Why are People so Secretive Online???

100 replies
I'm making the transition from offline to online marketing and I have notice many people who seem extremely knowledgeable do not show their faces, real names and rarely show their own websites.

Why is This? Do they have alter egos or split personalities?

Ugly perhaps..lol Ulterior motives? Just plain anti Social?

I thought one of the basic points of business was to build a brand, whether its you or a company and promote as much as you can. Does the internet not require this to make money?

Will people just buy from an anonymous person hidden behind a cartoon avatar? Are 4000 posts on a respected forum enough to garner the trust needed to gain a subscriber or a purchase?

Curiosity here..
#online #people #secretive
  • Profile picture of the author MattStevens
    Do you mean like me? lol

    I don't show my face because I don't want all the ladies Pm'ing me..jk

    It probably varies for everyone..some people don't show their "money" site, depending on their niche, because some shrewd unscrupulous webmasters will reverse engineer your success and copy it.. which will then be added competition.

    Some people are scammers and hide their faces and take whatever short term sales they can get and when outed will just change their name and avatar and start again.

    Some people are truly honest and keep themselves anonymous because they have day jobs in which they have to keep up a certain "look" which doesn't fit the sometimes stereo typed IM crowd

    And yes, I'm sure some are just ugly!
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
      Banned
      Each to their own Stephen.

      There are no hard and fast rules.

      And why should there be?

      Who sets the standard?

      You?

      Come now, it's up to each person exactly what they want to share with others or not as the case may be.

      Don't forget many people have perfectly justified reasons why they perhaps don't want to reveal their true identity online.

      It's not because they want to hide anything, perhaps they just don't want or need the limelight attention. And you know what, that's completely up to them.

      Who are we to question whether or not someone else wants to be completely forthcoming online about their identity?

      Many book authors for example write under a pen name.

      And at the other end of the scale, many corporations are completely faceless too.

      Conversely (you're new here), but I'm seeing a very large number of people who aren't hiding out in 'secret ' at all.

      Far from it.

      What I'm witnessing is a huge number of people being perfectly open about who they are and what they do.

      There is no right or wrong on the issue.

      It's completely down to each person whether or not they want to publicize their name or business to the rest of the world to any degree.


      Mark Andrews
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      • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
        Originally Posted by Mark Andrews View Post

        Each to their own Stephen.

        There are no hard and fast rules.

        And why should there be?

        Who sets the standard?

        You?

        Come now, it's up to each person exactly what they want to share with others or not as the case may be.

        Don't forget many people have perfectly justified reasons why they perhaps don't want to reveal their true identity online.

        It's not because they want to hide anything, perhaps they just don't want or need the limelight attention. And you know what, that's completely up to them.

        Who are we to question whether or not someone else wants to be completely forthcoming online about their identity?

        Many book authors for example write under a pen name.

        And at the other end of the scale, many corporations are completely faceless too.

        Conversely (you're new here), but I'm seeing a very large number of people who aren't hiding out in 'secret ' at all.

        Far from it.

        What I'm witnessing is a huge number of people being perfectly open about who they are and what they do.

        There is no right or wrong on the issue.

        It's completely down to each person whether or not they want to publicize their name or business to the rest of the world to any degree.


        Mark Andrews

        I agree, there are no hard and fast rules and to each their own...I was just curious, because I see many people selling stuff, yet there is no "face" to go with the seller. Call me old school, but I don't think I could purchase ANYTHING from someone who doesn't have some sort of face.

        Corporations have a face..many faces...they can be found relatively easily...On the internet..you can be a ghost..which i guess keeps my defenses up..this is all I m saying.

        Putting yourself out there for all to see doesn't mean you NEED the personal attention either..just showing the world that you believe in what you say and sell and you are willing to put your personal reputation on it...What can i say.. that's the school of thought i was taught under.
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    • Profile picture of the author fedor50
      Originally Posted by MattStevens View Post

      Do you mean like me? lol

      I don't show my face because I don't want all the ladies Pm'ing me..jk

      It probably varies for everyone..some people don't show their "money" site, depending on their niche, because some shrewd unscrupulous webmasters will reverse engineer your success and copy it.. which will then be added competition.

      Some people are scammers and hide their faces and take whatever short term sales they can get and when outed will just change their name and avatar and start again.

      Some people are truly honest and keep themselves anonymous because they have day jobs in which they have to keep up a certain "look" which doesn't fit the sometimes stereo typed IM crowd

      And yes, I'm sure some are just ugly!
      This post right here answers the question perfectly. There could be a million different reasons why people may choose to withhold certain information and I respect that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Monroe
    I'm guessing a lot of it has to do with confidence. People who are self-conscious or who dont like having their picture taken for whatever reason, aren't going to feel comfortable posting it on a forum, not to mention one which is regularly crawled by Google (so it will most def end up on there too).

    Same goes for websites as well I'm assuming.
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  • Profile picture of the author Adie
    Not all people who are making money online build their own brands. There are several reasons behind that ranges from personal, social, and privacy reasons.

    I know someone from Srilanka who is very good in programming and design and his lists of customers includes high profile people but did not use his real name and location because he is afraid that customers might turn their backs away without considering his skills. And he is doing great with his business..... This is just a real example why people stay anonymous and I think his reason is valid.

    And about the avatar, that is why it's called avatar and not ID..
    Signature



    Moderator's Note: You're only allowed to put your own products or sites in your signature.

    Signature edited.
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  • Profile picture of the author thinkoutthebox
    Because most people are not that
    smart when it comes to marketing,
    don't spend enuff time at it and
    then act as if they attempted.

    So they will do anything to make
    money and stealing your ideas or
    what have you is one of them

    plus it depends what your doing
    online, many products on wso
    are sold with alias names
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    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
      Originally Posted by thinkoutthebox View Post

      Because most people are not that
      smart when it comes to marketing,
      don't spend enuff time at it and
      then act as if they attempted.

      So they will do anything to make
      money and stealing your ideas or
      what have you is one of them

      plus it depends what your doing
      online, many products on wso
      are sold with alias names
      From doing a lot of reading and lurking so to speak...this was my first impression.

      Yet, I also saw some people who sounded very knowledgeable and purchased their product as a test, and the product was priced fairly for the info it held. This info was not readily available on the Internet and was definitely salable. This person was also nowhere to be seen on the internet...no social proof so to say.

