The Rick Schwartz Domain and Traffic Blog RicksBlog.com...Home of the "Domain King"

July 4th More than Fireworks? Spoiled Brats Take Notice.

Morning Folks!!

July 4th is much more than an American Holiday. It is a day to celebrate freedom throughout the world. A day in history in which people triumphed over oppression. Average people overcoming great odds…..isn’t that what life is about? We celebrate history so we don’t repeat past mistakes. However repeating past mistakes is the thing I see most in life.

I know it has been in vogue to beat up on the USA for a while now and apologize for this and that. But today we should offer no apologies nor should we ever. The USA is a great country that has done great things for the world and mankind over and over again and only the arrogant would apologize for that. Only the uninformed would believe that. Only the ill willed would spread that. Only the evil would try and destroy that.

So a big THANK YOU for every soldier to lay his life on the line for humanity before even the USA. To every family that offered their own. Hundreds of years of battle after battle after battle for the simple privilege of having the free will to write this blog and think the thoughts I want to think. Because of them we live in freedom and have escaped the type of tyranny we see in Iran and other places. The type of tyranny governments will impose if you don’t pay attention and learn from history. Indeed we are lucky and sometimes we need to pause and think what life is really about.

If you add up all the people that died in the world throughout history fighting for or against freedom, religion, land and those caught in the gunfire, you would find that number rivals the entire 300 million population of the USA today. All fighting for something we take for granted in this day and age?  Here are the numbers just from the USA.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

My 13th Annual July 4th Post

Morning Folks!!

It was 1997 when I started making my annual July 4th posts. Some have been public, most have been private. One of the times of the year to pause, take notice of where you are where you are going and why you are going there. They are always upbeat looking to a bright future. There is still a bright future with domains and in domaining. If not for realizing I/We have the best investments in the world. The most portable investments, the most lucrative and the most universally expandable, then I would be pretty nervous about the future and my friends, there is a LOT to be nervous about. More than at anytime in my life and even years before that. We are entering uncharted territory both economically and politically. A huge bust is coming if we stay on this path. Of course, all the "Experts" will be surprised. Seems they are always chasing the train that already left the station. Always a few steps behind. Keep in mind, we have yet to feel the impact and pain for those that have lost their jobs. This will begin to manifest itself now that unemployment benefits and savings are running out for those that got laid off early on and are still not employed. We are about to see what happens when a city or a region hits 15%, 20%, 25%. How desperation manifests itself where it affects the lives of others.

If you think I have been exaggerating about the state of the economy, the state of the industry and the future of both, let me take the time to tell you that it is you that is underestimating what is happening and what is to come. It is you that will be surprised and unprepared. It will be you that will be scrambling while those that prepare are sucking up opportunity. Because that is what my posts are about. Opportunity! But if you are not in a position to take advantage of opportunity, you will watch it pass by. If you are in denial about the pitfalls, you will surely be a victim of them. 

There are major shifts in strategy going on throughout the industry. Don’t think so? Then we are watching a different movie. Weak domainers are getting weaker. Strong domainers are smart enough to see what is coming and are scrambling.

That’s the way I see it. My record speaks for itself.  The reason I have a record is I say what nobody dare says. I ask the questions that folks don’t ever want to even think about. I say/ask it early and often. Could this be a summer of discontent?  Could there be a disastrous fall? Could things be getting worse, not better? Fasten your seat belts!

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Anything in between and prepare to pay a price. Dare to ask questions of “What if this”, “What if that?” Be bold enough to find the answer. The best answer. Even the ones you don’t want to find. Even when you are ridiculed for doing so.

Here is a secret. The only reason my 2008 and 2009 have been record years for me personally was I started preparing in 2007. When do you think it is time for you to prepare? You can disagree, but you can only avoid the gravitational downturn we are going to face by a plan and preparation and even that is no guarantee.  Last fall I said that after there is a glut of goods on the market, it would be followed by shortages. I can identify several items in society that are now in a short supply. Can you? Do you have a stock of these items? My job in life is staying at least one step ahead of the masses. One step ahead of you.

In the meantime, you can hear some more of my thoughts in this Podcast done by Ed at OzDomainer.com.

See you on the other side.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Where are the Numbers???? It's all BS without NUMBERS!!

Morning Folks!!

This is the best! No, this is better! Forget them this is the way! No, this one has a better solution. So now that we have established that everyone is full of shit, it is time to allow them to redeem themselves.

Let’s talk NUMBERS folks!! Only numbers. Specific domains and specific numbers. Don't list one, that does not count.

List 50 domain names. List the income on ppc or whatever the starting page. List the income on a new solution. Mini -site, Affiliate Marketing, CPA, CPL, choose your poison. Let’s see NUMBERS not bluster. Numbers. Dozens of domains not isolated blips. Folks have 100,000 domains, so list 1000 names. Just 1% and let’s see numbers. Doing it once on one domain, does not count. You must be able to repeat and do it hundreds of times, thousands of times, not 3 times. List with daily traffic and earnings and then the revised numbers after any type revision. If you are not willing to post NUMBERS…..I believe nothing. Not just ONE domain. Minimum of 12. Then repeat next month. The following month as well. A solution for 1  month is no solution at all. Let me see a domain grow over 12 months, 24 months. Come on. I think it is all Bullshit. I think 90% of the posts these days are just self serving BS.

