And also, well- Tim Gunn is in the same issue. So, I feel that while about 100 pages separate us, it’s like rubbing shoulders with one of the greats. (that my friends was gushing, plain and simple.)

In any event, rush out to the newsstands to buy a copy and turn to pages 124-130.  It’s the October 2009 issue with Jennifer Aniston on the cover.  Or enjoy the sneak peek below.

Rachel, who just loves being a People mag Style Expert!

Like what you’ve read? Need a marketing, pop culture column, fun speaker or snappy sound bite? write to me at rachelblogs@gmail.com

We know, we know, the economy sucks. We know there are too many people out of work, uninsured, under-insured and really hurting.  We’ve kind of figured that out from the unending barrage of bad news blaring from every available news outlet.  We also know that things will get better – because they always do.

I won’t offer platitudes involving darkest moments right before dawn, or hitting rock bottom before climbing back up – though I will offer a bit of unsolicited advice.  (Well, not entirely unsolicited, if you’re reading this blog you kind of sort of knew it was coming.)

In tough times businesses generally act one of two ways towards clients, vendors and community.  Companies that have been around for a while realize that every business and economic organism goes through challenges and upswings.  The businesses in it for the long haul will generally modify the day-to-day operations of their companies,  including spending or hiring to allow them to make it through tough times.  What smart companies will never compromise though is quality, reputation or ethics.

As we’ve seen too much of in the last year, newer or less ethically sound companies sometimes panic and through their fear end up destroying their long term viability.  They squirrel away funds instead of using them to run their businesses.  They stop paying vendors or suppliers.  They fire their entire staff without offering any kind of compensation or cushion.

In tough times it can be hard to do the right thing, but it’s the only way to create and sustain your reputation, ongoing loyalty and long-term business viability.

I could offer more platitudes about why you should do the right thing, but I won’t.  Having lived through the early heady days of the internet and the raucous and frequently unfounded cockiness of Silicon Alley zillionaires turned pencil pushers when that bubble burst, I will let recent history speak for itself.  You only have to look back to the tech travesties of about a decade ago, to predict who will follow suit and who will actually emerge shaken but ultimately triumphant.

Facebook and other social media darlings, I’m talking to you right now, so stop squirming and listen.  You’re young companies with even younger founders and you’re taking those steps towards monetizing your bit of good fortune and good enough idea.  But betraying your core users is never a great idea because without us, well, you’re just Friendster.  The very nature of the social networking beast is that you’ve given us the framework to spread word of your mistakes like wildfire.

Yesterday, I mentioned being used in social advertising on Facebook.  I changed my settings and thought the problem was taken care of, only it wasn’t.  I’m still there smiling at Tim Gunn and shilling for Tide.  When Facebook’s users threatened to jump ship following the changed terms of service announced last week, FB changed them once again.  Why then do we accept their day to day bad business practices and non existent customer service?

We’re faced with bad business on a daily basis these days, and you don’t have to be Bernie Madoff to become villified and shunned.  Many lifetimes ago I worked in the diamond business  where million dollar deals were sealed with a handshake.  Go back on that handshake and no one would work with you ever again.  It was that simple.   While the business world is a lot more complicated, the long term ill effects of bad business and elastic ethics during tough times will definitely follow you when the market bounces back.

Some easy business rules to remember:

Do the right thing in good times

Do the right thing in tough times

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Rachel

Recently, there was an intense furor over Facebook’s new Terms of Service, which weren’t only restrictive, but in essence claimed ownership of every single  LOL, OMG and )  shared with friends.  While the hue and cry caused Facebook to rethink their policies, it got me to thinking about what we all actually get out of these sites.  Sure we can connect or re-connect, but at what price to our privacy?

Too many people (I thought smugly), aren’t using these services wisely.  They haven’t protected their images or updates and randomly connect with anyone who asks.  I, on the other hand thought I’d bullet-proofed my privacy settings and was only sharing with those I chose to share with.

I was wrong.

A Facebook friend named Jennifer Keene (yes, I did in fact e-mail her to ask permission to use her real name) wrote asking if I realized that my image and comments were being used in social advertisements on Facebook.  I was shocked. I was appalled. I was confused.  Social ads use comments you’ve made on public advertisements with the hope that your friends and network believe that you’re endorsing a product. Apparently, I’d made a snarky comment about Tim Gunn’s recent ad for Tide and my comment and picture were being used on my friends’ homepages in a way that made it seem as though I was endorsing the brand.  While I thought that I’d privatized my profile, apparently I’d left myself and my comments wide open to being used by Facebook in a way that made me queasy.

The quick fix to that problem is here - turn off the social ads in your profile.  The more tricky issue is of course that as we become more reliant on our daily diversions, we can sometimes become less vigilant about not only the more obvious issues, but the ones we forgot to worry about.

You can be sure that the next time that I shill for Tide, I’ll be collecting a generous paycheck for my efforts.

Rachel