      This is what raised my curiosity...I figured they could sell in many niches under many aliases and deliver medium grade info and make a profit....that the communities selling to could get past a person with no "real face"

      IDK...guess I'm just thinking out loud and looking for others opinions....I don't judge or care really as it doesn't directly affect me..I was just wondering as I often do.
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  • Profile picture of the author bluecoyotemedia
    Stephen My Man

    Queens I loved queens. I lived in douglaston before I left the country. there was this pizza place called VIP pizza on bell blvd man oh man great memories

    to answer your question there are many reasons why people choose to do business this way and truthfully I don't blame them.

    although doing business online and offline are similar in it's core. the differences is that you really expose yourself to all elements in the online world. to all the potential but also to all the evils.

    you may post something like I am to you right now and you may have thousands of people lurking looking for opportunities to either harm or steal or just do no good.

    you can post a success of a particular niche and in no time at all.. someone went in and took your niche.

    i cannot tell you how many times i have one of my wordpress hacked why??? just because they could.. and leave a message like

    you've been hacked

    you can one day find your actual picture being used on hundreds of 2nd tier web 2.0 sites and fake facebook accounts( study revealed 25% facebook accounts are fake) being used as spam. or even worse being used in illegal activities

    am I paranoid??

    here is an example that I had found someone sharing on another forum
    https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...2184.7.6.0.0.0.



    or anything it's just that you have people from all around the world that lurk in these forums and cause problems in so many ways. you just have to be a little diligent..

    for example;

    my good friend runs a large webhosting company in NY and he would sit me down and show me all the different instances of attacks of hackers trying to hack into the servers

    over 1000 a day. crazy and these are from countries from all corners of the world.

    another example; I have a good friend that had a large adsense network, he was in the 6 figures monthly for years

    and in 1 instance in the process of helping a fellow warrior he mistakenly revealed one of his sites to demonstrate site structure.

    someone got a hold of his adsense pub ID.

    reversed engineered his network

    which were hosted on a dedicated server

    hacked into the server and placed a tiny script that would be basically changing his adsense code replacing it with another.

    and this guy was good because it would randomly do this for a certain % of the time and it would change his adsense ID back. so he was siphoning off a certain amount of traffic and clicks.

    for many months he was noticing 20 to 35% of ad revenue loss every month with the same amount of traffic

    but hey it';s google.. and you know how crazy they are so he kept on chugging along building sites.. adding to his network

    this went on for almost 8 months.. can you imagine??

    and the way he found out!!!

    one day he happened to log into his server from a friends house. a totally different IP address and noticed something strange going on.

    then he hired web security company that did thier thing and discovered a script that was masking this and the origin located in Croatia.

    he was losing $7000 to $9000 a month

    now imagine how many unsuspecting persons this has been done to.

    so because of techonlogy and the virtual world you just have to be extra extra careful.. call me paranoid but I have seen alot of this in my career because of my associations with this tech space.

    you have alot of extremely talented tech people in the world that all they do is exploit the newbieness of people as a way of doing business.

    anyway just my humble opinion as always.

    eddie aka always a NYC boy
    Signature

    Skunkworks: noun. informal.

    A clandestine group operating without any external intervention or oversight. Such groups achieve significant breakthroughs rarely discussed in public because they operate "outside the box".
    https://short-stuff.com/-Mjk0fDExOA==

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    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
      bluecoyotemedia

      Excellent..Thank you..I hope I'm not making a mistake putting myself out there in public then...but as i say...oh well... I'm A true New Yorker..we like the attention..hahaha

      I will def keep security in mind as well and keep certain safeguards..Thanks for that..

      VIP Pizza is the best pizza in the world!! I live 6 minutes from there in BAYSIDE..

      Nice to meet ya!
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      Originally Posted by bluecoyotemedia View Post

      Stephen My Man

      Queens I loved queens. I lived in douglaston before I left the country. there was this pizza place called VIP pizza on bell blvd man oh man great memories

      to answer your question there are many reasons why people choose to do business this way and truthfully I don't blame them.

      although doing business online and offline are similar in it's core. the differences is that you really expose yourself to all elements in the online world. to all the potential but also to all the evils.

      you may post something like I am to you right now and you may have thousands of people lurking looking for opportunities to either harm or steal or just do no good.

      you can post a success of a particular niche and in no time at all.. someone went in and took your niche.

      i cannot tell you how many times i have one of my wordpress hacked why??? just because they could.. and leave a message like

      you've been hacked

      you can one day find your actual picture being used on hundreds of 2nd tier web 2.0 sites and fake facebook accounts( study revealed 25% facebook accounts are fake) being used as spam. or even worse being used in illegal activities

      am I paranoid??

      here is an example that I had found someone sharing on another forum
      https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...2184.7.6.0.0.0.



      or anything it's just that you have people from all around the world that lurk in these forums and cause problems in so many ways. you just have to be a little diligent..

      for example;

      my good friend runs a large webhosting company in NY and he would sit me down and show me all the different instances of attacks of hackers trying to hack into the servers

      over 1000 a day. crazy and these are from countries from all corners of the world.

      another example; I have a good friend that had a large adsense network, he was in the 6 figures monthly for years

      and in 1 instance in the process of helping a fellow warrior he mistakenly revealed one of his sites to demonstrate site structure.

      someone got a hold of his adsense pub ID.

      reversed engineered his network

      which were hosted on a dedicated server

      hacked into the server and placed a tiny script that would be basically changing his adsense code replacing it with another.

      and this guy was good because it would randomly do this for a certain % of the time and it would change his adsense ID back. so he was siphoning off a certain amount of traffic and clicks.

      for many months he was noticing 20 to 35% of ad revenue loss every month with the same amount of traffic

      but hey it';s google.. and you know how crazy they are so he kept on chugging along building sites.. adding to his network

      this went on for almost 8 months.. can you imagine??

      and the way he found out!!!

      one day he happened to log into his server from a friends house. a totally different IP address and noticed something strange going on.

      then he hired web security company that did thier thing and discovered a script that was masking this and the origin located in Croatia.

      he was losing $7000 to $9000 a month

      now imagine how many unsuspecting persons this has been done to.

      so because of techonlogy and the virtual world you just have to be extra extra careful.. call me paranoid but I have seen alot of this in my career because of my associations with this tech space.

      you have alot of extremely talented tech people in the world that all they do is exploit the newbieness of people as a way of doing business.

      anyway just my humble opinion as always.

      eddie aka always a NYC boy
      Hey what happened to Rays Pizza? lol
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  • Profile picture of the author MrMonetize
    I'll happily answer this. I decided to create a character name to make me and my business stand out over Joe Smith, Brian Smith etc. I'm not after fame or notoriety on a personal level and I have seen plenty of businesses create massive success through branding. There was a guy who created the "RichJerk" character that made millions. I also spoke to some other Gurus who liked my name and suggested I run with it. One asked if I owned the .COM and when I said I didn't, he said buy it immediately, which I did at a cost of nearly $200.