Now the truth of the matter is there are tried and true ways to make more money off a domain. First is building a full blown business. Second is hooking up with someone with a full blown business. Any questions? The whole point is being able to do this on a mass level and repeat, repeat, repeat. Let’s peel back all numbers, all costs, all time involved. Real numbers. Not percentages. Not hocus pocus. DOLLARS and CENTS!

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

TheGuyFromBoston.com finds a Soapbox

Morning Folks!!

I have often said the greatest value of the Internet is that everyone gets their own soapbox. Ya never know when just one guy on one soapbox can change the world. Here’s an example of what I see as the power of the Internet. Check out this organization with 500-600 employees. Most could not pass the employee screening test at Taco Bell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7o9p0fP6cQ

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

When the Strong Hurt, the Weak get Crushed

Morning Folks!!

The first half of 2009 is over and now the tough times are coming.  Put your head in the sand, fine with me, but when the big guys are hurting the small guys are getting decimated.  Nobody runs around posting about their great failures but if they were to do that the boards would all crash from posts. Don’t kid yourself. A significant part of the domain industry is in absolute collapse. Large, worthless portfolios are burying the big and small worthless portfolios are making small guys look for a new formula because crappy domains STINK  like dead fish.

Folks need to get out of their head that my posts are about doom and gloom, they are not. They articulate a problem and search for the bi-product. Search for the crevices in the economy that fortunes are made of. They are about navigating some of the toughest times we have faced in many decades and coming out of it stronger and with life changing businesses. But to do that it is about adjusting before being consumed. About being one step ahead and not one step behind. Those that are not "Surprised" by events are prepared. They ask "What if" questions and are not afraid of the answers. Nor do they dodge the question. The road is full of twists and turns and unexpected events. Knowing the terrain before others figure it out present great opportunity. So my posts are about opportunity and reality.

Significant amount of domainers are sitting on a worthless empire. That's reality. Renewing year after year waiting for the domain fairy to appear. The dream ends now. Those domains first try to be sold on the market and when nobody takes the bait, they are destined to drop and  we’ll see if someone else can repeat failure.

So now even the big say this is a good time to sell some domains to make up the shortfall of PPC income. So we are getting some very nice domains coming to market at really good prices. If the guys with the crap want to turn it around, get rid of the crap and buy quality this time around. Nobody forces you to keep choosing domains that mean nothing.  And until you hone your skill of picking domain names you can have complete access to .anything and you would still pick worthless domains. I see it with every new extension. Folks have their choice of quality if an extension is to hit at some point in the future and they still pick worthless or secondary domains. It’s almost like they are afraid to date the pretty girl.

This era will be the very last opportunity for domains that have meaning, that have value, that have great future value to be bought at prices that are downright cheap. Circumstance has made an appearance right into the middle of the domain world.  I am not sure how long it will last. Months? Maybe a year or so.  The one thing about domains, being unique assets and a once in a lifetime opportunity to but these domains, you still have to have cash to take advantage of what is out there. No cash, you are sitting on the sidelines. So even those in good shape that may be thin on cash need to get rid of their weaker domains to fill them in with stronger ones, ones that can fortify your portfolios and add great value.

Timing, timing, timing and then there is the time. This is the time. This is the best opportunity to buy domains since 2003. 6 years ago. So on one hand things are bad, but bad produces good, produces opportunity. So when you focus on the adverse you are likely to find the opportunity hidden in a place nobody is willing to look.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Ed, Farrah and Michael.....My Thoughts....

Morning Folks!!

Funny, human nature sometimes prevents us from realizing how much impact a person makes in your life until they are gone. I was never a crazy Michael Jackson fan. However I can say several of his songs put me in specific places in my life at specific times. For Michael Jackson it was cruising down Van Nuys Blvd looking for girls when I was in High School and the one single moment I can remember most vividly of that era was listening to the Jackson 5 on that Friday night. Decades ago but I can still touch it with my mind like it was last Friday Night.

This morning I also learned something that we both went to the same high school in Encino. Different years, but I was surprised nonetheless when I heard that this morning.

I guess I look at him and see 3 stages of a life. The first stage was the Jackson 5 and I still remember their appearance on Ed Sullivan. The kid stole the stage and it was so obvious that nobody could compete. Then of course there is the “Thriller” stage that probably secured his place in history and not just here but throughout the world. I am seeing how intense his fan base is. Finally the weird stage in which we have all been a witness to over the last years. The man in the mask. The man with boys. The man that nobody could really define. Shocked by his death but not surprised.

So in the days ahead we will find out how he actually died. It probably won’t a be a pretty picture. I won't post my guess here, but I don't think this will be a great mystery.

This has been a tough week but an interesting thread and lesson to be learned. For me these 3 are of my era. I was around to see all in their big day. All 3 were cultural icons in one way or another of their time. Ed McMahon died of old age. Farrah died of cancer, Michael died too soon. Someone put it like this: Death of the elderly, the sick and the sudden. The 3 faces of death. Which one will we have?

Born to die with a few years of life sandwiched in between and folks waste time with bullshit and crap.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Nouns, Adjectives and Verbs are what Domains are all about

Morning Folks!!

