Does The Anonymous Aspect Of Doing Business Online Help You Overcome Your Shyness?
" I can be as quiet as the darkness of Outer Space when I want to be, and some people may think that I am shy, because I "Wear The Black", so they oftentimes make the mistake of actually coming over and starting a conversation with me...
OH,BOY, that's when "The Darkness of Outer Space" Shows that It's really there to provide a sensuous backdrop for the brilliance of Stars and Galaxies and Planets and Comets and pretty stuff like that!:)
I love to laugh, and I like making other people laugh..."
The above quote is from my book-to-be (It is untitled as of now- But it will be about the fun side of all this business stuff!)
I know some very fine people who are naturally shy and although they are very good in business, they tend to back away from the more public aspects of a project and allow others to come to the fore-front and stand in the spotlight... for me this trait is not the best one to have for a creative entrepreneurial- type, and yet some people with it have become emboldened by what they see as the "Anonymous" aspect of doing business online...
I don't know about all that, really- but I do believe that if it helps the Good Guys and Gals, then most certainly they should avail themselves of it, if it exists...
All the same, though, the "Bad Guys and Gals" have been using it for years to hide their crimes...
I'm very split on this issue, as I feel as a Marketer that you should be able to stand in full view and support your program, product, promotion or service, but... I believe in the intrinsic value of the Internet's "Level Playing Field" aspects...
We are certainly benefiting from them daily, as we do business with each other no matter what we happen to look like, or what language we speak, whether we are shy or not, or even whether we are experts or just plain promotors...
One of my shy friends manages to make a good living being a search engine guide, she never really has to meet people, but chat and email are her "public interface tools"...
Many good questions could be asked here but here is just one:
How many of you know of someone who wouldn't or couldn't be in business if it weren't for the Internet-
Particularly because of Social Shyness- a very real problem these days...(?)
PS:
This article came to be because of a story in Forbes magazine (Oct. 2007) about the negative aspects of privacy on the web... I feel that the story in that magazine sensationalized the issue with some of the most lurid stories that they could find... and I take issue with that kind of reporting.
I plan to write them with stories about the benefits of privacy and freedom of speech ect. ect and all that good stuff...
There are people out there who want to own and regulate every aspect of our lives, and they certainly will stop at nothing to do so, any kind of media trick and ploy is at their disposal, and we have to fight back while we still have the means to do so.
Comments (11)
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
It's also amazing that many Offline businesses, are coming online, because of the low costs and anonymity factors... Why open a Casino in some costly little area of real estate when you can get one up and running online for pennies a day?
I see business trends that indicate what BIG BUSINESS is really "griping" about, but actually looking into, profit-wise... Forbes doesn't creat stories for just the fun of it... If you read between the lines, they are trying to see how to capitalize on t
Jenny Stewart11
The internet is certainly a wonderful tool for you to be able to take your first baby steps in talking to strangers! And addressing an audience. In that respect it's anonymity is a wonder. People can only judge you on what you say or write - and what you have in your head. And not on your appearance - which is a VERY BIG FACTOR in offline sales.
So it is a great medium for disabled people and shy people and people who hate to make public presentations (I've given away a prize, rather than g
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
Reformatting!
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
I'm certainly glad to have illicited such great responses with this discussion.
The insightful sharing of one's experience certainly is very much of value to those who should happen to read them! :)
It also shows that the Internet rally can be a valuable place to learn much about others and even more about one's self!
Coach Steve Toth6
Hi Peaceful;
I actually feel that people are miss-using the Internet and blogging. They have added these technologies as another layer of protection from self-expression.
Their keyboards and screens are being used to protect them from relationships. The Internet, blogging, tv, radio, newspapers are all one way communication tools.
Relationships are created in a two way conversation in time and space. Not to say that you can't create relationships on the Internet by blogging or chatti
Nancy Bertoni3
I'd say that the Internet has nutured my need to find ways of being with people who share my interests and activities. When I was living in the States, I was really shy and felt "left out", I feared being criticised or labeled "weird". Perhaps because I was of mixed origines, I felt different from everyone and so I shyed away from expressing myself in any way to avoid attracting attention.
Living in different countries and having to adapt to new living conditions has helped somewhat, but I stil
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
That is a very worthwhile bit of self observation, Lateef! :)
I have known people who have the same feature in their personalities-- They are happier in the offices at work and rarely enjoy other places outside of there.... Their computers provide all the "connectivity" that they feel necessary... This is not strange or unusual these days because it is the very Nature of our work lives, especially when a lot of us now work out of our homes.
Thank you for your very insightful response!
Lateef Oladeji6
Internet Marketer
What a 'Peaceful' question! I am a bit shy and particularly "leg-lazy". I could work nonstop for hours at my desk, but I feel inconvenienced to leave my office. I feel too much at home in my office. Even when I have to go out, I feel the urge to return to my office before long. I badly hate public appearances and outings. I merely tolerated it while I was in paid employment. This could be bad, but what can I do? I feel like a fish out of water while not in my office or at home. People around me
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
From the content of your blogs I'd say that the Internet community is very lucky to have you... your writing is very good! :)
That's why I'm glad that the Internet welomes all people, especially writers, whose offline personalities might be limited by shyness and other things, but when they feel comfortable online, the stuff that they are really capable of expressing can be truly wonderful!
Thanks for your response! :)
Jill Davidson6
I am a shy person, although not as much as I was when I was younger. I find it easier to express myself through writing because I can edit and make sure I say what I mean. I'd still be in business without the internet, I'm sure. I use the internet as just one of my marketing tools.
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
By the way, I started using photographs of Nature for my avatars, and they have become sort of a brand- a holdover from my days in the photography business... I have no suitable photos of me, as they are mainly on film- Dang the Digital Era! But I'll be showing my gorgeous countenance soon! LOL! :)