    My name is Russel in case you were interested, I live in the UK, I've been making websites for nearly 14 years, and marketing for around 8. As for showing all of your business assets to fellow marketers, especially on here, well I think that would just entice copycats, spammers and scam artists. Everyone seems to play their cards close to their chest especially when they find a method that works and makes money. I will only show projects when and where appropriate like in a WSO if I was showing that a method worked. I wouldn't say I was ugly either, but it takes me about 5 goes to get a self snapshot that I'm happy with!
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    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
      Originally Posted by MrMonetize View Post

      I'll happily answer this. I decided to create a character name to make me and my business stand out over Joe Smith, Brian Smith etc. I'm not after fame or notoriety on a personal level and I have seen plenty of businesses create massive success through branding. There was a guy who created the "RichJerk" character that made millions. I also spoke to some other Gurus who liked my name and suggested I run with it. One asked if I owned the .COM and when I said I didn't, he said buy it immediately, which I did at a cost of nearly $200.

      My name is Russel in case you were interested, I live in the UK, I've been making websites for nearly 14 years, and marketing for around 8. As for showing all of your business assets to fellow marketers, especially on here, well I think that would just entice copycats, spammers and scam artists. Everyone seems to play their cards close to their chest especially when they find a method that works and makes money. I will only show projects when and where appropriate like in a WSO if I was showing that a method worked. I wouldn't say I was ugly either, but it takes me about 5 goes to get a self snapshot that I'm happy with!
      Great post..Thanks!!! I need a couple goes with the camera as well..lol
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  • Profile picture of the author JSProjects
    The absolute last thing you'd want to do is expose your website(s) / niche(s) on a massive forum like this one. There are plenty of great people here. But you need to also consider the people who wouldn't think twice about trying to jump in on your niche.

    As far as photos ... meh. I don't really care what someone looks like.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

    Why are People so Secretive Online???
    I think many aren't, at all, and that out of the ones who are, they have many different reasons for it, at least some of which are perfectly valid and reasonable ones.

    Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

    I thought one of the basic points of business was to build a brand
    Why did you think that?

    It seems to me that there are many ways people earn money, or earn their livings online with no particular aspirations toward "building a brand" at all.

    Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

    Does the internet not require this to make money?
    "Require"? No. An easy question: the answer's "absolutely not".

    Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

    Will people just buy from an anonymous person hidden behind a cartoon avatar?
    I don't know - that's not how I sell. I imagine some will. (Are you asking only about product vendors, or something? It seems to me that they're a very small minority of internet marketers).

    Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

    Curiosity here..
    Nothing wrong with that at all, of course. I hope I won't sound at all uncharitable or contrarian if I observe that I suspect you may actually have a lot of curiosity and one or two assumptions I don't share, though.

    For myself, I use my own name only here (and in another forum or two where I don't post much) and I'm not making a living here, have no financial involvement here, nothing of my own to promote here, and so on and so forth. In each of the niches in which I make a living as a marketer, I use a different pen-name. I do that because (like so many other affiliate marketers) I don't want my customers knowing that I'm involved in so many different niches, because some early experience when I mistakenly didn't use a different pen-name in each niche taught me that some people find that detracts from your credibility. It's also true that I don't particularly want people here knowing what my niches are. You might think that's not such a good reason as the other one, but it seems beneficial to me.

    There are also other reasons for some privacy/secrecy online.

    It's only a personal perspective, of course, but when you're young and outspoken and have, on occasions, been direct and honest enough to call out one or two people in "semi-public" for their own financial incentivizations in grotesquely but persistently misinforming others, that can cause quite some hostility and resentment, which can in turn lead to other problems (well, I've avoided them being problems, actually, so I should say "potential problems") from which I'm very relieved that all my various income sources are so well separated!

    To be honest, I sometimes wish I'd never used my real name, even here, in the first place, though at the time, it never occurred to me that I had any choice, really, since it's also the name on my PayPal account, obviously enough, and I was still doing some writing for others at the time that I originally joined this forum. Anyone can make a mistake! :p
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by MattStevens View Post

      It probably varies for everyone..some people don't show their "money" site, depending on their niche, because some shrewd unscrupulous webmasters will reverse engineer your success and copy it.. which will then be added competition.
      And too many flat-out thieves will skip the "reverse engineer" part and just copy what they think is successful.

      That's why the name on my account is the one I was born with, the picture in my avatar is really me, and I never have and never will post my websites...
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    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
      Nothing wrong with that at all, of course. I hope I won't sound at all uncharitable or contrarian if I observe that I suspect you may actually have a lot of curiosity and one or two assumptions I don't share, though.


      Hmmm, I'm not sure which curiosities or assumptions you allude to, but I can assure you that they are all rated g

      Pleasure to meet you Alexa..I see you are a consistent high value contributor around here.
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert M Gouge
    I'm very secretive. I take special precaution to hide my identity and my sites.

    I mean, wait... woops. :p

    Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

    To be honest, I sometimes wish I'd never used my real name, even here, in the first place
    I imagine this is especially true when you're a female. So many wierdos online these days. You can rest assured though, I only stalk you some of the time.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    It's a smart move not to divulge your websites that make money. They'll be copied in a heartbeat ... and not just once.

    As for avatars, people have different and their own reasons for using either a real pic or an avatar and it makes little difference which is used. People here know what my real name is and they know me by my posts. There are a lot of people on this forum that I trust simply because of their posts ... Like McCabe above (although, I don't trust the fish).
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    • Profile picture of the author MrMonetize
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      It's a smart move not to divulge your websites that make money. They'll be copied in a heartbeat ... and not just once.

      As for avatars, people have different and their own reasons for using either a real pic or an avatar and it makes little difference which is used. People here know what my real name is and they know me by my posts. There are a lot of people on this forum that I trust simply because of their posts ... Like McCabe above (although, I don't trust the fish).
      Oww, I was hoping you were covered in Tattoos and smoked Cigars!
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      • Profile picture of the author Robert M Gouge
        Originally Posted by MrMonetize View Post

        Oww, I was hoping you were covered in Tattoos and smoked Cigars!
        I know, right? That fantasy is forever crushed now.
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      • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
        Banned
        Originally Posted by MrMonetize View Post

        Oww, I was hoping you were covered in Tattoos and smoked Cigars!
        I'm not saying that I don't (or that I do) ... :p
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        • Profile picture of the author MrMonetize
          Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

          I'm not saying that I don't (or that I do) ... :p
          Avatars just give you this image of somebody, even when you know that's not really them, you can't help but to think of them as the Avatar. So for me and Robert, can you make out that you do smoke cigars, that would be cool!
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          • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
            Banned
            Originally Posted by MrMonetize View Post

