Help! Aweber Giving Out My Home Address!!

[CRGreen]

I use a Post Net store to have a street mailing address. It is very convenient and keeps anyone from having my home address.

[FaJeeb]

I give out my home address, I don't care. Come check out how awesome my house is.

...and if your going to kill me and my kids, at least wait until we are sleeping. That's all I ask.

All crude humor aside, I use dropboxes, and they aren't affiliated with where I actually live. I learned this lesson quickly as a landlord. I thought it would be awesome to sit at home while my renters dropped by my checks but it turned out to be a lot of hassle with 2 AM wake up calls telling me that they have bugs or something (due to people using the basement as a dumpster).

[BIG Mike]

As I see it, the real issue here is the importance of separating your professional business activities from your personal ones.

Just as any accountant will tell you that mixing up your personal and business finances, i.e.; sharing the same checking account is a very bad idea, the same is true when it comes to the mindset of running your business.

To some extent, a business is not always entitled to the same degree of privacy as individuals are. Depending on the type of business, a lot of its information in publicly available by law. In this regard, if you are mixing things up personally and professionally, then you're creating a situation where you're exposing personal information needlessly.

Terry also touched on the issue of credibility, which is important for any business - legitimate businesses do not hide their location or contact info. On the other hand, that doesn't mean that they publish the direct lines to the key officers either or give out personal information.

I believe in complete transparency when it comes to business - online or off. Look up my websites and you'll find my physical business address listed on every one of them. Every email we send out contains both my main office telephone number and my business address as well.

While not everyone chooses to maintain separate offices for what they're doing online, it's fairly simple and inexpensive to maintain a P.O. Box, telephone etc.; it's also more professional.

Lastly, I'll mention again that it's also a mindset - this is my business life and this is my personal life...the two should never be mixed.

[Michael Oksa]

It's not about whether people know where YOU live or not.

The premise that those who are uncomfortable with it are only uncomfortable with it because they are up to no good is absolutely asinine.

On the other hand, there are those who purposely hide their real address because they ARE scammers. But simple logic proves that the reverse isn't true.

That's all I'm trying to say.

Your post insinuated that someone who's a bit freaked out about THEIR address being shared, is freaked out because they are being dishonest themselves. But you have no proof, and the accusatory tone is not cool in my book.

Give ME a break!

All the best,
Michael

[All Night Cafe]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Oh, I just love it when people challenge me to actually believe what I say.

16512 SE Green Valley, Auburn, WA 98092.

And my phone number is 504-383-3275.

And my email address is in my title.

And you could have found all of that out with a WHOIS search on darklock.com, because I don't believe in domain privacy either.

I like your style, I never know where you are going to turn up.

I read everything you write, with a grain of salt, but it is good salt.

[SimonHarrison]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

No, but they're required by law to put one up that says where you can contact the owner.

Which isn't the equivalent of having their home address is it , so the counter response is moot.

I have numerous ways my customers can contact me, which include, phone, e-mail and a helpdesk.

You think Walmart has the home address of the directors plastered on the bottom of every till receipt? That would have to be so for your counter argument to hold water.

Your assumption that anybody not wanting their home address to be public somehow is up to no good, is erroneous, a bit condecending and misplaced.

Your other arguments about for example your credit card company knowing your address isn't the same as random strangers who signed up for a free PDF knowing it. You're making counter arguments out of strawmans - at best.

You are not selling to people who hold your card details. You are not entering an e-mail discussion with them at a level that creates a potential friction.

Placing your home address on a public forum is entirely your perogative but it doesn't actually counter the argument that it's actually quite foolish to tell all and sundry where you, you wife and your children live. I am not prepared under any circumstances to put them at risk.

Have you ever seen a simple topic blow up into a full scale net row where people go essentially mental arguing over something as simple as the best way to gain muscle or whether Obama's a good president or how to treat backpain.

People go frankly mental over the internet.

What if something you send out doesn't tally with their idea of what's correct. You need just one moron to see your home address and decide to pop around to correct you himself.

It takes just one fruit loop to realise they happen to live close and to decide to come around .

Perhaps they don't like your answers, who knows either way I don't actually want random strangers knocking on my door because they happened to opt in to a free video about (insert niche here), it's absurd.

You may , for whatever reason, feel that's something you're ok with.

I do not however and it is no way representative of my business ethics or anybody elses.

