Transparency: Basically Keeping it Real

By Ian, December 17, 2008

So I got an email the other day about how I am perceived and the content I write. Some people do not mind as long as there is content that is useful and educational. The email simple stated that why I write and mention certain topics or text and why I am not viewed professional enough.

Well here is the email:

Ian,
I enjoy your blog, but one of your recent posts stated you attend strip bars and go drinking. Another time you wrote how you sold drugs and ‘came up from the streets’. Also some of your videos are seen as non-professional with tattoos being shown and music being played as an intro. I am confused as to why you want others to see you like this or you would mention obscene words within your post or videos.

Your blog is inspiring and provides a lot of great content, especially your video tutorials. I am trying to find my way in the online marketing industry, but I am concerned of how I will be perceived and the reason why I am bringing this concern to you.

You are not arrogant nor do you act that way, I just do not understand why mentioning useless or negative aspects of life on your blog would make you as a person more popular.

Sorry if I may sound too intrusive.

NAME REMOVED

This email kinda struck me since I receive similar but not as informative. So I decided to go ahead and create this post about myself and why I am a thugged out internet marketer. So first of all I want to thank the reader for sending this email and I will best of my ability to answer it, but the main purpose is transparency.

Transparency is being clear of who you are and basically keepin’ it real. There are a lot of marketers out there that talk and do what they do but many have met me in person and found out that I am because of me. I share my life because it is how I am acting and having fun. Sometimes reading too much positive information can be garbage. I think providing an insight of my life to the public helps create a stronger relationship with my readers.

Also, sometimes being who I am is helpful. Why do you think twitter is created, it is curiosity that wants you to know more about me and how I act, What Are You Doing? I am not an alcoholic or a pimp, I just like having fun – is it wrong to say or share that I am attending a local bar? Ian Fernando [dot] com is my name and not my company name, so I can practically write what I want under my dot com name.

This blog can be all about picking up women and how easy it is for me or online marketing. My name is my name since I will die with it. Branding is created by my readers and those who follow me, if you decided to brand me as a pimp marketer then that is how you perceive me. Yet I am still doing me. I can easily change the perception if I want to but currently I let my readers and the audience decide.

Branding is important and providing realism to your readers and people who look up to you. I can’t say I influence a big people, but as the email stated I somehow influence this person that he wants to know more about branding and how to be perceived. This is a simple answer keep it real, just be you and you will be golden with followers.

Everyone that meets me says I am a very driven and positive person. This blog can not and will not let you know who I really am until we meet face to face, but I can provide some back up by simply just twittering what I am doing or mentioning what I did last night. Videos provide a great feedback on my personality and who I am. If I have hip hop music as an intro to my videos, then you can say I like and enjoy hip hop music.

There is a lot of people that acts differently because they are behind a PC and can talk what they want. If you meet me in person I am who I am online and offline, its just keeping the consistancy and just keeping it real.

http://www.feedflare.ca Collin – Affiliate Marketing

First off, you pick up a lot of girls because you have something folded….remember? LMAO

Being who you are is important in almost every aspect. I have tattoo’s, shaved head, etc…..and if someone does not like that then don’t read my blog.

To me it is better to have 200 readers who like you for who you are then 10000 who don’t have a clue.

I never knew you Ian until TAC so who you are in real life is what I started off learning about you. And you are the same here too.

Which reminds me, I need to do a video of something but be drinking a beer in it. LOL
http://www.ianfernando.com Ian

> Collin
with a beer I need to do that too! lol
John

Don’t change a thing.
http://www.adhustler.com Ad Hustler

My letter to Name Removed:

NAME REMOVED,

You are a tool who will never make it anywhere in this industry. My guess is that you are on the old side and probably still live in your parents basement. You’re letter to Ian is indicative of the fact that you judge people based on their exterior appearance. You probably like to brag to your friends and family about how much money you make online yet have never launched a campaign.

Ian is a gangsta affiliate and always will be. PPCmafia4LIFE

Keep It Real
Ad Hustler
http://www.browie.com browie

I just a little white boy from the midwest and I love rap and hip/hop. I LOVE your intro’s and wish you would pick other songs than some that you pick. I’ll give suggestions.