The #1 question I always hear is basically how do you pick great domain names? To that I can say it is all about nouns, adjectives and verbs. That is my guiding light of picking domain names. My foundation. The best domains other than 1 word nouns, adjectives and verbs are 2 word domains. A noun.com preceded by an adjective or a verb. So you can start with the base which for example would be Candy.com which is the noun. Then the job of mining begins. How many different ways can you either describe candy or categorize candy? There are hundreds if not more.

Candy.com
Hardcandy.com (Adjective, Noun)
Oldtimecandy.com (Adjective, Noun)
GetCandy.com (Verb, Noun)
Eatcandy.com (Verb, Noun)
SweetCandy.com (Adjective, Noun)

You can repeat this for every noun there is. However I focus on “Commercial” type domains. Items to purchase. Businesses to create. Sometimes the two word domain can trump the one worder because it is more specific. It is not limited to this but this is the foundation of how I mine. Verbs are great as well. Travel.com would be a verb domain. Then you could describe different ways of travel with an adjective or a noun.

So when you see unrelated words stuck together with a .com on the end…..that is NOT a domain name. I am not sure what it is. Great domains have certain elements. Finding them just depends how far down you want to drill. A domain like candy already has been mined and mined so little is left. But other NOUNS have not been mined to that degree. Pick a noun any noun. You are now on your way.

Have a Great Day!
Rick Schwartz

Can Friendships Hurt your Overall Business?

Morning Folks!!

Can Friendship hurt your Overall Business? Ever think about that one? Ever think that getting too close to business associates can work against you just as it can work for you? Can cloud your judgment, your business sensibilities and responsibilities and even values?

I think when you examine it there is a very fine line. It’s not easy to come to decisions to begin with, but how much should the friendship weigh when you are in a business environment and making business decisions?

As time goes on this will be a question that more and more domainers will be asking. They have to ask. We are dealing with survival in many cases if not all cases.

These are not easy questions. They may not even be questions you have thought about. But when you are faced with the crossroads, what do you actually do? I often describe myself as “Loyal to a fault.” It is actually something I am fighting. Sometimes loyalty can go too far. Can flirt with what you believe is acceptable, unacceptable and what you believe in is right even when they are your friends.

The industry is becoming a very tangled web. So many folks doing business with other folks and friends and there is a point where the cross business can actually become a hindrance. So many “Type A” personalities., so many egos, lots of peer pressure, so many desires and dreams, so many this and that all rolled together and here we are. We will experience the good, the bad and the ugly. As it should be I guess. However much more interesting when you can pull back for a moment to separate the positives from the negatives, the good things from the bad things, the understanding of the role each of us play, and how we interact.

Friendships can be the foundation of a business or the undoing of it.

We are an industry of friends and associates and personalities networking together with many  that irritate this one or that one.  At some point the irritation can poison the water but so too can the friendship.  Can override the main mission. Can distract and destroy.  Business has no friends. Business is all about friends. Two sides of a tight rope.

Just something to think about and how it relates to our little universe. Einstein once said something like he really was not that smart, he just spent more time thinking about things and went deeper than others.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Announcing my 10th Domain Sale!

Morning Folks!!

I look at a domain as growing fruit and myself as a farmer. With fruit you have to plant and have the patience to let it grow, to ripen, to sweeten. You have to nurture and tend to them. Keep an eye on things. If you pick it too soon it has little value. Wait too long and it may go bad and you miss your opportunity to have food.

It’s hard to believe that the first 10 years of this new millennium are coming to a close. My first domain sale occurred in 1999.  So 10 years ago. So I decided to make a list of the domains I have sold and the prices I have sold them for. The one thing common to each of these sales is in every case the buying party contacted me first.

Unfortunately I promised not to reveal the buying party but I can tell you it was a domain I bought for either $70 or $100 in 1996 and sold for $225k last week.

1999 eScore.com $100,000 (Kaplan Education Services)
2002 eCruise.com $100,000 and stock options to xxxxxxx.com (NDA)
2003 Men.com $1.32M to Kevin Leto / Men.com LLC
2006 PartnerCash.com $110,000 to PartnerCash.de
2008 236.com (Can't publish price) To IAC
2008 iReport.com $750,000 To CNN
2008 Property.com $5M++ and full equity stake to Foreclosure.com
2008 RoomDividers.com $75,000
2009 Candy.com $3M plus 2% royalty from gross and other considerations to Melville Candy Co.
2009 Undisclosed domain. $224,000 bought for $100 in 1999.

Total over $10 million on 10 domain deals PLUS Equity stake in Property.com, 2% Royalty from Candy.com, and stock in xxxxxx.com. Plus other considerations, options and alike.

Plus I have sold a sprinkling of other domains at TRAFFIC to help market and create some excitement.  Nothing I wanted to sell and maybe 4 or 5 total domains.

I sold TeenModels.com for about $75,000 which in my mind was a trade for a domain costing a bit more that helped to round out my portfolio. Kinkysex.com at about $80k. Trade by two simultaneous cash to cash transactions.

Each sale I make is a sale I can build on. You can build on. The industry can build on. Each sale any of us makes adds to the valuation process.

We each have our methods and variables. If it works for you, that is all that counts. Just never underestimate the power of a business on the corner of the busiest intersection in the world.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Opportunity knocks One Last Time. Isn't it Time to Open the Door?

Morning Folks!!