            Avatars just give you this image of somebody, even when you know that's not really them, you can't help but to think of them as the Avatar. So for me and Robert, can you make out that you do smoke cigars, that would be cool!
            It's funny ... I chose the avatar because I have a weird sense of humor and it makes me laugh. I've gotten a lot of response from men saying it's "hot." lol. I've gotten some hate mail from a couple of people saying that it's disgusting. Quite a few others say it cracks them up. To the people who are put off by it, I doubt we'd get along very well in real life anyway. I like people with my own weird sense of humor. But what started off as a joke, ended up to be a kind of brand. The image has been on several of my products and several of my money sites.
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            • Profile picture of the author MrMonetize
              Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

              It's funny ... I chose the avatar because I have a weird sense of humor and it makes me laugh. I've gotten a lot of response from men saying it's "hot." lol. I've gotten some hate mail from a couple of people saying that it's disgusting. Quite a few others say it cracks them up. To the people who are put off by it, I doubt we'd get along very well in real life anyway. I like people with my own weird sense of humor. But what started off as a joke, ended up to be a kind of brand. The image has been on several of my products and several of my money sites.
              Oh you should definitely keep it, who cares what people think. Hate mail because of an avatar, really? Maybe they have some underlying problems.
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      • Profile picture of the author Trev81
        Originally Posted by MrMonetize View Post

        Oww, I was hoping you were covered in Tattoos and smoked Cigars!
        Haha I was hoping that too.
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  • Profile picture of the author Weedy92
    Beacuse people take things offline and there are some out there who will go over the top if you get them upset.. As far as I go, never had a problem giving out my real name, try to be nice to everyone.
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  • Profile picture of the author najad
    ugly perhaps loool
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  • Profile picture of the author mosthost
    Forums are a pretty old school form of communications. Most people on social networks are using their real names to add credibility. Forums are more for the anonymous crowd.
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  • Profile picture of the author joseph7384
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
      My avatar is just little ole me.

      I don't know why it is me, it just is. It isn't there for any other reason than it's just me. No hidden agenda, no particular reason for it. No secrets.

      Well wait, I have a confession to make...That pink cowboy hat I used to wear was fake! :p

      Terra
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  • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
    Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

    I'm making the transition from offline to online marketing and I have notice many people who seem extremely knowledgeable do not show their faces, real names and rarely show their own websites.

    Why is This? Do they have alter egos or split personalities?

    Ugly perhaps..lol Ulterior motives? Just plain anti Social?

    I thought one of the basic points of business was to build a brand, whether its you or a company and promote as much as you can. Does the internet not require this to make money?

    Will people just buy from an anonymous person hidden behind a cartoon avatar? Are 4000 posts on a respected forum enough to garner the trust needed to gain a subscriber or a purchase?

    Curiosity here..
    I can only speak for myself and my own observations.
    There's a ton of nutcases out here on the net that's the first thing to keep in mind.
    If one of them takes a liking to you they can not only threaten, but cause you problems.

    For me I've been trying to decide whether to push myself as the brand or my company names. I was in Internet Marketing near the beginning, left and have now returned as a newbie, but not really totally new. So, in some circles I'm going to be known and well respected in other circles I will get to hear folks talk down to me like their teaching me something that I helped to create lol.

    Advice, take everyone lightly including some of the so called gurus. Hint - A real guru doesn't need to send you 10 wso offers per day, nor does a real guru need release wso's just to build their lists. Enjoy the experience, but always be careful, because I would guess roughly 70 percent are phonies, local crime hasn't dropped it's moved to the net lololol.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ahmsta
      Originally Posted by Walter Parrish View Post

      I can only speak for myself and my own observations.
      There's a ton of nutcases out here on the net that's the first thing to keep in mind.
      If one of them takes a liking to you they can not only threaten, but cause you problems.

      For me I've been trying to decide whether to push myself as the brand or my company names. I was in Internet Marketing near the beginning, left and have now returned as a newbie, but not really totally new. So, in some circles I'm going to be known and well respected in other circles I will get to hear folks talk down to me like their teaching me something that I helped to create lol.

      Advice, take everyone lightly including some of the so called gurus. Hint - A real guru doesn't need to send you 10 wso offers per day, nor does a real guru need release wso's just to build their lists. Enjoy the experience, but always be careful, because I would guess roughly 70 percent are phonies, local crime hasn't dropped it's moved to the net lololol.
      WOw..i Agree with you every bit!
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    People buy from dudes "hiding" behind their computer screen everyday. I myself personally keep it real. My real face, my real website, my real content.
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  • Profile picture of the author theory expert
    Banned
    "show me an anonymous rich man and I'll show you someone who I want to model"
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  • Profile picture of the author Riter Ric
    They just do not want to share their money making secrets.
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      Originally Posted by Riter Ric View Post

      They just do not want to share their money making secrets.
      There's only one Secret.
      Do The Work.
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  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

    I'm making the transition from offline to online marketing and I have notice many people who seem extremely knowledgeable do not show their faces, real names and rarely show their own websites.
    Do you think all the photo's are actually a true representation of the user?
    I have thought about changing my username/avatar but Meh

    Why is This? Do they have alter egos or split personalities?

    Ugly perhaps..lol Ulterior motives? Just plain anti Social?
    Some people come here to socialize, some to learn and others to make money

    I thought one of the basic points of business was to build a brand, whether its you or a company and promote as much as you can. Does the internet not require this to make money?
    I don't think it's required to share your whole life story, some people are just more private than others...

    Will people just buy from an anonymous person hidden behind a cartoon avatar? Are 4000 posts on a respected forum enough to garner the trust needed to gain a subscriber or a purchase?

    Curiosity here..
    Look at the WSO section there are many sellers with cartoon, arbitrary avatars that do very well...

    I think it comes down to personal preference, personally i won't share my whole life story with people i only know online, some do.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
    I wouldn't share or ask anyone else to share their life story....but it nice to know the sixty year sweet old lady selling me her famous cookie recipes was at LEAST one time a real old lady and not just some pimply face teenager in his tighty whitey's pretending to be someone he is not to make a quick buck..

    I guess I'm still scarred from the AOL chat room days
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    • Profile picture of the author theory expert
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

      I wouldn't share or ask anyone else to share their life story....but it nice to know the sixty year sweet old lady selling me her famous cookie recipes was at LEAST one time a real old lady and not just some pimply face teenager in his tighty whitey's pretending to be someone he is not to make a quick buck..

      I guess I'm still scarred from the AOL chat room days
      So this thread is about you buying cookies to get in good with old ladies on chat?
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      • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
        Originally Posted by theory expert View Post

        So this thread is about you buying cookies to get in good with old ladies on chat?

        haha...I guess so.
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  • Profile picture of the author FIP
    Good points there Stephen

    There are plenty of good reasons why people want to have a certain level of privacy or anonymity.
    Some do have full time jobs in other fields (like myself for example) and have a certain responsibility to that area of their life.
    I work in government so there are responsibilities you have to manage.