Big name marketers have official offices, that would be absolutely fine to include on any communication. Infact it makes sense as it adds credibility. This is one of the reasons I have a virtual mail business address for various applications that display this kind of information.

It is true that for people like ourselves it's possible with a little knowledge to track down somebody , but for the masses who use the internet not as a mechanism for profit , they are less suss to this. I don't see any reason to give them a map to my driveway.

[SimonHarrison]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Oh, and just to be clear - neither do I. My problem is exclusively with people who want to conceal ANY information the customer can use to contact them.

I missed this.

I agree with the above position but that's not at all what the OP stated he wanted to do.

He just didn't want his home address sent out to all and sundry.

Entirely different to concealing any information a customer can use to contact you.

Worlds apart.

[CDarklock]

Originally Posted by Michael Oksa

the accusatory tone is not cool in my book.

The accusatory tone, in case you don't know, is in your head.

Text doesn't have a tone.

So if you don't like the tone, well, it's sort of up to you.

I already said pretty much the same thing you just did a couple posts ago. And I stand by my original statement: if you are being honest and forthright with your customers, you don't need to hide your address.

[SimonHarrison]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Text doesn't have a tone.

Hell yeah it does .

[pink sapphire]

Originally Posted by Andyf

If you get a P.O. address, do they still use your name or do they use your website address....or business name if you actually have one? You can still find almost anyone once you have a name.

Can anyone answer this?

I use pen names for all my niches - does aweber allow for using different names (or just website addresses) for different lists? Or would my real name be on all of them?

thanks

[SimonHarrison]

Originally Posted by pink sapphire

Can anyone answer this?

I use pen names for all my niches - does aweber allow for using different names (or just website addresses) for different lists? Or would my real name be on all of them?

thanks

You can assign a different "from" name to appear in the from field, also a different e-mail address for each list.

The "address" displayed next to the unsubscribe link is a global setting.

[CDarklock]

Originally Posted by SimonHarrison

Your assumption that anybody not wanting their home address to be public somehow is up to no good

I didn't make that assumption, and the continued insistence that I did is rather tiresome.

Your other arguments about for example your credit card company knowing your address isn't the same as random strangers who signed up for a free PDF knowing it.

No, it's just random strangers hired at minimum wage to do data entry.

it's actually quite foolish to tell all and sundry where you, you wife and your children live.

It's even more foolish to assume people don't know what you don't tell them.

It takes just one fruit loop to realise they happen to live close and to decide to come around .

How much more likely is this than some fruit loop just randomly selecting your house for some fruitiness? Just happened to be in the neighbourhood, thought your house looked fun.

Is that really so much different from "just happened to be on your list, thought your address looked fun" in the grand scheme of things?

You're afraid of something that never happens. Even all the people who have had someone drop by their house, look - nothing untoward happened. We don't have a litany of restraining orders and court cases and lawsuits and arrests. We just have "ooh, some guy I don't know came to the house, he could have been freaky and weird and done something terrible - but I got lucky and he was basically just a normal guy."

That's not "getting lucky." That's like walking out of the house every day and saying "boy howdy, I sure am lucky a stampede of wild buffalo didn't just trample me." It's just retarded.

[SimonHarrison]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

I didn't make that assumption, and the continued insistence that I did is rather tiresome.

Then you need to write more clearly as it's the impression every single participant in this thread took away from your response to the OP.

No, it's just random strangers hired at minimum wage to do data entry.

That's not a valid response to the difference, again strawman.

How much more likely is this than some fruit loop just randomly selecting your house for some fruitiness? Just happened to be in the neighbourhood, thought your house looked fun.

Massively more likely for the reasons given.

You're afraid of something that never happens.

It does happen and indeed cases of it have been specified in this thread.

That's like walking out of the house every day and saying "boy howdy, I sure am lucky a stampede of wild buffalo didn't just trample me." It's just retarded.

The analagy is yes.

[Michael Oksa]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

The accusatory tone, in case you don't know, is in your head.

Text doesn't have a tone.

So if you don't like the tone, well, it's sort of up to you.

I already said pretty much the same thing you just did a couple posts ago. And I stand by my original statement: if you are being honest and forthright with your customers, you don't need to hide your address.

I would think a professional quality writer such as yourself would understand that you CAN convey tone in writing. By adding the "hmm?" to your first post in this thread, you made YOUR tone quite clear.

