If/When to reveal RL identity (for business)?

An aspiration of mine is to do more professional work in SL. I'm a seasoned programmer/web developer, and am now a pretty experienced LSL scripter. (and it's rumored I can build ...

Since I want to bridge my RL and SL talents, I am pondering if/when to tie my RL identity to my AV. The idea is to be a bit more credible than some completely in-world identity -- my RL self has a lot to add to the overall picture a potential client would have of me.

I suppose one avenue is just to create an alt and tie myself to that right off the bat. But that doesn't seem real credible -- a brand new account with no experience ...

So if you have done this for business purposes, how did it affect you? Was it a benefit to do so? In my case, there should not be any surprises (am male, like my AV, and not role playing -- not as if I am an 80 year old grandmother or something way different in RL)

Make your primary avatar You. Put as much as you want of your real life into it, and use it for business purposes. Create alts for any recreational pursuits you may have.

If I have a client who has a need to know my RL credentials, I give it to them, privately. One university that I am building sims for had me fill out their normal "service suppler application" that they use for any other real-world service provider, and that got my real information, along with the DBA listings for my company in SL and my avatar.

I have registered real-world DBA's for both my company name and my Avatar name, and have a bank account set up in my company DBA's name, so I can cash checks made out to that company. (A DBA, or "Doing Business As" name, is in the USA, a registered business name or pseudonym, on file with the local county government where you do business. They keep the name on file for ten years, renewable.) If I needed to cash checks made out to "Ceera Murakami", the paperwork is already filed for me to be able to open a real-world bank account as Ceera, as well. And yes, I report all transactions that go through that account as taxable income.

My website lists only my avatar name and my avatar's e-mail account. Someone who is only inquiring about business prospects, or who is merely curious, doesn't need to know my real identity.

Brenda - yep, I understand that bit, and do have an alt...

I suppose I am overthinking it. The question sort of stems from keeping RL and SL separate for the first year and a half.

Bucky

I've been programming for more than 20 years, and I've written some really good stuff, such as multi-user online graphic games. I have a successful SL business, for which I write my own LSL scripts, but I've never seen any need to divulge what my RL capabilites are. Either my stuff works or it doesn't. Whatever my RL capabilities are, they make no difference to that.

On the other hand, if you put yourself up as a 'professional SL scripter, people might have more confidence in you if you show them your RL capabilities.

Wouldn't it depend on the specific job and the needs of that client? Unless there's a marketing benefit? (Many SL musicians obviously promote their RL names, websites and MP3s...)

One named her group after her RL name, not realizing she'd become "known" by her SL name.

Of course, if you want to cut costs and be payed via Paypal, there will be identity sharing...

Although I worked as a 3D animator for nearly a decade in the 90s, nobody has ever asked for my reel!

From Phil's idea, maybe you could charge more if you could substantiate your value and experience?