Last week we published our monthly newsletter. I try to keep it fun, informative, and most importantly- timely.

Maybe this week I was in a rush, under pressure, feeling invincible, or just not paying attention. Either way, I hit the send button late on a Friday. By Monday morning I realized my mistake.

In every email, the greeting said,"Hi Carole."

I'm Carole. And as much of an ego as I may have, I don't make it a practice to call everyone by MY first name. Oops.

Why is it not a big deal to me? Because as HubSpot Co-founder Dharmesh Shah has said, "Release early. Release often. Let your customers help perfect it."

We have all done it. At some point, we have all clicked "Post, Publish or Share" on social media and immediately went for the delete button with wide eyes.

The mistake might not even have been a big deal (like mine), but it's a big deal for you. It might have been as benign as a typo...but you're a designer and print is forever. Or it could have been a harmless piece of gossip...on your professional account. Either way, your blemish-free social media stream now has a big, red pimple on its nose and there isn't always a delete button.

And like junior high school, there's always that one kid who points it out, sneering at your mistake and posts on your Facebook account: "How can you call yourself a professional?! *Gasp*"

What do you when someone calls you out on a mistake you've made in real time?

Get off the high horse. Get on the one that's moving.

First, don't be afraid to admit you've made a mistake. It doesn't matter if you never do business with the person who called you out. You'll be more respected for owning up than clamming up or worse- making excuses. You may even find that when handled with transparency, you gain something better by it.

Second, like washing your face every day, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Don't be the only one posting to your social media accounts - put together a great team and have a "second set of eyes" to review.

But mostly...

Be human! That mistweet or typo might look like a big red pimple because your stream is trying too hard to look like porcelain. Of course, I don't mean you should post photos of your college buddy's bachelor party to your business account. But I'll just come right out and say this.

We are human. S&*t happens.

We use internet marketing tools not to be perfect, but to act in real time and connect valuable businesses with real people.

Will everything be perfect always? No promises. Pioneering doesn't work that way.  

So now what?

As a business owner or executive, you have some decisions to make. Maybe not right now, but eventually, and sooner rather than later.

Don't know? Sign up for our next training course and let's figure out the rest together.

Photo courtesy slopjop.