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

Just a few updates from Rick Schwartz

Good Afternoon folks!!

Just wanted to list a few updates since March.

TRAFFIC at Disney World was not the biggest TRAFFIC but it was certainly the best by all accounts of people that were actually there. Here is the DNJournal review. Many others have blogged and written about it as well.

Whizzbangsblog
DNZoom
NPR covers the auction
Acro's take
DomainNameWire
DomainNews Interview at TRAFFIC

It was quite a magical week and we expect to be back there in early 2010 after shows in New York in September, Australia in November and then just 2 scheduled USA shows in 2009. One in Silicon Valley and then back to New York City. The costs to put on shows like this and the costs involved in coming to TRAFFIC are both very high. We know it is out of the reach of the part time or casual enthusiast, but I hope in time they too will have good fortune and be in a position to attend.

We do our best in bringing price levels down the earlier you book. So we hope that helps folks reach the level this conference was designed for. Those that dislike our pricing don't understand what we try to do and try to create and ultimately have been successful accomplishing. It is something money can't buy. Only faith in being able to see and then seize great opportunity when it passes in front of you is the price of this ticket. Folks that come to TRAFFIC don't really "Pay" to come. That's a myth. They get "Rewarded" with money making opportunity. They get "Rewarded" by making face to face deals with ones in positions to make those deals. They get "rewarded" with dividends at each and every corner. So that is the truth as well as the secret of what happens at TRAFFIC. We create a very special atmosphere and circumstance and then bring great people together that are focused on business and enjoying life. Like this speech given by Dr. Kevin Ham. Then we wrap it up in a very personal non traditional trade show mindset. It's like getting concierge service because we try and accommodate each and every attendee whether they are in need of special meals or need anything out of the ordinary, we get it done!

And getting it done is what we did when it comes to "Transparency."

The board of advisor's of TRAFFIC have officially adopted the  "T.R.A.F.F.I.C. TRANSPARENCY SEAL OF APPROVAL." You can read the details and qualifications here.

The "TRAFFIC WALL OF SPEAKERS"  is a page I put up on Sunday as a tribute to every speaker at TRAFFIC since our inception in 2004. See how many folks you know. Look at the quality of who we have had come and share their stories. Isn't that what this is all about? Sharing our stories? No  two  are alike. No two have the same result. Just the unique domains we own and the unique story behind them. The way in which each and every one of us climbed the same mountain. Each forging a different path.

Hope you all have a GREAT and safe summer! See you in New York City!

Rick Schwartz

My last Blog post

Good Evening Folks,

A year ago I decided to write a book. 75 posts later, that book is done. It resides right here. 75 posts (Chapters) most of which are aimed at the corporate and investment world along with the domain industry as well as other trailblazers. Free for the reading. I hope someday it is read by folks on Main Street to Wall Street who can TRANSFORM their businesses if they can figure out just how EASY it is to harness the power of the Internet. The posts are aimed at folks at every level. As I have said for many years, there are countless ways to climb this mountain, this was my path and this is my vision based on my path. A 20 year plan. A plan based on timing. That success or failure has a lot to do with timing. Sometimes timing is everything. So with that in mind, it is TIME to do other things. Whatever I can say has been said. It is here. It is on eRealEstate.com and it is on TargetedTraffic.com. Now the time that I have always shared has to be devoted to other challenges and other projects. The first of which opens today at Property.com. Widgets.com and others will soon follow. Time to allocate my time in a new way. The industry is maturing and splintering and becoming more serious and becoming more desperate. So the dynamics of the cottage industry that gave birth to what we do is no more. The orbit has gone to higher levels. Those in other orbits have to work hard to escape the gravity of whatever orbit they are currently in to move to the next level. The safety of mediocrity has to be overcome by the challenge of what the future promises.

Have a GREAT spring and hope to see everyone in Orlando at the next TRAFFIC this May and in New York City in September. For any further thoughts, just read my previous post..