    That said you can certainly build a presence and a brand with integrity, ethics and transparency with people you trust and who in turn trust you.

    Much of IM is fleeting and inconsequential in my opinion: a product here a product there - no real relationship building.

    Coaching is a different process altogether. Thats where a relationship is created and developed and nurtured.

    I think its really important to respect both sides of the equation. On the one hand respect those who want to remain, or retain some form of privacy or anonymity, and also respect those who may expect or ask for it.

    The way you can approach this is by demonstrating your intentions and your value to people.
    There are a lot of 'gunnas' in this field. A lot of people who tell you what they are 'gunna' do for you and that you can trust them.
    Fact is, there are enough who don't follow through to question that approach.

    All you can do is be genuine. Add value. And people will soon work out who you are and what you stand for without you needing to tell them.

    Whats in a name? Not a lot. Its what that name can do for you thats more important.

    I tend to respect those who use their names - but then again do you really know anyway? And is it that important?

    You may for example not necessarily hide your real name (and lets face it, it isn't hard to find a lot of peoples real dentities online if you care to look), but you may not advertise it either.

    I like using my name in business outside of affiliate marketing like my coaching for example, because thats a part of my online presence that i'm ok with being identified with.

    But IM sites that sell clickbank products and the like? Not necessary. Thats just my opinion of course.

    The other thing considering is that people who don't use their personal name can then seel their business and the pen name with it at a later stage - bit hard to sell your real name i'd imagine.
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  • Profile picture of the author SJJPFTW
    I think it comes down to a lot of people having two identities, one for their friends and family and work and one for the internet.

    Sometimes people do not want what they do online, even professionally, to cross over to what they do offline for various reasons, be they privacy or work related.

    The internet can be a scary place and you need to be cautious as to what you put out there, especially as WHOIS records can reveal your home address if your not careful when setting them up.

    When you meet someone in person be they a random person in the street, a new business colleague or a client then you get a opportunity to evaluate that person and how much you want to "let them in" and indeed if they are even the sort of person you want to deal with, the internet sadly does not let us do this as easily.
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    • Profile picture of the author MattStevens
      Originally Posted by SJJPFTW View Post

      I think it comes down to a lot of people having two identities, one for their friends and family and work and one for the internet.

      Sometimes people do not want what they do online, even professionally, to cross over to what they do offline for various reasons, be they privacy or work related.

      The internet can be a scary place and you need to be cautious as to what you put out there, especially as WHOIS records can reveal your home address if your not careful when setting them up.

      When you meet someone in person be they a random person in the street, a new business colleague or a client then you get a opportunity to evaluate that person and how much you want to "let them in" and indeed if they are even the sort of person you want to deal with, the internet sadly does not let us do this as easily.

      good point!
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  • Profile picture of the author goldenbold
    Hi Stephen.
    There are several reasons behind that ranges from personal, social, and privacy reasons.
    Some people come here to socialize, some to learn and others to make money and many other reasons. I think that.
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    • Profile picture of the author myob
      "If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees."
      - Anonymous
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      • Profile picture of the author Kreator517
        Originally Posted by myob View Post

        "If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees."
        - Anonymous
        Nice one. Who said that originally?
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        • Profile picture of the author myob
          Originally Posted by Kreator517 View Post

          Nice one. Who said that originally?
          I think it was first an early American Indian saying, but it has been atrributed to Khalil Gibran, best known for his work "The Prophet".
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  • Profile picture of the author Cyberdog1
    Trust no one - deny everything - enjoy the mystery....
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    Most think that it was God who created man in his own image but it was us who created God in ours.


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  • Profile picture of the author PPC-Coach
    It's simple, if you show your sites, you will IMMEDIATELY be carbon copied. I've had it happen too many times to count. If someone pops up with a brand new, "make a million in your underwear overnight" WSO with fake screenshots of fake dollar amounts people tend to eat those up. It's sad but there's so many scammers out there and the online world is not the same as the offline world.

    People will say things they would never say to your face as they're protected by the warm anonymous security blanket of being online under a fake name.

    It's kinda like the wild west and you have to protect yourself from the scum that is out there. (Not saying everyone is scum, but there are a lot of real gems out there who will cut throat for a penny).

    Not that I'm jaded or anything!

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  • Profile picture of the author wensar
    I notice that myself some of them have no problem showing their faces and more while some are shy. But that doesn't mean they're not successful either. There are also trust issue on this internet and I don't blame them either
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  • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
    The secretive one's have no success or true knowledge to share.

    It's true..

    EVEN ALBERT EINSTEIN SHARED HIS KNOWLEDGE.

    Why?

    Because he had TRUE KNOWLEDGE AND SUCCESS.

    AND asides from that, there's nothing to hide..

    Nothing is THAT secretive online except black hat.

    Anything legit, is NO secret.

    But yes I'll also agree with the naysayers for whatever reasons you have. Just so I don't sound obnoxious.
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    • Profile picture of the author theory expert
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Intrepreneur View Post

      The secretive one's have no success or true knowledge to share.
      This is the biggest load of BS I have ever heard in my life. Can a senior warrior who is respected or someone with a name like Paul Myers or the like come in here please to confirm this please. My goodness enough is enough.
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      • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
        Banned
        Originally Posted by theory expert View Post

        Can a senior warrior who is respected or someone with a name like Paul Myers or the like come in here please to confirm this please. My goodness enough is enough.
        No, because you cannot convince those that don't want to be convinced .
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      Originally Posted by Intrepreneur View Post

      The secretive one's have no success or true knowledge to share.

      It's true..

      EVEN ALBERT EINSTEIN SHARED HIS KNOWLEDGE.

      Why?

      Because he had TRUE KNOWLEDGE AND SUCCESS.

      AND asides from that, there's nothing to hide..

      Nothing is THAT secretive online except black hat.

      Anything legit, is NO secret.

      But yes I'll also agree with the naysayers for whatever reasons you have. Just so I don't sound obnoxious.
      some folks just like their privacy that's all. it's better to listen to what people are saying, rather than who is saying it.

      i see a lot of folks toss around different names on here of people who really did little to nothing.

      Bill Gates - His Father was a big time lawyer, and his mom sat on the boards of directors of the companies he made deals with.

      Mark Zuckerbert - Front man for the major corporations and their social experiments.

      Even folks like your Albert Einstein, his formula was proven wrong in like what 90, 91?

      So, rather than looking at the persons so called position, look more towards what they say and do. Heck, If I thought every person that wanted to be private was a nobody I wouldn't have met so many millionaires and billionaires online.

