I’ll come right out and admit it – one of the reasons I “retreated” into the world of online marketing was, I was tired of being rejected by people.

For several years I was pounding pavement and knocking on doors and dialing for dollars. And for the most part this was NOT successful. I had nothing but moths in my wallet and I was seriously burning out. I was reaching a point where I just couldn’t take the constant diet of rejection anymore.

Thankfully I changed jobs (this was in the early Internet days, about 10 years ago) and the new company had a website. A website that was actually producing good sales leads every day.

We were getting enough leads, web visits, forms filled out and phone calls that I could spend most of my time just helping customers who wanted help. I was deliriously happy. Taking inbound phone calls and helping people who wanted to talk to me was like therapy.

For awhile I literally stopped going out to see customers. I just sat at my desk and let the machine run. I calmed myself down and rebuilt my confidence in my ability to be of service to people.

I found that instead of schmoozing, I could build an online maze and walk prospects through it, preparing them for the moment they would actually talk to me. I could use my real problem solving skills instead of pounding through brick walls with the soft skin of my nose.

Most web marketers can relate to this in some way or another. They don’t want to be the glad-handed, back slapping, joke telling sales guy or gal. They want the strategy to do their work for them. They want to step in where they’re needed, not force their way in.

There is, however, a darker side to this, which is – sometimes it gets awfully lonely sitting there in front of your computer. In many, many online businesses, it’s not only impractical to go see a customer, it’s for all intents and purposes impossible. Some people sit there in their house running a thriving operation all day long and never talk to anybody.

This past weekend at my private, members-only Gladiator Club meeting, I heard a lot of people talking about this. “Wow, there are actually other people like me. I’m not alone.”

No, you’re not. There are a LOT of people like you.

But the magic doesn’t really happen until you get out and meet some of them. You discover an energy – and a synergy – you didn’t know existed. All kinds of channels open up in your mind, you’re receptive to learning and change, the information and knowledge pour in and the inspiration kicks into gear.

This is why my highest level coaching groups meet in person. Renaissance Club Roundtable meets three times a year for two days, and a dozen people intensively discuss business plans, marketing strategies, entrepreneurial challenges, personal issues and questions. We make friends, form bonds, engage in community.

Suddenly, running a business on the web isn’t lonely anymore. It’s a thriving underground culture of people who love to run the race, love to spur each other on, love to win.