The Grave Consequences of a Name!
Our friend Alan49 just published “What’s in a name” – (https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/alancross/blog/whats-in-a-name), in which he nicely made a point that has also been bogging me ever since I joined WA! I used a pen name because I actually thought that we were supposed to do so. I know it was my fault for getting too excited in having decided to join WA and paying attention to this important issue.
Is It Just a Name?
Thank you Alan49, or Mr. Alan Cross, for stating that you wished you had chosen when he joined WA as well. Alan is so right in his blog to question the use of pen names in our beloved WA Community, which has always bothered me too. However, there is so much more at stake that COULD be badly jeopardized if we don’t pay attention this matter. Allow me to elaborate, if I may…
What Difference Does It Make?
For the sake of not creating any misunderstanding amongst my dear WA friends, I am going to use myself for purposes of illustration. You see, I use the pen name JAY-B, which stands for Jay Barnelli – I just used my last name’s initial in my pen name. It now doesn’t make any sense to me at all – like Alan. Well. Let’s see why!
Why?
In my humble opinion, it comes down to one thing and one thing only! What is it that ONLY thing that I am trying to convey to my audience that happens to be visiting my website? What is the MOST IMPORTANT thing that my site’s content is asking my audience to do? What is the ONE thing about me that will make my audience feel comfortable and at ease to invest the time and focus on what I have to say and recommend to them?
Did You Guess?
If you guessed it, then you share my opinion as well. It is TRUST, TRUST, and TRUST!
How Is That?
I had the misfortune of having to spend over a month rewriting about 90% of my site’s content from pages into posts, which was actually a blessing in disguise! In doing so, I realized that I had been hiding behind my first name only, while I was asking my audience to give me their precious TRUST! When I put myself in their shoes and asked myself “How can I trust this person and what he is telling me, if he doesn’t trust me with his full name? I want to know who he is and what he looks like!”
I Fixed It!
Of course, my above illustration does not apply to everyone, but it did apply to me because, while I did have my picture on my site, I had been using my first name only! This is a personal decision and everyone has to make his/her choice based one’s own reasoning. We must, however, be fully informed of the consequences of our decisions. I now have my full name on my site in order to give my audience the full respect and the utmost courtesy they expect and deserve. This is only my own personal opinion!
My Closing
I must confess that I used to feel somewhat uncomfortable before I had my full name all over my site, as if I was looking over my shoulder all the time. Now, I feel great! I have nothing to hide - “Jay Barnelli” is who I am and a “WA Online Marketer” is what I am doing! I am not ashamed in any way, but in fact I am proud of it! My mission is to help others realize their goal and dreams of a successful online marketing business, right? So, how can I accomplish my mission, no matter how legit or honorable it may be, and earn anyone’s trust if I give the slightest perception of deceit? Again, this is only my opinion!
I would like to sincerely extend my appreciation to Alan Cross who inspired me to publish this blog, that I have had (in rough form) in a Word document on my computer. Thanks Alan!
Thank you everyone in the Community for putting up with me... again!
All the very best to you all… Jay Barnelli
Recent Comments
33
Thanks for the post. I'm currently using my first initial & last name, but almost changed it earlier today. Better hold off on that until I research it further.
Hello Robin,
Glad you liked the post.
You got to do what you got to, as it were, since there is no such thing as wrong or right - the decision is all yours.
I like to wish you & Kevin the very best of health & success,
Jay Barnelli
I use my first name and last name initial, and I am ok with that. We've all heard of Cher, haven't we? I think it's important to be consistent in which name you use.
Hello Gordi,
In your case my friend, everyone knows who Gordi is & I like it. Thank you for your comment.
Have a fantastic day today & every day... Jay Barnelli
I have never thought of it like that, I just thought by using my first name I was being more personal, but having said that on my G+ etc it has my full name .
Nice comment, Katie. You're not alone, beleive me!