On June 8th I sent out the following email to those in our database. I then decided to post it as well so everyone is aware of what we did, why we did it and the outcome. The tickets we put up for sale at $895 are gone and the $1295 is now in effect. However we want to give every domainer and sponsor one last chance to secure this price simply for buying your ticket a few weeks early. But at COB today, that price will be gone and will not be offered again.

"As I have stated this is YOUR show. So we will try some different things in New York this October. You will still get the same level of service and networking that you have come to expect at T.R.A.F.F.I.C.. The parties will all still be great. You just won't gain as much weight as previous shows but there will still be plenty of food and drink to make your networking and business experience the best it can be.

Now your part in this experiment is to register early. Like right now. At $895 we are rewarding those who commit early. This is the formula we need to still put on a great show. The prices will eventually rise to $1495. This price level is important to us as well. Some folks can't decide early for one reason or another and that is fine, but we MUST charge more which again is part of an overall formula to produce a first class no nonsense show that brings new speakers and top level keynoters. So this is a significant savings for your planning ahead and getting on board early. Plus spouse rates are just $199. HOWEVER, THIS PRICE IS ONLY GOOD until June 30th or 100 tickets, whichever comes first. So those who want great prices now have the opportunity to save hundreds of dollars. The larger crowd that we will attract will allow us to still serve great food and drink for which T.R.A.F.F.I.C. has become known. You have three weeks!  The price goes up no later than July 1.

We are already deep in planning the New York show. It will come at a time that will prove to be more timely than any other show we have ever put on. We are going to reach out way beyond the domain industry to bring in new blood and new views as we trail blaze together once again. We are in uncharted waters and many decisions need to be made. This show will help you define a direction. Chart a course. Start to focus on building and creating businesses by studying the market, looking for voids and new opportunities.

Finally, let me take a minute to set the table and be clear about our intentions. This is just an experiment. We are doing this to increase attendance and open up TRAFFIC to a wider audience. We reserve the right to increase prices back to regular levels if we see there are no real results. So if price has been the barrier we have heard about for so long, that barrier has been removed. This experiment only works when we each do our part. Our job is to keep costs low and still provide the great networking and speakers etc. Your job is to sign up right now. For companies with multiple employees, this is a significant savings for just making a decision right now over postponing it for 60 or 90 days. So please, help US, help YOU"

Thanks for your time!!

Rick and Howard

So that's about all I can say. For those that wanted a more affordable TRAFFIC, this is your chance. We have done our part now it is time to act, make a decision and change your destiny. Many have taken advantage of this discount just for acting early. Prices will continue to go up. Back to $1995 in fact when you delay until show time. This is the formula we need to use to be able to offer a top shelf show in every way and detail. Those asking for discounts after the prices have changed will be turned down and I will point you to this post as well as the emails sent. Once the price option is gone at each level, they are gone and we won't be cutting special deals. We can't, we won't and please don't even ask as we will be forced to say "No".  Something we hate to do, but there is no alternative and so we are clearly on record. We also have 5 and 10 corporate packs available, but no package is less than the $895 that will be replaced today with the $1295 price point.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

The Value of Just One Type-in a day

Morning Folks!!

If you are a true developer and ideas are what you have and you know how to make a website earn income, it does not matter what domain name you have. You will do well. You could do better with a great domain but that may only be marginal. The IDEA trumps all so let me state that for the record. With a great idea, you can do anything.

Now for everyone else, especially those buying and investing in domain names, let me explain why type ins are important. Are the key in my view of the internet and domains. Besides getting lucky and somebody just happening to want your brandable domain, not even that can happen unless it get at least ONE TYPE IN!

A type in is a validation of your thought process.  If you can’t get just 1 person out of 6 billion to see what you see, what does that say? Let’s say you have a domain. There are 6 Billion people on the planet. It gets zero type ins for the entire year. So this means that each day of the year 6 billion people had the opportunity to type in your domain and none did. Do the math. 365 days x 6 Billion people = 2.19 TRILLION daily opportunities to type in a domain and nobody did!! Then of course you can take that 2.19 trillion number and multiply it my the number of websites that each person surfed to and multiply again. That is your chances of anyone typing in this domain and then the odds go up about being interested in this domain. Hey maybe the second year will be better.

On the other hand just ONE type in a day changes that equation to 1 in 6 billion. Do the math!! Focus on the numbers. 10 a day would be 1 in 600 million. 100 a day 1 in 60 million. 1000 a day 1 in 6 million. 10,000 a day 1 in 600,000.

So when you see the equation you come to realize how important just ONE type in a day is. When you realize that it becomes hard to buy domains with absolutely no traffic whatsoever. To me, these are not domain names, they are lottery tickets if they are based on a hunch or an event to come or a phrase to come or anything with zero traffic. I admit, I play the lottery with domains. But I also realize these are lottery type domains. Nothing more, nothing less.

Show me one domain with 10 visitors a day and I will say that has more value than a portfolio of thousands of domains with no traffic.  One is an asset, the other a liability. I can double 10 and get 20. You can double zero and get….??

This is MY compass. It does not have to be your compass. But I believe I have made a compelling case why my way works. I believe I have demonstrated many times and many years why it works. How it works. Folks want to enter the domain business all the time, they want to know how to do it. Here my friends is your stating point. For those stuck with liabilities and not domains, nobody is forcing you to accept the same failing method you may have used yesterday. You can change it starting today.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

How to open up an Incestuous Industry to New Blood.....