Hmm...did I just convey tone by capitalizing certain words?



(Oops! did my typing a ; and a ) convey tone again? Well, doggone it!)



~Michael

[Snow_Predator]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Oh, I just love it when people challenge me to actually believe what I say.

16512 SE Green Valley, Auburn, WA 98092.

And my phone number is 504-383-3275.

And my email address is in my title.

And you could have found all of that out with a WHOIS search on darklock.com, because I don't believe in domain privacy either.

Alright, where's my chainsaw and hockey mask? Ahh, right next to my checklist of victims Muwahahahaha

(just joking btw ^_^)

[talfighel]

I am using Getresponse rather then Aweber and the same thing happens there. When you send out a newsletter to them, your address will show up at the bottom of the email. There is nothing that we can do about it. It is a law that you address shows up in your email when you use these companies for your follow up.

Tal

[Snow_Predator]

Thanks all. I have to say, Simon Harrison provides some great reasoning as to why one would wish to withhold his home address. And CDarklock just sounds like he's trying to win an argument for the sake of winning.

CDarklock said: "It's even more foolish to assume people don't know what you don't tell them."

Rubbish in my opinion.

I'm not looking to be convinced that it's OK to give everyone my home address. People can call me or email me to ask questions, but being new to internet marketing, I'm not willing to give out my home address.

What I wanted to know is if there were any alternatives to providing my real address, and if so - what are they?

[SimonHarrison]

Check out the intial 3-5 posts, there's some guidance on how to setup a virtual address which will forward snail mail to you should there be any. It's a good solution and will be fine for use with Aweber.

[jasondinner]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

I've always said "conduct your business as though every customer knows who you are and where you live."

If you're bothered by them knowing these things, maybe you're not conducting your business that way, hmm?

I could understand this mentality, but I leave my wife and 3 young kids at home to
run my business out of an office not too far away.

So I recently went and changed my address in there as well because there are
psychos out there (even in this very forum).

- Jason

[Floyd Fisher]

Originally Posted by Hanz

Oh please! You couldn't find CDarklock's house even with Sherlock Holmes' help. He lives in the middle of nothing and nowhere. LOL! Even Google Maps can't find it. According to Google, CDarklock's location ends in the middle of some old deserted road in some old deserted land. After that, Google is lost!

Ever heard of Tom Tom? It can find anything.

[discrat]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Oh, I just love it when people challenge me to actually believe what I say.

16512 SE Green Valley, Auburn, WA 98092.

And my phone number is 504-383-3275.

And my email address is in my title.

And you could have found all of that out with a WHOIS search on darklock.com, because I don't believe in domain privacy either.

Sorry dude, but I think someone has skipped their daily dosage of 'smart pills'.

Seriously though, I just cant disagree with your assertions more about having your actual Address out there for all to see. There is so many other ways like Phone number, email, twitter etc.. you can utilize !

Look at the Risk/Reward !! Is it really worth it to put your actual address just because it might (and that is a BIG Might) help out the credibility of your Business or would you rather put the odds in your favor in securing the Safety of your Family ??

Quite honestly, screw my business because when it involves the safety of my family thats No.1 !! PERIOD , END OF STORY

[Vitaly Makarkin]

I have a question about country of mailing address.

Like if I'm promoting products for US market, but live in Russia. But still provide my clients with a valuable information.

Does it make some positive/negative sense of believe?

Like "He is living in different country, how I can trust your and leave to another marketer". (or ROI)

Just my first view on this topic like a beginner.

[Ryan700]

Originally Posted by Joseph Then

Some years back, a well-known marketer actually have to move his house because one of the subscriber kept visiting his house asking him how to make money online.

And I mean PESTERING this marketer, because he has his home address sent by mistake.

So there is a reason why you shouldn't use a home address.

Yes, and now with Google Street view they know what your house looks like before they even get there!

[Letterman]

Just had to say THANKS for that response.....

[marciayudkin]

You're afraid of something that never happens.

The more successful you are, the more often these "somethings" do happen. Why do you think politicians and Hollywood celebrities have security people?

And women are, unfortunately, somewhat more vulnerable to the problems than men are.

When I had my photo in Entrepreneur Magazine, I started getting inappropriately intimate letters from a federal prisoner that went on for years. I had to seek legal advice on how to get it stopped without making the problem worse. When I finally thought the problem was solved, I started receiving letters from 2 friends of the original guy, from the same prison! It's kind of funny unless it's happening to you.

