How many marketing buzz words get tossed around these days? We could run a contest to see how many we collectively accumulate. Since the advent of Web 2.0, we often hear terms like, "authentic," "genuine," "transparent," and "engaging."

But isn't this just code for: "Ya gotta have personality?"

Want to blog and actively participate in social media to engage customers and prospects in your content? Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but if you're boring, academic, and didactic in your tone or long-winded, who's going to engage with you? Who wants to do business with you?

Personality! That's what it takes. It's "the visible aspect of one's character as it impresses others" or "the distinctive character of a person that makes him [her] socially attractive."

In the "old" days, it was the salesperson who capitalized on using personality, but in many cases, it was to BS the unsuspecting prospect into making a purchase, whether it was the right move or not. Today, BS is passé. It has been replaced by meeting the customer's needs in an honest manner.

Whether you're involved in B2C, B2B, government, or nonprofit marketing, it's your personality that attracts others, builds relationships, and garners trust. You can't force it. It has to come naturally.

What personality characteristics do you think are valuable in marketing now?