Rick Schwartz.

What is the excuse now?

Good Afternoon folks,

Many of you have wondered why I have remained so silent on the Snowe Bill. What am I supposed to say at this point? It isn't like I did not see this coming and I stated so very publicly back long before the Snowe Bill even emerged. I really can't say any more so all I can do is wait for events to unfold and reprint my words from the DNJournal article I contributed to at the beginning of the year that says it all. Pretty frustrating when you see this stuff coming years away and then few pay attention until crisis is on the doorstep and even then most say they will just leave it to others to take care of.

“Everyone knows I am about the most optimistic   person you will ever meet. But my optimism is never divorced from reality. Reality is what IS whether we like it or not. I will probably take some heat for what I have said and even more for what I am about to say, but so be it. The following was a blog post I was going to make this week. I think it would have more value here first.        The enemy within    There is no question that 2008 will be the most challenging year ever for domain owners and investors. While domainers are having a grand old time their livelihoods are in peril   and few really even want to know about it. Combine that with the abuse that domainers themselves are guilty of and I will tell you that the biggest threat lays within the industry. Apathy, greed, wrong doing will surely put us all in jeopardy. While we do these things, our enemy is organizing and they will change rules and laws that will take YOUR domains and the earnings they currently make for you and your families and are actively trying to shift those dollars to their pockets for them and their families.

But party on like a ship of fools my friends. My gift is seeing things before they materialize. But hey, don't pay attention. Don't believe it. Don't do anything. But I promise you that some day in the next 3-5 years (Maybe much sooner) I will point to THIS POST and let you know that there was an opportunity to avoid it but you were too busy laughing at what I suggest. The laughter no different than the day I "Wasted" my first $100 and bought a domain name. So I am quite used to it.

The forces are gathering. You have a choice to ignore   this. But when you do, ask yourself  how you are going to feel when your domains are in jeopardy? When it is too late? When your domains are gone and   the income along with them?    Like I said, the biggest threat may be from within. Let's face it - many registrars and others are just outright whores and their practices are not only raising eyebrows, but rules and laws will be put in place to try and control them and their abuses. While doing so we may get smothered in the process. Some domainers are no better.They focus on Trademarked domain names and that does not help us either. Some think the problem is small. I will respond to that once I stop laughing. It is out of  control and makes everyone look bad.       I see what is going on daily when I   get emails from the Internet Commerce Association  (ICA). The threats are everywhere. Forces against us are joining together. If the domain industry does not get  ahead of this we will all see the day in which some unfair ruling will be used to take your assets away from you. Those assets are worth a  fortune. No matter what silly  appraisal you have had, GREAT domains are worth much more than what they say. The proof will be obvious when you see the millions they will spend to get what you have at a FRACTION of the fair market value.    There are storm clouds gathering and it is serious. Choose to ignore and you have only yourself to blame. The choice is easy, start educating yourself now. Get the ICA newsletter. Pay attention to the decisions and why domainers are losing domains. Do whatever you can to  prevent what is IN PROGRESS. Or do nothing and start looking for your next career and how to replace your incomes.     Some will view this as doom and gloom. Some will view as the sky is falling. My email will go bonkers. It is quite the opposite. The value of domains are going up faster  than you or I even know and THAT  is the reason we are a target. If the values were not there, if the importance were not there, these folks would not care about our assets. They validate the FACT that some of the assets we own are PRICELESS. Unique assets, investments, collectables, virtual real estate, storefronts, that have gone up in value faster than any other investment in history. Assets worth fighting for. Worth changing laws for. They will spend MILLIONS to get what we own. They will spend tens of millions. Just ask yourself one question. “Why would they spend so much to get what we have?”           We have insurance for everything we own. The house, the boat, the car, the life, the health, the toys, etc. etc. etc. Yet for some unexplainable reason domainers won’t insure their  futures. Won’t insure the very thing that pays for everything else. Won’t insure that they are insulated from predators that want what you own. You folks own “Mona Lisa’s” and these PRICKS want it and  they don’t want to buy it. They want to legislate it away from you. Tax it away from  you.STEAL your assets through legal means and I am telling everyone in the industry that they will WIN if you don’t  step up and pay attention and support efforts to insure our futures.            Steve Forbes related much of the same message at TRAFFIC as this has been done throughout history. Ask any of the top domain lawyers. Ask the top domainers. They all know what is coming. You will all live to see the day that billions of assets changed hands because some of  the smartest folks on the planet failed  themselves and their families. This  is the one predication I don’t  want to be right on. My job is to ring the bell as loud as I can and get the industry to take this seriously. Consider  the bell rung."      The only thing I can add to this is a public thanks to Phil Corwin. For folks that don’t know, Phil is the guy standing between you and the screwing of your lives. The industry has a fire department. It has one fire fighter. Phil Corwin. If this industry does not support Phil and his efforts with the Internet Commerce Association, there will be no industry to support. And when this bill goes down to defeat, there will be another right behind it. And another. And another. Then one day in the DEAD OF NIGHT, they will attach some provision somewhere that will change your lives in the most profound way. Please don’t anyone say they did not see it coming. Just say you pissed your futures away because: (Just fill in the BS here) Rick Schwartz Update: Read this and it will explain my decision below. I am not going to blog anymore. People are not paying attention to what is coming. They expect somebody else to take care of it for them. The parking companies have the most to lose so I am confused as my priority and a lot of other domainers I know priority is now moving domains away from PPC. They are doing it as quick as possible and starting with the most valuable domains with the most traffic. I am going back to taking care of my business. Nothing further I can or will say publicly. I wonder which PPC company will be the first to do a Bear Stearns?             .