I don't know much, but one thing I do know... and that's people and first impressions. Many of us are under the illusion that first impressions occur only in the physical sense - not quite! One's image, words in print, or voice are just as crucial.
Usually, it takes no more than just a few minutes for us to create and hold on to a certain perception of what and how we think of another person. In my own case, it takes me less than a minute! The sacry part is that I have been consistently right about 75+% of the time!
The moral of the story here is simply to exercise objectivity. It ins't that hard to mentally switch places momentarily with the person you're dealing with. I warn you though! It will change your life!
I hope you didn't mind my long reply.
Regards... Jay Barnelli
thank you and no do not mind long reply after all it is the only way I get to learn about all this process thanks for sharing and I wish you every success with it all
Hi. I enjoyed your post. Another point I want to add: because I'm affiliating with WA on my website I use the same picture there and here. That way if anyone joins WA from my website via my link they will recognize me here when they see me. Like you say, it's all about trust and connections. Thanks for sharing this.
You're so right Rick. I do too.
For the lack a better word, I call it consistency. We humans have a tendency to dislike, as a first response, any sudden changes around us.
Therefore, when your audience sees your picture on your site & then sees a different picture - of you supposedly - on your WA profile, a kind of mental hesitancy takes place, which could make them passive to any call to action that you may have had in mind for them.
Thanks for a solid respone, Rick.
All the best... Jay Barnelli
What is the difference of my pen name and my real name. None! Because nobody here at WA did know me by my real or my pen name. But it is quite a difference for my websites, where I post my real name, address and email. There I need the trust of my visitors and potential customers. And even here at WA most of you are knowing in the meantime my real name giludi vs Guy Ludig, but does this make any difference. I'm still the same.
Thanks for your comment, giludi.
You're right in that our audience & potential customers should have our real name and contact information. I also understand and respect your feelings regarding using one's real vs pen name for the WA Community.
However, I respectfully disagree with your statement that it doesn't make a difference when it comes to the WA Community if we use a pen name or not. It does indeed make a great difference, in my opinion, when I look at it from a different prespective.
Personally, if I feel a lot more at ease when I can match a real name to a real picture in my mind - it actually makes it more inviting for me to hear/read what they have to say. I am personally less inclined to engage with a person with a pen name vs. one with a real name, but that is only my personal feeling.
As I mentioned before, this is a 100% subjective decision to make, in terms of having or not haveing a pen name. I am hoping that you're telling me that you're speaking objectively for my or other people's way of thinking and feelings about this topic and conclude that it doesn't make a difference to them!
At any rate, we all have our precious opinions, which brings about the end results that we utimately have to own - all the known or unknown consequences of such voiced opinions.
I thank you again for taking the time and the trouble of letting me know your thoughts on this matter. I do appreciate it.
Have a great day... Jay Barnelli
Giving my real name isn't a problem for me, neither publishing my real picture and not a dog or a cat as a lot of us. I totally agree with you and I'm also publishing ALL of my WA websites. But I think trust you will get when you're publishing real helpful articles, when you're aware about your readers, visitors, clients problems and not only an online address somewhere in the middle of nowhere in our so small and still large world.
Thank you for your informative respone. I wish you continuing success through out your life.
Sincere regards... Jay Barnelli
Thanks for post and insights Jay! It is that battle between wanting others to trust us and not trusting everyone else out there. Looking forward to learning more from you as you continue on your journey. All the best! Nicole
Thank you CreateNow, you're too kind.
I am glad you liked it. I will try to continue speaking from my heart, despite the fact that it does get me into trouble from time to time!
Best regards... Jay Barnelli
Nicely done Jay and I might add you said it way better then I did but we both thought the same thing its all about trust! No more hiding for me I was able to change my name yea!
It looks I may have change mine once before - I don't recall! I am going to see if I have Support help me out with this.
Thanks Alan for all you do... Jay
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I enjoyed your point of view!
Thank you & I appreciate your comment. Have a great day.
Regards... Jay Barnelli