I know when I started online I was really afraid to let people know who I was. I remained anonymous for quite some time with only a few people knowing who I was at the time. You know, I didn't have a business to promote so it never occured to me to let people know my real name. I didn't feel there was a need. Fast forward to today and I have to wonder what I was so afraid of. What can a person find out about a first name? A lot of people share my name -- so big whoopie! The funny thing is there are still some friends I've met online who still call me by a username I chose many years ago. I guess some habits are hard to break.
What really puzzles me are the people who have a business, who requires connections or clients, who are marketing online and who chooses to not reveal their name. Recently, I read on a work at home forum a woman offering her services and then signed her name with her username. EH? I mean, what's the big deal?
If you're afraid to reveal yourself online then you have no business being online. Market yourself offline if you feel safer.
Please enlighten me if you know why people don't want to tell others their first name. I'm just asking for a first name. Is that so hard?
9 comments:
errr, I didn't get notified of your new post. Okay onto my comments.
I do NOT understand why folks will not use their first names online. Frankly, if you are on a business forum, a social group, etc and you are trying to market your business, you need to at least converse with us using your first name. I don't and won't do business with ANON folks on social networking sites.
I think it's something you ease into, and gradually build up confidence with. I remember when I first started on the internet, ebay was the devil. Now, it's my best friend! There are risks in everything you do, and what goes to say that the person you chat to at the corner store is less dangerous than the person on the other side of your monitor?
I agree with Gecko that it can be something that you gradually need to build up confidence with. But I also know that there are some people who have been around awhile who still won't share their first name and of course the ones who will share to much information.
That's so true there are people who say too much and show too much, but I'd still say if you're marketing yourself online looking for recruits or clients, you need to at minimum let other people know your first name.
The person I read that didn't provide her name anywhere on her post had her first and last name on her website so it's not like she was afraid to tell anyone her name. I just find it odd.
I think there is a difference between personal networking and business networking. If folks don't want to use a name with personal networking, that would be fine. But when it comes to advertising and marketing on online forum boards, I won't do business with nameless folks.
I think a lot of wahms just don't get it when it comes to doing biz as a biz....
They'll post a zillion blasted pics of their kids, their baby's, put their kids info on line but yet they wont sign their posts, nor use a real name on forums! ummmmm yea...
And I think there might be ONE other "Tara Burner" in the world and I have no problem putting my name and myself out there...though you will not find any info on my kids out there!!!!
I'm about business and all about business and people know me by my name and my reputation...not as "the nameless poster"
How can you build a business if nobody knows your name? DUH!
Or is that like "mark X if you can't write your name"????
I have been using my first AND LAST name on various websites for a few years.
I agree with Tara about keeping kids private. I was conflicted about this for awhile because mine were so cute. Now they are dark and twisted teens so it's a easier decision.
Thank you everyone for your comments.
I never bring my family in as a part of my business which is why you will rarely (if ever) see me talk about them. If they are spoken about they are simply referred as hubby and daughter.
I just started blogging about working at home. I'm a WAHM who does a lot of journalistic reporting and editing and because of that, I use a pseudonym. I'd like to keep my professional, public life separate from my ramblings about how to keep the kids occupied while I'm trying to do a phone interview.
It would be different, for me, if I were selling goods or services and was blogging about that. But I already have clients set up and have the work I need, and I go online to talk with other WAHMs about balance, venting, recipes, etc.
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