I’ve posted this at a couple of VA forum and it’s opened quite a discussion. So I’m posting it here too for your comments and feedback.
It seems to me that more and more people are not listing their addresses on their websites, in their signature blocks and on their business cards.
I find this rather annoying if I want to send them something in the mail – I have to ask for their address and that then spoils the surprise had I wanted to surprise them. I go to business networking events and BNI meetings and find about 1/3 of those in attendance don’t have addresses on their business cards at all.
It is so easy to ‘hide’ when on the internet and only provide an email address and a form for people to contact you (some only have a form and nothing else). Many include phone numbers too but neglect adding an address.
If you don’t have a postal address and don’t want to advertise your residential address then I would encourage you to get a PO box or an MBE address or something. What address do you give out for services you need such as phonelines, delivery of stationery or printed items (or do you pick it up), domain name registrations and so on? There are so many services online when you do need to provide a postal address of some sort.
I do find it frustrating when services demand a ‘residential or place of business’ address such as Amazon, Vistaprint or similar – I want all deliveries to my post office box. That’s why I have one! But to not have an address available/visible at all just makes it all the easier for those who are not ‘genuine’ to hide because so many other people don’t provide that information. No wonder people get scared about being scammed even when a site is genuine if there’s no other contact information on the site.
What are your thoughts?
Sherri Beck CPS/CAP says
I absolutely agree. That’s why I have a PO Box, so that I have an address for my business cards and Web site. I definitely don’t want to give my residential address to just anyone, but feel that as a business I need to have an address to give out.
Jodith says
If you’re sending something via Fed Ex or UPS (such as Amazon does), they do not deliver to the Post Office, since the Post Office doesn’t sign for such packages. They must have a business address to deliver. That’s one of the benefits of using a mail box company instead of getting a post office box, since part of their service is to sign for packages.
I don’t put my address on my website, but I have it on my business cards. I just don’t like having my address out there for random internet stalkers. If someone I haven’t actually met face to face wants my address, they can ask for it. I don’t even ask why you want it. If I’ve know you from on-line networking, I’ll happily give it. I just don’t have it sitting there for anyone and their dog to pick up.