Question

Topic: Strategy

Do I Disclose My Address?

Posted by Anonymous on 12/1/2008 at 7:03 AM ET 100 Points
Group; I have a friend (REALLY) in the marketing and PR business. She is a single mom and works out of her home. I am quite sure that her personal safety is a concern. She does not disclose her address in any of her marketing materials or on the web. I needed to send her a royalty check and had to wait for her to respond to an e-mail to get the address. I asked her about it and she said that she does not want junk mail, and no one hires her via snail mail, which is a valid point.

I have never heard of such a strategy, and may need to rethink my easy to find me thought process.

Can I get some feedback?
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted on 12/1/2008 at 8:17 AM Author
    Thanks, Phil. Let's see what the others haveto say. Since she is a professional marketer and PR Consultant, I run the risk that she will see this posting.
  • Posted by michael on 12/1/2008 at 8:23 AM Accepted
    Or..Mailboxes etc or the UPS store because she may need a mailing address.

    Michael
  • Posted by wnelson on 12/1/2008 at 8:43 AM Accepted
    RK,

    From a personal viewpoint, when I see someone without an address on their business card, in particular, or even on a website, I thing, "eBay store!" My thing about an eBay store is that anyone can be an eBay store overnight - no training, no commitment, no nothing, just junk to sell. Presto - you're a store. For someone in Marketing and PR - that's a bad brand.

    Many of us work from our homes today. As a business adviser, I have advised many clients to put off an office "out" until they really need it. If we work onsite with clients and no one would every "drop in" to hire us, why have an office? It's a waste of cash. I have a home office and most times I meet clients outside their place or a neutral place like a coffee shop, depending on the need. However, I do put an address on my business card and website and I advise clients to do the same. A physical presence implies legitimacy. I go along with Michael and Phil. A PO box is worth having for this reason.

    I hope this helps.

    Wayde
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 12/1/2008 at 9:06 AM Accepted
    Note that if your friend has filed a fictitious business statement (FBN), her address is a already matter of public record.
  • Posted on 12/1/2008 at 9:07 AM Author
    Spot on! I did not want to influence the responses, but my personal tact is...Do everything possible to make it easy for people to find me and conduct business with me. I want my phone number and e-mail address on every communication and web page. I thought I was losing my mind, when the person I trust and hired to do my PR work does not want their address known....or even a PMB or PO Box. In fact, her e-mail does not have a phone number.

    Thanks,

    RK Kliebenstein
    [contact info deleted by staff - please use MY PROFILE page instead!]


    PS: I office from home as well.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 12/1/2008 at 9:17 AM Accepted
    I work from a home address- and its listed everywhere. If I am going to be targeted by a psycho, they'll find my address somehow. If she is concerned do a UPS or other box as another stated so you have a physical address. I look on websites for a physical addy-- and the site loses credibility when it doesn't have one. It means that if I have a proble, I have no one to contact. I have clients mail me stuff all the time and if they have to search or call-- I wouldn't want to make it inconvenient for them to do biz with me.
  • Posted on 12/1/2008 at 9:32 AM Author
    More great comments, and affirmation. I do not suppose I have the courage to contact her and argue the point, but I feel much better that I have not missed some terrific new strategy that Brian Tracy or someone is advocating. Heck, I thought the pet rock was silly, and failed to get on board!

    Thanks,

    RK Kliebenstein
    [deleted again]
  • Posted by wnelson on 12/1/2008 at 9:43 AM Accepted
    RK - I agree with you in making it easy for people to get hold of you. No phone number on the card - that just screams someone who's not really in business to me!

    btw, HERE on this forum, you don't want to leave your address/phone/website and especially email. The forum policy is to include contact info on your profile only. And as for email - leaving it here can allow the spammer spiders to find it and sell it to lists and then it gets used as a "from" for more spam. Not good at all to have an email address out in the open on any website for that reason. I use a link on my website for people who want to contact me via email.

    Wayde
  • Posted on 12/1/2008 at 10:02 AM Author
    Wayde; Thanks, and I was just following my own advice to make it easy for folks to contact me.
    Thanks,

    RK Kliebenstein
    [DELETED]
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 12/1/2008 at 10:14 AM Member
    I have a friend who tells me her business did not take off until she started using a Grand Cayman address. Every winter, just after the first snow (today), I think back to her advice.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 12/1/2008 at 10:20 AM Accepted
    I don't think courage is required to have a frank business discussion. You want her to be successful. A better way to put what I posted above-- when I don't get full contact info upfront-- I don't think the person is concerned about security. I think fearful. I think what are they hiding? And will they just bolt at the sign of trouble?
  • Posted by Mikee on 12/1/2008 at 5:17 PM Accepted
    I do expect to see an address. I do not trust companies that do not provide full contact information. That is my personal opinion.

    Encourage your friend to include her address. Not doing so does more harm than good. As other's pointed out, at a minium she should get a PO Box.

    Mike
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Strategy)