Morning Folks!!

I have often said we are an incestuous industry since most business in the domain industry are with other domainers and not with end users and those beyond our sphere. If you lived in a town with only relatives you might have problems unless you bring in new folks with new blood.

I think that is the one common thread that among others that unite Rick, Rick and Howard. The vision we all have is pulling the rest of the universe into our orbit by explaining how they benefit doing business with us. That allows everybody to expand while the rest of the universe is contracting.

So what will be different are the faces. The companies. The opportunities. The willingness of others to do business with us now that they are forced to focus on sales not egos. Imagine that, sales is about to be the focus instead of an ego stroking Super Bowl commercial that corporate America has been wasting $$$ on for way too long. Time to get real. Come on! Candy.com for the price of a commercial?? A CRIME!! Not anymore. That opportunity is gone. It will be $30 million, $50 million, $100 million the next time that domain changes hands.

What’s the value of a great domain name? NOW is the TIME to prove with OUR numbers, what a domain is worth by comparing costs and limitations of a brick and mortar store compared to one online without limitations. The TIME is right to do this because the focus is on sales. Problem is, does anyone remember how to sell?

The times we are in present an opportunity and that is why we can transform an incestuous industry into one that flows with other industries that can benefit from us and in turn we can benefit from them. Having a team of folks devoted to making this happen will change not only the face of TRAFFIC, but of the entire industry. When we look back in 18 months from now, folks will be amazed what we have accomplished during the most challenging economic times in our lives.

It’s hard to articulate everything we envision. But as it unfolds in New York, Amsterdam and Las Vegas in the next months you will have a front row seat to history in the making. Then it will be ready for the world stage. Hitting every continent and every corner of the business world in the years to come.

Expanding a great industry to include folks that should be included. New blood. New opportunity. New ways to make money. New ways to market what you have. New ways to profit off traffic. New ways to explain traffic. New ways with new markets with new ideas. The end result is a rising tide for all and hopefully a consolidation of the industry into an economic powerhouse instead of thousands of sputtering engines.

We know there is show fatigue. But we also know there is a reason for that and know the spark it needs to bring everyone under one tent as we move into the future. Too many bright minds in this space to all be going in different directions. We have the collective power to accomplish anything. Haven’t we wasted enough time?

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

How to Enjoy a Recession and come out of it with lots of Prizes!

Morning Folks!!

We are getting to the “Fun part” of the recession. The fun part is when folks just finally give up. They capitulate. It’s a given. Human nature wires folks to give up. Few persevere and see things through. I learned early on in life that looking back I would give up just before success was at hand. That’s what most people do. It’s a hard emotion to fight. However the ones that LEARN to fight it find success time and time again.

So that brings us to now. We are entering the “Giving up stage.” In many cases it is justified. In many others it is not. Do you know the difference? Can you tell the difference? Some are discriminating about fine wines and can tell even the slightest difference. Learn how to figure out the “Giving up stage” and you will have the finest wine for a lifetime.

Lots of folks don’t understand why I am so obsessed with the economy. What I would say to them is if you were in the middle of the ocean in a horrific hurricane, what would you be talking about? Domainers last year thought they were immune from the downturn. The truth is even if you make twice the money you are still being affected. Stores are closing. Services are disappearing. Staffs are dwindling. Choices are about to be fewer. So this is a lowering tide for all.

There are great deals to be had out there in almost every sector. The planet is on sale! Opportunity is everywhere. Until now the hardest thing was to do nothing knowing that things are still in freefall. We won’t see a bottom for quite some time. Any progress in unemployment numbers is a false blip due to seasonal hiring. That blip won’t last long. In about 60 days it will begin to hemorrhage as those seasonal jobs start to go bye bye.

So I believe the true bargains will be next fall and winter. So many will be forced to give up. But that is the point in which opportunity is created. That is the point to look for. The point to focus on. The point in time to be more aggressive than ever. Pedal to the metal. So it all comes back to timing. Timing IS everything and everything is nothing with the wrong timing.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Timing and Patience....Where to From Here?

Morning Folks!!

Timing is everything. Go back to my oldest posts on the net and you will see my obsession with timing.  Nothing matters more. It’s pretty close to everything in my equation.  The only other thing I pay particular attention to is having patience. Patience and timing is everything to me and hardly on the radar screen for others. It’s like jumping rope, the only thing that counts is the patience to time your entry and then time your jumps exactly right.

 I think I can safely say that in the years ahead, TRAFFIC will hit nearly every corner of the world. The expansion and aggressive schedule may be met with some resistance at first blush as there is no question there is “Show Fatigue” in the industry. But going forward things are changing. There is a fairly long  hiatus between now and the next TRAFFIC in late October. More than 4 months and a season and a half away. Since we won’t be going to New York in 2010, there is some serious business we need to accomplish there.  I am here to tell you that the timing for the NY show is perfect. When you see the slate of speakers and topics we will cover and the fact that doors that were closed to us before are now open, you too will realize how important timing is.

I am sure there are many opinions about doing these shows and the aggressive schedule.  So far, almost all positive. Folks know we are going to do some major trailblazing that makes the path less resistant for everyone.  