For a short period of time years ago, I had clients come to my home office. A client who came to see me during that time turned out to be wacko. She got angry at me and began calling me with such frequency I couldn't use my phone any more, and left a threat on my doorstep. I had to call the police, and a very skilled police officer got her to stop the harrassment.

Another time I received violent threats from a well-known marketing colleague to whom I had given my home address because he'd had to send me a book.

That's three real-life reasons why I am very protective of my home address. And why I tell other successful people to be smart and keep their home address to themselves.

Marcia Yudkin

[TiffanyDow]

Thanks for showing us how to change it Mark. I found it a bit creepy when a subscriber google mapped my house wondering why I didn't live in a mansion like the gurus. LOL (I had to go into my whole spiel about how I live in my childhood home because it's sentimental to me - how my dad kept it for me after my parents' divorce, how it houses all of the memories of my 3 children growing up in it in addition to my own childhood memories, etc).

While I don't mind sharing the story, it still creeped me out that he bothered to google map my address.

I'm not worried about people coming here - I have security cameras and a .38 special ready to greet nutjobs But I do like keeping my business and personal life separate to some degree...

[Aj Wilson]

I'd recommend a P.O. Box, with a generic business name,
i.e. "YourMarketingCompany.com"

and as Discrat mentioned, your personal privacy is more important
than "MAYBE" a little bit more trust with your good customers...

Because there seems to be just as many, if not more,
"sinister" people out there, hunting for personal info for ID Fraud etc.

Which can land you in a lot more dramas than a few extra bucks
in your pockets.

[DamianLeon]

I believe it's entirely justified and smart for someone who wants to build a large business and list online to be able to give an administrative address instead of their "home" address- Part of it is this, is your business a "work at home job" or will it become an entity which serves people, separate from You, and having a life of it's own- then it makes even more sense, doesn't it

[TCrosby]

Can I get some examples of prices for doing this?

I'm about to launch my first site with a list any just became aware of this :/

[TCrosby]

Anybody help?

[Vitaly Makarkin]

Can anybody recommend some "virtual post address" service for NON-US residents?

[dageniusmarketer]

Is there a way in Aweber to have multiple addresses for multiple lists?

As I have several websites in several niches, I dont want all my lists to have the same address every time a message goes out.

Please let me know

[theimdude]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

If you actually came out here, it would be the yellow house that stands out like a sore thumb in all the farmland. It may be in the middle of nowhere, but hard to find, it is not.

And you'll generally find that in the Puget Sound area, Microsoft has VERY good maps. Drop down the "Aerial" menu and pick "Bird's Eye View" for best results, the pin is centred on the property but the house is slightly northeast of it:

Bing Map of the house

WOW I am your neighbour and didn't even know it. You must come over for a game of tennis soon.

[.X.]

Navin Johnson lives!

Be sure to remove your address from
the phone book too.

The world is full of crazies!!

Wackos!!

Murderous loonies!!

I've sent millions of emails. I've had
one "crazy" show up at my door - to
buy a $1200 info product.

Yeah, I was surprised but it was
kinda cool too. Not nearly as bad as
being followed into the men's room.

I think he was impressed I actually
do wear shorts and a t-shirt to work.

Or maybe it was the half-dozen
bikini clad women who happened to
be washing my 'ghini when he pulled
up.

Hard to say.

X

[Steve Ranger]

Originally Posted by Michael Oksa

I normally like your posts, C, but I think your thinly-veiled accusation is 100% out of place here.

This is exactly how I read CDarklock's post as well. Sounds a little bitter?

And, as a real world example, try and find Frank Kern's address. Try and find the addresses of CEO's of Fortune 500 companies. You will struggle. Home addresses are not usually attached to businesses.

Because of the nature of our business (easily working from home) it creates a small problem. Personally I don't mind as I work on the move with a laptop - but I would like my personal address, where my children live for example, kept private.

[.X.]

You want Frank Kern's address?

I'm going to create a new product;
Google Maps to the Gurus Homes

Frank's never invited me to go
surfing, so screw 'm.

;-)

X

[dageniusmarketer]

can anyone answer my question?

[NY1]

@ dageniusmarketer

Click on the list you want to change, then click on List Settings.

Where you will see the address it will have an edit button you can click on.

There you can edit the info for that particular list.