      Hint: Their going to be the ones to swoop down on you give you some advice, if you take that advice you will make some progress and they will probably be around to give you more. Ignore it and hey they will just leave you to figure thing's out for yourself lol
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    • Profile picture of the author tylerjaysen
      yeah that's strange sometimes..isn't it?

      Well if you're serious about making a connection...then you really need to put yourself out there and let the chips fall where they may.

      Not everyone will like you and your message....but hey..I think cosby said it best....

      ....You cannot please all the people all of the time....so stop trying.

      I'm paraphrasing of course....but you get the idea.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
    Banned
    Meh, it's the internet. You could show your true identity and still have it questioned (on top of everything else mentioned in the thread). Personally, I'm still not using my real name and no one has realized it . Plus, that's not me in the pic.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jason Nolan
      Banned
      [DELETED]
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      • Profile picture of the author fin
        I don't think it really matters tbh.

        Everyone has completely different business strategies and some of those will be fine with hiding yourself. Especially the people with different niches.

        I'll probably end up in a few niches where I'll still be me, but that's because I can't be bothered being someone else lol just laziness.

        But I think if someone was to do a test where A) Was himself in all niches and used video, even though some people found out, and B) Was secretive and couldn't use video - I think A would still make more money. Obviously that's just a guess.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Joseph Robinson View Post

      You could show your true identity and still have it questioned
      Indeed. This happens to me regularly.

      Some of those questioning my identity have even actually met people who've physically met me and said in public that they've met me, and they still do it!

      (Which makes it pretty ironic, from my perspective, when people say they wouldn't like to use a pen-name for a niche site).

      There are also about eight or nine other people I've been "accused" of being (most of them pretty flatteringly, from my perspective, as it happens, though I imagine many of those people aren't quite so amused about it!), including one who's actually a relative of mine.

      I go through phases of finding it so ludicrous that nobody much is going to take it seriously, and laughing about it, phases of not caring at all, and phases of slightly regretting it because I think it sometimes upsets my parents, when people - perhaps meaning well at the time - are occasionally unkind enough to bring it to their attention.

      But as you rightly say ... "Meh".
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  • Profile picture of the author mosthost
    It takes about five seconds of Googling to figure out who's real these days. Real people tend to have Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts. Googling their name will turn up what town they live in, where they work etc. This is hardly earth shattering information.

    Fakers on the other hand tend to have a forum profile and that's it
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    • Profile picture of the author Robert M Gouge
      Originally Posted by mosthost View Post

      It takes about five seconds of Googling to figure out who's real these days. Real people tend to have Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts. Googling their name will turn up what town they live in, where they work etc. This is hardly earth shattering information.

      Fakers on the other hand tend to have a forum profile and that's it
      To add to this...

      In this day and age, if someone *really* wants to find out who you are, they can do it. It's really not that hard to trace people online.
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    • Profile picture of the author theory expert
      Banned
      Originally Posted by mosthost View Post

      It takes about five seconds of Googling to figure out who's real these days. Real people tend to have Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts. Googling their name will turn up what town they live in, where they work etc. This is hardly earth shattering information.

      Fakers on the other hand tend to have a forum profile and that's it
      What's your facebook, linkedin, and, twitter?

      I was unaware that the only way to make money online is to have those accounts.
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  • Profile picture of the author FIERCE IM
    People are so secretive because they dont know who they are talking too online and where the information they share will end. Haven't you heard of people getting fire because they told to their boss that they were sick and the next day some facebook pictures shows up showing them having a great time in LAS VEGAS. You just don't know where your info will ended I think it's why people are so secretive online.
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  • Profile picture of the author arkueckelhan
    Many con-artists try to present it like they are rich to sell their method to you. And anyone that is legit general just doesn't have to... so why take the extra effort?!
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    • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
      Banned
      Originally Posted by arkueckelhan View Post

      Many con-artists try to present it like they are rich to sell their method to you. And anyone that is legit general just doesn't have to... so why take the extra effort?!
      Now there's a small nugget of truth in this. In the IM niche, some people will hide behind smoke and mirrors to trick you into a less than stellar product. But responsibility for finding the bad eggs falls on a potential buyer as well. Use your common sense, when something's fishy, it's usually more visible than you think. Some people like to be blinded though, and whine later.

      Of course, it'd be foolish to think this only happens with MMO products only. Hell, that's life in general.
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  • Profile picture of the author TaylorTech
    I'm still pretty new to this whole process, but I lurked on the forums for a long time before I registered an account so I could really digest what everyone was saying. I would think of the "secretness" of some members to be equal to the cola industry. Sure, you can try to mostly figure out what the recipe is by looking at the ingredients, but there's that special something out there someone figured out that's not immediately apparent to everyone else. That means you can have a lot of people making cola, but really only one "Classic Coke".

    My two cents at least.
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  • Profile picture of the author lalit657
    I always think the same question...while surfing on internet..I think its their habit or mentality to just focus on work...but then i think what is the relation between a real photo or work....I am in complete dilemma...
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Nolan
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
      I agree with those who state it's a persons perogative to reveal as little or as much as they deem fit whether it be related to a personal or business brand. They will just have a reputation which will benefit or suffer as a result of how they portray themselves.

      I think those who use stock photos / photos of someone else are very questionable however but on the flipside it's perhaps no different from using stock photos of business people on a website and that's quite rife!
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  • Profile picture of the author MyiMall
    You can't overlook personalities. By day - I work for the president of a multi-billion dollar company (a well-respected international brand). He has worked hard the past 29 years with the company working his way up. Although he's got a very outgoing personality, he shies away from anything that draws attention to himself. It just embarrasses him. If he had the time, I think he would gladly share his knowledge with people just getting started - and I'm betting he wouldn't use his photo or real name either. As for me - I use my picture and real name because I want to build my PERSONAL brand (on this forum, anyway). On some of the sites I've done, I use my personal info; on others, I don't. It just depends on the business model.

    For me, personally, though - I like to know the "story behind the story" of a business (and I encourage the merchants who advertise on my site to share theirs). We all know about Sam Walton, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc. It humanizes their business to an extent. But, with others, we just know the logo and the company (State Farm, TMobile, etc.) and know nothing about the people who started them. All of these businesses are booming - so I guess there's no "right" or "wrong" way to promote.
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    • Profile picture of the author MattStevens
      Originally Posted by MyiMall View Post

      You can't overlook personalities. By day - I work for the president of a multi-billion dollar company (a well-respected international brand). He has worked hard the past 29 years with the company working his way up. Although he's got a very outgoing personality, he shies away from anything that draws attention to himself. It just embarrasses him. If he had the time, I think he would gladly share his knowledge with people just getting started - and I'm betting he wouldn't use his photo or real name either. As for me - I use my picture and real name because I want to build my PERSONAL brand (on this forum, anyway). On some of the sites I've done, I use my personal info; on others, I don't. It just depends on the business model.