The two Rick’s unleashed and clawing their way to the future and the promises they hold for all of us.  Get ready for some real progress. Major breakthroughs. Nothing happens overnight, but I can certainly say that in a year or two from now the decisions that were made this week will not only transform TRAFFIC but will transform the industry and every sponsor and every domainer will benefit. This is really the biggest thing since TRAFFIC was announced 5 years ago. Fasten your seat belts, this is going to be a wild, exciting and profitable ride for everyone that participates. Howard and I are thrilled that we will all be joining forces to work for a common goal. Don’t worry about who you like and who you don’t. Worry about making as much money as you can and having a great life for you and your family.  Rick, Howard and I as well as our support teams and families will do everything we can to bring all of us to a place we all know we should be. Call it passion, call it obsession, call it anything you want, but we are all driven because we KNOW the power and value of our assets and it is up to US to make sure that the WORLD knows.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Rick Schwartz, Rick Latona, Howard Neu Team Up to Change the World

Morning Folks!!

In my posts over the past year I have stated over and over this is the time to do bold things. This is the time to expand not contract. This is the time to take advantage of the times if you can navigate the treacherous waters we are in. To stay ahead of the times you have to build when others would think this is the wrong time. When the common wisdom is to think it crazy. At first look you might think this is crazy. But it's really not once you digest what we are trying to do and accomplish.

In the past months TRAFFIC has expanded from just shows in the USA to doing shows in Australia and Amsterdam. Both shows have had very favorable reviews and outcomes and we are looking to expand on that success.

Howard and I are happy to announce a new working partnership with RickLatona.com and his team with respect to future TRAFFIC shows.  Starting in 2010 TRAFFIC will put on 6 shows worldwide with even more slated for 2011. The 2010 schedule that we presently intend to use will look like this:

January/February in Las Vegas
March/April in Amsterdam
May/June in Toronto
July/August in Reykjavik, Iceland (But also considering several other spots) What's your choice?
September/October in South Florida
November/December in Hong Kong

This aggressive schedule will bring TRAFFIC To North America, Europe and Asia in 2010. We have other exciting things in the planning stage that include South America and we will announce them as soon as possible.

More importantly we want to break down the walls of the domain industry and bring in folks from allied industries and we have a formula and a team that can now make that happen. By the end of next year it will be evident how big this change is and everyone reading this will benefit by the reach out program we are about to engage in.  Nothing happens overnight, however we have set a new and exciting course and you will become the beneficiary of those changes.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz, Rick Latona, Howard Neu

Major Announcement coming Tomorrow

Good Afternoon Folks!!

Just a heads up to let you know that tomorrow morning I will post a major announcement that will be sure to be the topic of conversation for days to come. I am in the midst of writing that post and believe this will help grow the industry in a profound way at a pivotal point in time. Stay Tuned!

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

 

Golden Era of Domains about to End?

Morning Folks!!

As many of you know I have been in a lot of industries. Emerging industries or emerging companies. Usually blazing new trails with new products or new ideas. They all have a common thread. They all have more self-inflicted wounds than ones from their competitors or enemies or from the outside. That makes themselves their worst enemy.

It was true in the adult world as I watched their “Industry” see a high point and then because of abuse and attitudes I also watched it melt. Watched many of the players that built it walk away. Disperse. Go in different directions.  Do new things. It was never as much fun after that. That was not the first time I witnessed it so I knew how things would unfold.

I would say we are flirting with that point in the domain industry. Folks early on were humble and enjoyed progressing and new ways of doing things and sharing and supporting. It was fun because we did not take it or us so seriously. But we are at the point now where the face and look of the industry is changing. We have become hardened in our attitudes. Hobby has turned into business. Business has turned into doing whatever you have to do. Doing whatever you have to do has turned into how others react and view what you have to do and see if it affects them. Even if it doesn't afffect then directly they are still likely to have strong opinions about it. So friends are made. Foes are made. Sides are taken. Reactions then dictate business. It deteriorates into a vicious circle. It's hard to cure that virus.

The industry as we know it is in change. Massive change. What once was a tight group are slowly departing and going there own ways. Smaller groups. Less power. More diversity. Some fighting for survival. That is a normal phenomenon. It happens as an industry matures. It happens when an industry is hit by adversity. It happens when things are changing. Right now we have all three at one time and more. So welcome to the beginning of the end of the “Good ole days.”

Look what the first half of 2009 has brought us already. Ron Sheridan no longer at Domain Sponsor. Matt Bentley not with Sedo. Dan Warner leaving Fabulous. Add the ones I missed. Add the ones that are coming. That equals a changing face. Funny how outlooks are different on the way up the hill as opposed to going down the hill and measuring at the same points. When you are climbing and hit $20 million you are excited and life is great. On the other side, when you hit higher numbers and fall back to $20 million, there is despair at hand. The Same number, just a different outlook.

The seeds of the end were planted quite a while ago. The beginning of one road and the opening of many. Soon you will ask, “Whatever happened to so and so?” Many of us will get distracted in many different ways. We will take different paths from here.  Those paths will likely cross again. But they won’t crisscross in the way we have grown accustom to.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

SEO or Spammers? The Smoke and Mirrors of Search and Spam

Morning Folks!!