[Jay Jennings]

Originally Posted by Steve Ranger

And, as a real world example, try and find Frank Kern's address. Try and find the addresses of CEO's of Fortune 500 companies. You will struggle. Home addresses are not usually attached to businesses.

I used the background scenery from one of Frank's videos and some searching on Google Earth and found his hideout.

When we were traveling through California a year ago I was going to stalk him but my wife wouldn't let me, so we went to Arizona instead.

Maybe next time.

Jay Jennings

[Steve Ranger]

You should work for the CIA on the Bin Laden videos

[ezinerebel]

Hi -

Usually I remain in the background and just read the posts.

Lots of the comments are interesting and most are good points - from both sides of the fence as it were, but I wonder if anyone has experienced the same as I have, on more than one occassion.

I have several times changed my address in the Global Settings on Aweber, but I have always received a written warning from the Aweber staff and they have ALWAYS taken the liberty of re-instating my home address details.

As I live in Scandinavia, how can I get a US PO box address or any other.

I would assume Aweber can see from my IP address that it was fake, even though
my intentions are well meant, as per the opinions of one side of the discussion.

Thanks for reading and best wishes to all.

[Vitaly Makarkin]

Originally Posted by ezinerebel

Hi -

Usually I remain in the background and just read the posts.

Lots of the comments are interesting and most are good points - from both sides of the fence as it were, but I wonder if anyone has experienced the same as I have, on more than one occassion.

I have several times changed my address in the Global Settings on Aweber, but I have always received a written warning from the Aweber staff and they have ALWAYS taken the liberty of re-instating my home address details.

As I live in Scandinavia, how can I get a US PO box address or any other.

I would assume Aweber can see from my IP address that it was fake, even though
my intentions are well meant, as per the opinions of one side of the discussion.

Thanks for reading and best wishes to all.

Hello ezinerebel,

You can registred US PO BOX as well as US Mail Address using the Virtual Service. I made topic about this ones (http://www.warriorforum.com/main-internet-marketing-discussion-forum/195964-best-virtual-mailing-company-us-non-us-residents.html), but actually it received not a lot of replies =)

In my opinion promoting product for US market is better put in the your signuture of your e-mails US address or PO BOX. Again in my opinion people trust more who live in their country, but again it depends from a lot of factors

[tjs1954]

Originally Posted by Hamida Harland

Would I really want thousands of complete strangers knowing my home address? Absolutely not (mainly for the reasons Simon Harrison outlined) and I don't think it's very nice to make insinuations about how someone conducts their business just because they want to maintain their safety and privacy.

I agree, you don't need all those people knowing your address even if you conduct business 100% above board, use a UPS store, It gives you a street address and it's not very much per month, I had one sometime back when I moved but I don't remember what I paid.

[webzsoft]

Agreed, I don't really like the fact that my address is there for everyone to see.

[webzsoft]

I think many people put a false address. I would think that some the more popular people who work from home would do this to prevent problems

[Niche-Dominator]

Couldn't agree more! Well said Indeed!

Originally Posted by SimonHarrison

Never understood this argument.

We have 120,000 people on a list.

It's a very popular and well thought of product.

I still don't want them popping around to my house to ask me questions about it while I'm sat watching the TV.

There are nutters out there.

I don't need them coming around to say hello.

It has nothing at all to do with credibilty of your business.

Normal bricks and mortar busineses don't put signs up telling you where their staff live.

There's a good reason for that.

Just because you run your business from home, doesn't mean you want every customer on your list to know where you sunbathe naked.

[bigcullie]

Good comments, I like my privacy too, but I understand the need for a permanent business address to be displayed; however nobody has mentioned Google maps.

That bothers me as I am a newbie and struggling to get started. You see all these great sales pages of people saying how well they are doing with their products or business.

When I somebody types in my postal code into Goggle maps, (and I have done ths myself to see where others are coming from), you see a street, less than desirable. I am not ashamed of it, but it does give a less than successful advertisement.

[Don Schenk]

If you advertise to people in some US states, and use a PO Box address, you must also list the physical address of the business.

I found this for California:

"Disclosure of legal name and street address - Generally, a business that uses a post office box, mail drop, or telephone answering service to advertise the sale of consumer goods or services must include in the advertisement its legal name and the complete street address where the business is actually operated. (B&P Code §17538.5)"

As I recall, Utah may be another one, and I suspect there are now several more.

:-Don