      For me, personally, though - I like to know the "story behind the story" of a business (and I encourage the merchants who advertise on my site to share theirs). We all know about Sam Walton, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc. It humanizes their business to an extent. But, with others, we just know the logo and the company (State Farm, TMobile, etc.) and know nothing about the people who started them. All of these businesses are booming - so I guess there's no "right" or "wrong" way to promote.

      Good point..It does depend on the business model.

      I prefer to keep my personal info private and just deliver quality information, advice and products and let them speak for themselves.

      I don't plan on coaching or doing live seminars... I'm strictly a writer, who luckily enough doesn't have to put his face out to the public.

      I suppose if you are a speaker and or coach and plan on using video as your teaching or selling medium than you are better off using your real name and face and creating your personal brand.

      Two sides to the coin...choose which one suits your personality best and run with it...who knows, maybe you will be able to do both, if you can keep track of who's who that is
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  • Profile picture of the author GlobalTrader
    Here is a short parody video about how the CIA invented Facebook and how it has worked beyond their wildest dreams to get data on millions of people - it is all in fun but when you watch it you really have to wonder about all the private information that people freely post and allow to be disseminated throughout the world to anyone, anywhere for whatever purpose they may have -


    On a personal note, I have been in business for over 24 years. I started out marketing and selling via mailorder and using ads in targeted publications, I ran classified ads on AOL way back in 1989 but did not have a website until 1994 and my own domain until a few years later (notice the intended vagueness) - it was not until I had my web presence that I had people showing up at the front door of my home, completely unannounced.

    I clearly stated on my website that my office was in my home BUT nowhere did I state that I sold any of the information products or physical products FROM my home. The person was a local chiropractor which he willingly showed me his drivers license to prove it. I left him into my home but he was the only one.

    The other two occasions were just too strange and again, completely unannounced, no phone call, no email, nothing, just show up. One was actually on the afternoon of the Fourth of July while my family was celebrating that holiday and the other was a lady who insisted on coming "into" my home to see the physical product I was selling. I brought it outside to show her it was real, just like the website showed but it was simply too weird having these people show up like this and it would take up too much space to go into the other details about both of these individuals but needless to say I have been told by other business people I deal with that they too believed these incidents to be quite weird.

    Additionally, the potential identity theft issues relating to sharing are far worse than most people realize.

    From 2001 to 2011 I had over 1 million in fraudulent orders (I was marketing some high ticket items at the time $2-3K a pop), I also had two business accounts hit by illegal outgoing wire transfers.

    While closing the 2nd account the bank manager told me that people are way too open with their private information online and that "each" day they had an incident of someone coming into their bank attempting to rip someone else off. Now consider that this is ONE bank, in one city, in one state and consider how big of a problem this really can be.

    So call me overly paranoid but I have had reasons to be and when you also consider that every wack job in the world can access the Internet and forums and how flame wars break out all the time.....there are many reasons to be secretive and my little rant has just revealed a few.
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  • Profile picture of the author mosthost
    I think the best post in this thread has to be from the guy who insinuated that Bill Gates became a multi-billiionare because his dad was a lawyer

    Google has already initialized a 'real name' initiative on its properties. It won't be long until all major sites follow suit. The internet is one of the only truly growth oriented business ventures left and improving transparency is going to have to happen to make people even more comfortable with spending money.
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    • Profile picture of the author fin
      I reallllllllllllly don't see why people have a problem with other people using their photo online???

      If anyone asks you, just say it's not you...

      Is that too easy???
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      • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
        Originally Posted by fin View Post

        I reallllllllllllly don't see why people have a problem with other people using their photo online???

        If anyone asks you, just say it's not you...

        Is that too easy???
        lol
        it might have something to do with someone stealing your identity and making you and your business look bad.

        imagine you are pulling in 10k a day and it goes to 0 because someone is impersonating you on the web and putting you in a bad light.
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        • Profile picture of the author fin
          Originally Posted by Walter Parrish View Post

          lol
          it might have something to do with someone stealing your identity and making you and your business look bad.

          imagine you are pulling in 10k a day and it goes to 0 because someone is impersonating you on the web and putting you in a bad light.
          True.

          But I could go around using Richard Branson's name and leave bad comments everywhere.

          You can't really fake video. People should use common sense these days and know everything is not what it seems.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cicak
    A lot of idiots on the net, better to stay safe then sorry.
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      Originally Posted by rstrader1471 View Post

      A lot of idiots on the net, better to stay safe then sorry.
      Indeed. I have had folks from like 10 years ago angry and something I said, back then approach me online. I just sat there thinking to myself hey I don't even believe that any more lolol.
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  • Profile picture of the author MattStevens
    --Some people can thrive online and not need to show their face...

    --Someone mentioned earlier that book writers have been writing under pen names for years (think ghostwriters) and they have made fortunes.

    --If you are n the service industry..its kind of hard not to show your face...(coaching, mentoring, seminars)

    --If your a writer..then its the content that speaks volumes, not your face.

    It really depends on what you are selling..your business model and how people perceive you (real photo or not)

    Also some people here on the forum are just here to learn and give advice..they are not selling anything....so there is no need to show their face and tell us their real name..

    As far as the guy who had people showing up to his house to purchase products??? WOW..I would never be comfortable with that and would never let them in my house..haha, not even for the 3 grand sale.. He's definitely an oldschool salesman
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    • Profile picture of the author TheWrightWords
      I do use a pen name, for a variety of reasons -- a big one is that I can command a much larger fee offline than on....and I don't like the idea of one of my offline clients finding me online, seeing what I charge, and then wanting a lower rate -- even though the work I do is totally different for each place.

      Pictures? Me, just in different settings --- Easy enough to toss one of the kids my iPhone and let her snap away -- I'm too lazy to find a fake photo to use.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    There's a well known warrior in this forum that uses his photo and it has been hijacked by an anti-WF site and distorted. That is one good reason why some may not want to use their photo.
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  • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
    A brand does not necessarily depend on whether the person or people behind it show their face(s). McDonalds, for instance, is a very popular brand, yet many people have no idea what Ray Kroc looks like.
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    :)

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    • Profile picture of the author fin
      Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

      A brand does not necessarily depend on whether the person or people behind it show their face(s). McDonalds, for instance, is a very popular brand, yet many people have no idea what Ray Kroc looks like.
      You mean he doesn't look like a clown?
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  • Profile picture of the author Roslyn Agosta
    Most people would be secretive online to remain anonymous. You can get sick freaks online, and you wouldn't want them 'stalking' you. However, just googling someone infamous in the virtual world will surely bring back results to see if they are who they say they are.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
    Wow, so many great opinions here!