I get more spam from SEO folks than any other group except the Viagra crowd, but why?? If they were that good why would they have to resort to spam? So most SEO guys are FAKERS! That’s the truth friends. There are some real ones, probably a few hundred. But the masses of SEO types are nothing but spammers that sell a bag a smoke liable to disappear by the time you read this or never appear at all.

Want the best SEO guy? Do a damn Google search! Pretty easy to find the winner! Meet Mic Tienken. He is the #1 guy at the moment. He may be dethroned by the time you read this.

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS274&=&q=The+Best+SEO+guy&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

PS: To clarify, I am talking about email spamming as well as telemarketing spamming.

The Posts I Write that Never get Posted.

Morning folks!!

I have so many posts that I write that I just never post. This year I posted many of those posts anyway as I want to be on record. Yet I have others that I have not posted. That just sit there. I want them for my personal record but some are a little too much to make public. Some things you just can’t talk about. You are not allowed to articulate an opinion without winding up certain folks and then dealing with the fallout. No skin off my nose. I still have the thoughts. I still have the beliefs. I just don’t share them as readily.

I have always stayed away from politics. However now that the center of business in the USA is in Washington and no longer in New York, the landscape has changed more in the last 200 days than the last 200 years. There is plenty to be concerned about. There is so much bullshit coming at us you just don’t know what to believe anymore. If the TRUTH matters, then all I can say is pay attention to the NUMBERS and filter out everything else. When you do that you will see that the real problems that we will all deal with long after the clowns and crooks in Washington are all gone.

People that act like the way the government is acting almost always end up in jail with their lives ruined. Let me see, they have a $10,000/mo income. Their bills are $12,000 a month. So they go out and go shopping and buy all types of things and sign all types of monthly contracts and borrow all types of money to do it. May as well buy a Rolls Royce since they are never going to pay it back anyway and since they are not going to pay it back and their credit is almost shot, let them spend their neighbors money as well.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Results of the TRAFFIC survey are in!

Good Morning  Folks!!

The results were overwhelming...a bit less food, lower prices. By a margin of 6-1.

As I have stated this is YOUR show. So we will try some different things in New York this October. You will still get the same level of service and networking that you have come to expect at T.R.A.F.F.I.C.. The parties will all still be great. You just won't gain as much weight as previous shows but there will still be plenty of food and drink to make your networking and business experience the best it can be.

Now your part in this experiment is to register early. Like right now. At $895 we are rewarding those who commit early. This is the formula we need to still put on a great show. The prices will eventually rise to $1495. This price level is important to us as well. Some folks can't decide early for one reason or another and that is fine, but we MUST charge more which again is part of an overall formula to produce a first class no nonsense show that brings new speakers and top level keynoters. So this is a significant savings for your planning ahead and getting on board early. Plus spouse rates are just $199. HOWEVER, THIS PRICE IS ONLY GOOD until June 30th or 100 tickets, whichever comes first. So those who want great prices now have the opportunity to save hundreds of dollars. The larger crowd that we will attract will allow us to still serve great food and drink for which T.R.A.F.F.I.C. has become known. You have three weeks!  The price goes up no later than July 1.

We are already deep in planning the New York show. It will come at a time that will prove to be more timely than any other show we have ever put on. We are going to reach out way beyond the domain industry to bring in new blood and new views as we trail blaze together once again. We are in uncharted waters and many decisions need to be made. This show will help you define a direction. Chart a course. Start to focus on building and creating businesses by studying the market, looking for voids and new opportunities.

Finally, let me take a minute to set the table and be clear about our intentions. This is just an experiment. We are doing this to increase attendance and open up TRAFFIC to a wider audience. We reserve the right to increase prices back to regular levels if we see there are no real results. So if price has been the barrier we have heard about for so long, that barrier has been removed. This experiment only works when we each do our part. Our job is to keep costs low and still provide the great networking and speakers etc. Your job is to sign up right now. For companies with multiple employees, this is a significant savings for just making a decision right now over postponing it for 60 or 90 days. So please, help US, help YOU.

Thanks for your time!!

Rick and Howard

Flashback 1997. Getting back to Basics

Good Afternoon Folks!!

Every once in a while I stumble on something I wrote early on. Today I stumbled on this post I made from from 1997. It may be something to keep in mind when you try developing and experimenting.

"How do I measure progress or success on the net? I do it $1 at a time just like steps on a ladder. As long as I am making a $1 more this day/week/month, then last, day/week/month I am on the right path. I experiment with different pages in a way that never ends. Once I have a page that does better than the previous one, then that becomes my new "Standard." If I change that page only 2 things can happen. I will either make $1 more or $1 less. If I make $1 more, I have a new "Standard." If I make $1 less, I scrap the new page until I figure out WHY it made less and go back to the safety of the last "Standard" page. Using this method I never fell off "My ladder" more than just a few dollars for just a few days and with one click of the mouse it was easily corrected. The beauty is you are always climbing to new heights and when you fail, you fail so small that it is just success in disguise."

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Inside the Candy.com Deal

Morning Folks!!

Everyone always wants to know how big deals like this happen. I will start by saying that besides having the right domain names it happens by not wasting your time with every person you get an email from. You’ll be wasting your time answering spams from domainers for the rest of your life. A party that is truly interested will contact you over and over again. They will tell you who they are. They will be professional. And, you can’t piss off someone that really wants what you have and it rolls right off their back. They have a bigger mission than getting pissed off. So once they get pissed off, you know there was nothing there from the get go. 

