on a site somewhere, anywhere, you can (eventually) find it. I once ran across a copy of a lawsuit one of my great-aunts filed way back in the 1950s. (Those “lost” White House emails? Betcha a young hacker somewhere could find ‘em.)

Ahhhhaaaaah!

So, what’s the good news about our Wide-Open Web World? Well, if you’re wiling and able to be yourself in front of everybody and own what you say and do - then you’re going to stand out from your competition. Most companies (even small biz) are still thinking in terms of one-way, command and control interaction with their customers - as evidenced by all those “do-not-reply” and”noreply” emails. And good luck trying to easily find contact info on many web sites! Even seemingly cool Target doesn’t grok the power of the Web.

Read More: How Facebook Exposed All of Us As Freaks (From Wired) There really are no secrets.

You can hide behind alias but people will eventually find you - as the stunningly stupid and no ‘count CEO of Whole Foods found out. Whole Foods is clueless about the Web - instead of firing the CEO for being a clueless scuzzball, they banned blogging by employees. Of course, people still love Whole Foods - but what will happen when there’s some huge problem? WF have removed themselves from the Web community, where we talk, talk, talk…link, link, link…and the “news” never dies…

Me? I still shop at Whole Foods - but not so much. I hate thinking I’m contributing to the CEO’s moola pile.

P.S. If more than one person knows it, it’s no longer a secret - on or off the Web. (Duh-oh!)

Tags: marketing, marketing troubleshooting, blogging, Facebook, Whole Foods, Paypal, Google