    I guess I have already put myself out there with my real face and name...I hope it doesn't come back to haunt me.

    I grew up in the service business and you had no choice to show your face...I also did a lot of door to door sales, so my face and body language was constantly being associated with what I had to say. Old habits die hard I suppose.

    I will definitely take into consideration the fact that people can lurk and steal your websites and and ideas and use that to go head to head with you and compete. There's enough competition out there, I don't need them specifically gunning for me! Although, competing can be fun. I also have to be careful with addresses..I don't want to sell anyone anything from my house..lol

    I figured it like this...I like to do videos, I like to teach people and talk to them, I love to answer questions when I can, as well as ask questions and interact with people.

    I also want to build an online presence (business) that establishes trust first and foremost. I thought putting myself right out there, bald head and all, would be the best way to do this.

    One other thought I had was this. If put myself out there, real face, real name, real life, that I could build a business that would have sustainability. I feel like some of these online money making strategies are so short term and require constant attention. I'm all about set it and forget it...Making my business and my money work for me instead of the other way around...Building myself as a trusted brand i felt would provide me more avenues to accomplish this...who knows..no way to tell but to try right?

    Thanks for all the insightful posts! Great minds on this forum
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

      Wow, so many great opinions here!

      I guess I have already put myself out there with my real face and name...I hope it doesn't come back to haunt me.

      I grew up in the service business and you had no choice to show your face...I also did a lot of door to door sales, so my face and body language was constantly being associated with what I had to say. Old habits die hard I suppose.

      I will definitely take into consideration the fact that people can lurk and steal your websites and and ideas and use that to go head to head with you and compete. There's enough competition out there, I don't need them specifically gunning for me! Although, competing can be fun. I also have to be careful with addresses..I don't want to sell anyone anything from my house..lol

      I figured it like this...I like to do videos, I like to teach people and talk to them, I love to answer questions when I can, as well as ask questions and interact with people.

      I also want to build an online presence (business) that establishes trust first and foremost. I thought putting myself right out there, bald head and all, would be the best way to do this.

      One other thought I had was this. If put myself out there, real face, real name, real life, that I could build a business that would have sustainability. I feel like some of these online money making strategies are so short term and require constant attention. I'm all about set it and forget it...Making my business and my money work for me instead of the other way around...Building myself as a trusted brand i felt would provide me more avenues to accomplish this...who knows..no way to tell but to try right?

      Thanks for all the insightful posts! Great minds on this forum
      Well, you can always do what I do. When they say I know where you live what if...
      I tell them Come on Down and Party and remember Don't make the mistake of bringing a Knife to a Gun Fight

      That usually checks all idiots, crazies, etc. Other things they don't like is hearing that your family is in law enforcement lolol
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      • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
        Very nice!! A couple of big dogs help too!! As well as mans best friend, they are great protectors.

        Before I go too far and expand my online reach..I have to make sure I fully conceal my address and phone numbers and all that....sprinkle some chaff out there
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  • Profile picture of the author jox51
    It depends on the person themselves and in what market they are in. Sometimes they want to brand themselves so they put themselves out there to create a good rep. Someone successful in Adsense MNS sites won't devulge much because they want that niche to be kept secret.
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  • Profile picture of the author Eythil
    Personally, I just like to keep work life separate from my non-work life. No need to share personal information, as long as provide good service none of that matters. I'm more of the "backstage" worker types anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stephen Marden
    As much as I put myself out there for the public to view and judge, I will most likely not be sharing certain personal info..I can compartmentalize my public brand and my personal life.

    I have no problem letting people into my life as long as its always on my terms...when that boundary gets crossed that's when its a problem. You just have to think twice about what info you want about yourself out there and don't do anything stupid.(address and location security is a must for all and I have to look at that deeper..thanks for the heads up)

    I feel if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about (even people using or manipulating your photos or name) and I would never share info about anyone else (family, friends) since its not fair to them, and they didn't choose to be in the public eye.

    For the record I have no problem with anyone who keeps their identity private...It would just take a lot of time and trust building for ME to purchase from them.
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  • Profile picture of the author jredmond
    Originally Posted by Stephen Marden View Post

    I'm making the transition from offline to online marketing and I have notice many people who seem extremely knowledgeable do not show their faces, real names and rarely show their own websites.

    Why is This? Do they have alter egos or split personalities?

    Ugly perhaps..lol Ulterior motives? Just plain anti Social?

    I thought one of the basic points of business was to build a brand, whether its you or a company and promote as much as you can. Does the internet not require this to make money?

    Will people just buy from an anonymous person hidden behind a cartoon avatar? Are 4000 posts on a respected forum enough to garner the trust needed to gain a subscriber or a purchase?

    Curiosity here..
    I am also in the same transition. I see this world to be very similar to the past.


    Some people are good.
    Some people are bad.


    The good people can help you with what they know. (but only what they know)
    The bad people know how to take your money
    .

    You have to figure out which are which.


    Good luck, Jim R
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  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    Dangit, is it to late to change my username and avatar to something less obvious ?
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    Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

    ― George Carlin
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  • Profile picture of the author contentwriting360
    Banned
    Stephen, IMHO, whether the person uses his or her own picture or a cartoon character or whatever, it's all a personal choice.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ismael Zarruqui
    Yes it's personal choice ..how many warriors here made a fortune without showing their faces ? how many marketers use their [DO BUSINESS AS ] as their name and still make a fortune ?

    It comes to my head David Deangelo ,Michael Jones from clickbank..etc ,your name is what you want to be ,the picture can be faked ..the most important thing is to be honest,ethical ,polite and be the best in what you do .
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  • Profile picture of the author theluckeystar
    I am extremely shy and I am sticking to that lie...LOL!
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  • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
    Banned
    That funny moment when people completely miss the OP turning the thread into a chance to establish their rep as "that trustworthy guy".

    :rolleyes:.
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  • Profile picture of the author TomYevsikov
    Brother, that depends on each and everyone of us..

    Not to mention that some of them are just trying to establish an autority and in their niche while they, in fact, have no clue what they are talking about.
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    • Profile picture of the author myob
      "Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it."
      - Mark Twain

      This guy's real name was Samuel Clemens.
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  • Profile picture of the author chrisacho
    hmmm, being anonymous pays most times. Imagine donald trump coming to post some programs for you to hook up here, you simply see him as a warrior pimp or imagine myself also being too familiar, i may become underrated; just do it the way it pleases you, all forms are okay and i have been paid much more being me and donald, my sincerity
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  • Profile picture of the author rslayter
    I think that being anonymous is really a way to keep your personal life private. It is very easy to take someone's name and use one of these sites that looks up their information. Google your full name now and see what you come up with...scary isn't it?
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