So Greg contacts me for the first time on February 8th of this year. Normally I would blow it off. Especially since it was a Hotmail account. But he signed his  FULL NAME, his COMPANY NAME and his contact info. So he gets upgraded and at least gets a reply. I tell him we are in Multi Million Dollar territory and he says they have a budget of $500k-$1M. I tell them that I get an offer for $1 Million every month and my price is $3.5M.

Little by little after a lot of "No's" we find out what is important to each of us. The circumstance that we each face.  By March 18th we have a deal. But it is a long way from a deal to a DEAL. As you can see 2.5 months since the lawyers got it. But to hammer out a REAL agreement that PREVENTS future litigation, takes time and patience. Every item needs to be addressed and a remedy provided if you don’t want to end up in court someday. So the hard work is here. While you agree to the major points, the lawyers are the architects. They have to construct a solid agreement that can hold up under scrutiny and prevent any unforeseen circumstance and address what happens. To me, this is the KEY to any deal that is not just a cash transaction.

Besides the 2% off the top, I also have a provision in case Hershey’s or Mars or whoever wises up and acquires Greg’s company or the domain at some point down the road. There are a lot of moving parts in a deal like this. Lots of give and take. But the more moving parts you have the more flexibility you have in places where one can give some thing up that has little importance to one party while having great value to the other party. If price is the only thing you are negotiating with it is much more difficult. Not as much fun either.

When we finally had the agreement setup we still needed an escrow company that could work with us, knew domains, and was secure. Moniker worked up a custom escrow agreement in concert with our lawyers. They were the lynch pin in all this. But we could not worry about that part until we got everything else nailed down.

So from here, we will see. Should be a fun journey.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

It's a DEAL! Candy.com Closes. And the Buyer is......

Good Afternoon Folks!!

One day they may write about this. How a small New England Candy company disrupted one of the largest and oldest industries in the world. Congratulations to Melville Candy Company of Massachusetts.

Rick Schwartz

G&J Holdings Announces the Purchase and Development of Candy.Com

BOSTON, MA — June 3, 2009 — G&J Holdings, LLC today announced the purchase and acquisition of the web domain Candy.Com and the development of a new internet based confections retailer d/b/a Candy.Com. A growing distribution channel that is here to stay, G&J Holdings, LLC has invested in Candy.com for the purchase price of $3,000,000.  The new internet candy retailer will service the growing demand for consumers to find their favorite bulk, gourmet, and gift confectionary products with great service, a unique and social shopping experience, competitively priced products, and expedited shipping.

Candy is an American treat that everyone enjoys, whether at a birthday party, bar/bat mitzvah, corporate event, baby shower, wedding, or a holiday gift.  Candy.com will provide unlimited access to confections from around the world with candy you remember as a child and even candy that is even healthy for you---all part of a new virtual candy store. With over 5,000 confectionary products, consumers will be sure find a fun treat to share with their family, co-workers and friends. The Candy.com team will add and update new products continuously to ensure customers have the latest and best products available from the confectionary world.

The vision of Candy.com is to provide the best online customer service candy shopping experience in the world. Confectionary products are what Candy.com will sell but the shopping experience will be the driving force behind its success including providing:  live customer support online; toll free dedicated and trained customer support personnel; and quick E-Mail responses.  Social shopping experiences will also be found at Candy.com including product reviews, blogs, and discussions boards creating an unparallel experience while shopping online for tasty candy products.

Perhaps the most important features of Candy.com will be its expedited shipping and competitively price products. With partner distributors in California and Virginia, along with Candy.com’s main location in Massachusetts, US customers will enjoy shipping anywhere in the United States in four days or less and in most cases two days or less.  Candy.com has also partnered with a Canadian distributor to supply an international reach to customers. Prices will be competitive with distribution channels both online and off. Customer will feel secure in knowing that Candy.com has negotiated the best rates for their purchases with manufactures and suppliers to bring all candy products allowing easy, quick and enjoyable one-stop shopping.

Candy.com was founded by two highly experienced confectionary executives Joe Melville, CEO of Melville Candy Corporation & Greg Balestrieri, Vice President of Melville Candy Corporation—the 30 year old family-owned candy manufacturing company owned by Gary Melville.  Greg Balestrieri will assume the role of President of G&J Holdings. Plans to launch the site are slated for July 1st, 2009.

Candy.com is the second largest domain purchase of 2009 selling for $3,000,000 second only to Toys.com ($5,100,000) to Toys R Us. One of the top 15 reported domain sales ever. With over 800,000 searches for the word candy online each month Candy.com will fill orders and provide information and resources related to all things candy.

The domain was purchased from a Florida based domain holding company run by legendary domainier Rick Schwartz (WorkSmarter.com) aka “Domain King” who last year sold the iReport.com domain to CNN for $750,000 and Property.com to Foreclosure.com for an undisclosed amount believed to be one of the most lucrative domain deals ever. Moniker.com was responsible for the escrow of the Multi-million dollar deal and was the final lynch pin in putting this acquisition together. Trinity Law Group, LLC which specializes in startups and emerging business provided the necessary documentation to complete such a deal.