Copyright 2006 Elaine Currie
Don't try to be the Internet Invisible Man (or woman). Many people hate the idea of having their photo on the Internet, even if it is just on their own work at home business website, but you can't tick the no publicity box if you want to run a successful Internet business. Some people shy away from the idea of having their photo freely available online because they don't want to give away their age or gender or they don't think they are attractive enough.
When I first started working at my Internet home based business I wanted to be anonymous and hope that people would think they were dealing with a man or, better still, a corporation. It seemed that Internet business ownership was so dominated by young men that there was no place for a middle-aged granny, especially one who was an Internet newbie. I just wanted to hide! Many of the people who were ahead of me in building a home Internet business seemed so much more interesting. I would read their biographical details and feel very dull in comparison. I felt totally overshadowed by people like the college students who invent a multi-million dollar websites and became rich before they reach the age of twenty. I didn't have a glamorous lifestyle to show off. I wasn't an overnight success at anything. I wasn't a genius. After a while it sank in that the overnight success stories are the exception. Most people who work on the Internet are like me - just "ordinary" people and, by being ordinary, I am living proof that you don't need special advantages to have your own work at home Internet business.
Perhaps it should have been obvious from the start, but it took me a while to realise that I had no choice but to appear as myself because I could not be honest and hide my identity at the same time. My grandmother often used to say "Speak the truth and shame the devil" and I have never forgotten that, so honesty won this battle. The Internet is a big place and it has room for all kinds of people. Whoever you are, you have experiences to share. If you are an older person, you might find that more senior people will be inclined to deal with you rather than with people young enough to be their children or grandkids. Equally, you might find your customers are young people who respect their grandma. If you are a youngster, you might do well with your contemporaries. It all depends upon the people you meet. There is no right or wrong persona, be yourself. - You can't please all the people
The final fear to overcome when thinking about putting your photo on the Internet for your home based business website, is that you are not good looking or just don't photograph well. There is no need to worry about not appearing attractive. If you have trouble getting over this, just spend a bit of time surfing websites and keep a score of how many website owners look movie star gorgeous, how many are above average, how many are ordinary, how many would scare you on a dark night etc. You can do a similar experiment at your local bookstore by checking out the author photos on dust jackets. There will be fewer in the gorgeous category than any other, trust me. Anyway, people have different ideas of what is attractive. You might visit a website and think "Agh, it's that crazy looking woman with the staring eyes!" while another person visiting the same site will think "Ah, it's that nice looking lady that reminds me of cousin Debbie."
If you don't make it to the ranks of the gorgeous, you can always take comfort in the idea that if you were too glamorous, you might frighten away "ordinary" people. The way other people will see you is not something you can calculate, you are yourself, it's pointless to waste energy trying to represent yourself as something you are not. Having your photo on your home based business website will allow people to feel that they know you and that is the first step to building a relationship with your potential customers.
"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart " - Kahlil Gibran. |