Special T.R.A.F.F.I.C. offer for first timers

Morning folks!!

In our recent survey one of the things you told us is that you want the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. show open to more domainers. We always hear if you drop the price it will open the show up to more people. The balancing act is doing that while keeping the quality of the attendee high as well as the service and food we provide. Howard and I decided to find out if this is actually true or not and will run this experiment because  of a one time circumstance at the Orlando show.

In order to get the entire convention center at the Grand Floridian hotel, we were required to reserve more hotel rooms than we were actually going to use. The facility was so good and would allow us to do so many types of new things, we decided we would bite the bullet on those rooms to get that venue. Instead of having those rooms sit empty while we are still paying for them  we decided to try this offer based on your feedback.

Here is the deal:

If you are a domainer that has never been to a T.R.A.F.F.I.C. show because of the expense, Howard and I will pay your hotel room in Orlando to prove what a value TRAFFIC is. We are so sure you will find it to be a turning point in your careers and your business that Howard and I will pay the $269/night exclusive of all taxes and fees and associated room charges at the Grand Floridian for up to 3 nights. That's an incredible offer. This is limited to the first 25 people that reply by midnight Friday, March 14th. This is only available to first time TRAFFIC attendees and is not valid for new personnel of companies, groups or associations that have been to TRAFFIC.  If, when you leave TRAFFIC, you agree that TRAFFIC was a real value and good investment of your time, then we request that you join the ICA at the $295 level. This is completely voluntary on your part, but that is what we ask in return to helping you get to TRAFFIC if, and only if, you find it to have been a great value.

If you have been previously invited, just go register on the website as usual and then send Howard and email telling him you are a first time attendee. He will send you instructions once we coordinate with the hotel. If you need an invite, there is a link right here.

Hope that can make the difference for some. See you all in Orlando!

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

 

Mediocre traffic for a mediocre system

Morning folks!!

Transparency has emerged as the key issue for 2008. T.R.A.F.F.I.C. tackled the problem in session after session. Change won't come easy but it will come. A set of standards are now in play and has wide support.