Ian is real there is no way around it. That email was not meant to be mean I think the person felt like you may have been a little fake but trust me guys what you see is what you get with Ian.

(except his LP’s and keywords, damn it)
http://www.traffic-is-king.com Sam With Traffic Is King

Dude,

If your gangster what is Gary Vaynerchuk? GV curses in every sentence and looks like he might leap into your screen and choke you. I know he’s no harden criminal but if you were the type to judge by looks, you could say he’s far from professional. But he knows what he’s talking about. He is always providing useful content and has become the most sought after keynoter speaker.

I think your going to be on a panel at Affiliate Summit early next year. You have companies sponsoring your vids, dinners, doing panels, etc. If you weren’t authentic, none of this would be going down.

Companies pay millions to ” learn how to be real” an attract viewers. That is a known fact.
http://masonguide.com/ Claris

Brand is the name which people follow mostly and can have many things to do..Thanks for sharing the info..
http://www.ianfernando.com Ian

> all
thanks everyone for the support – just doing me!
Jason – Jabarch

Hey man! Keep being you. The fact that you are real makes you easier to relate to. Keep it up!

Later1
http://www.nwesource.com Charles M

Good times… I am with you on transparency, we are who we are. I would beware though that too much information in the wrong person’s hands can be dangerous to you, just a caution – but doood – do you. Great article.
http://www.dotcomdud.com/category/income-reports/ Blog Income Report

Well it’s nice to be able to be yourself if that works for you. If you are a jerk and nobody likes you in the offline world, then maybe faking it online would be a good thing.
Your Fake

This kid is a fake. I went to school with him, and he never sold drugs and never came up ” on the streets”. His whole blog is bullshit. He thinks he is a professional but cannot even use proper grammer. How is someone supposed to take him seriously? He want you to think that he is a thug? Seriously, he is a 4’1″, 95 lbs Filapino.
http://www.ianfernando.com Ian

> your fake
hmmmmm never said I was a thug or said I came up from the streets, others perceptions got you confused. but I did grow a couple more inches and gained a couple more pounds
http://www.nwesource.com Charles M

> your fake
You’re weak. Get a gravatar, get a website, and get a life. You clown folks professionally? At least get good at that. “Your” in this scenario is “you’re” – short for you are… Who cares if he’s short and lightweight? And I thought we were out of the dark ages about race and ethnicity?

He represents himself well – you speak for all haters.

Congratulations and Merry Christmas!
http://www.wealthyhustler.com Dustin

>your fake

Allow me to break it down like this. Everyone has a personal life that is brought about in branding. Ian basically keeps it real on his blog, he’s being himself. NOW, should he have went the opposite way and been a “proper” and “up-tight” person then that would be fake.

Basically its all about branding. You want everyone to know who you really are when it comes to having a web presence. NOT who you aren’t.

So basically “your fake”, when it comes down to it, be yourself online and keep it real. Don’t be some a**hole that is broke. To be honest, I keep it real myself, and honestly, there’s some lyrics that would fit you well. I believe it goes:

“You as fake as the breast on Lil’ Kim’s chest”

Go figure… that suits you well.
http://www.juanburton.com/juan.html Juan Burton

>> To the Idiot who worte the email and the Bot who named himself as “Your Fake”

When you are online looking at profiles and personal sites, are they suppost to appear professional? I love the fact that people who represent themselves as a human person instead of a white lies. When I see Ian doing his thing, he is representing his true self. tattoo’s and music, he has nothing to hide. It represents that he is a real person and NOT a robot, one of them people who cover themselves up and hide things from people.

When I deal with a professional I look at them as a human, instead of someone who is perfect. At the end of tha day for me all that matters is, have I learned anything today? and if so what have I learned? How much have I learned? Getting infomation from any professional doesnt mean that have where a uniform or biz suit, even if they are in construction or a doctor wearing jeans with a shirt T, I dont judge people the things they have, but for who they are

Ian is very humble and thats a plus. +
http://www.365hustle.com www.365hustle.com

Do what you do my nig. I used to slang on the streets too and now I want to get a legit hustle going too. I can’t front online otherwise I won’t have fun doing this

As long as you keep on imparting knowledge I don’t see what the problem is.