What does transparency do? It educates. Education creates a bigger market with wider and deeper demand because they have a clear understanding and that is something to build on. But the way the system is set up, it rewards mediocre traffic while ignoring very potent traffic and not filtering out the crappy traffic. So as long as you mix those 3 groups together, the entire online advertising community is not capable of taking advantage of this golden opportunity to steal market share from traditional media. They are stuck with mediocre traffic no matter what. Blind buying will choke online advertising. And I have yet to even mention a word about separating social traffic from commercial traffic which is a huge factor. Scratching your head? What am I talking about?

Let's reverse things. Imagine buying time on TV and not knowing if you are getting Super Bowl time or 3AM bible music ads. IMAGINE how absolulutely INSANE that system would be!! How could you possibly build on that. There is no recipe. It's Russian Roulette. Well welcome to OUR world of insanity. THAT is exactly what WE do on the online advertising and why so much of the $$$ don't make it to the pockets of the domain owners who supply that traffic and why the demand is not as high as it could or should be for Google and Yahoo on top of the equation. That also suppresses payouts because it is all about supply and demand and the demand has never been what it should be because without knowing what you are getting it is impossible to increase your buys for most businesses. It's basic stuff not rocket science. The result is easy to see when there is a flaw in the  construction.

I URGE folks to start thinking about grading traffic. Having transparency. Having Google and Yahoo and PPC providers cooperating because as I illustrated above, the current system is insane. It makes little sense. It is world's better than impression based advertising but it is not good enough to compete with traditional media for the long term and actually get those dollars that can be won over sooner rather than later.

We have mediocre traffic for a mediocre system because we mix all the laundry together and have yet to learn to separate the colors from the whites, from the stuff covered in Sh*t. The space will never evolve to its full potential until things like this are understood and addressed. Not all traffic is created equal. Not all TV ads are created equal. Not all magazine ads are created equal. The blueprint is already in place from traditional media. Some of that blueprint may be obsolete, but much of that blueprint for magazine circulation and TV ratings is waiting to be deployed in what we do. Buyers need to know the "Source" of the traffic they are getting and the system should be transparent enough for them to see. So when we talk about "Transparency", we are talking about it on many levels. Domainers have a responsibility. Monetizers  have a responsibility. Google and Yahoo and whoever shows up next, have a responsibility.

Have a GREAT day!
Rick Schwartz

T.R.A.F.F.I.C. WEST Reviews 2008

At each T.R.A.F.F.I.C. show Ron Jackson sits in on about every seminar and event that is held at TRAFFIC. I have no idea where he gets the energy to do that. Then what is more incredible is his talent to give a play by play and unbiased review of each and every event and give you a true flavor of what has transpired. It is a vivid description that only folks like Phil Rizzuto or Ralph Kiner could give. But somehow Ron has a gift that few truly have. It brings me back to each event and each moment and I am sure others will testify to that.

As a side note, when I read the story Ron wrote today, I noticed he had some Superbowls in his history. I wrote the comparison with 2 baseball announcers before I knew that. So pretty interesting of the unintended overlap. Wrong sport, but you all get the idea.   

Below are links to several other reviews. Independent thoughts and conclusions of what they saw and how they participated I'll just end the way I ended my own blog post last week and then some other thoughts.

"I will let others review the success and accomplishments of TRAFFIC X, but Howard and I walk away knowing we gave it everything we had and hope we added value to everyone's business and the industry in general. Like I have said since day one....."When you bring GREAT people together, GREAT things will happen."

The only thing I can add is that TRAFFIC is filled with opportunity. Some folks seize opportunity, some folks ignore opportunity, some folks would not know opportunity if it smacked them upside the head. The magic of TRAFFIC is the opportunity that is flying thru the air in an invisible manner. But folks that recognize opportunity also create opportunity. It is the one thing that is so hard to capture. Howard and I supply those conditions because that is our goal and then it is up to the attendee to make it into something life changing. That is why so many come back each and every show and so many travel from outside the USA to attend.  TRAFFIC provides something that money can't buy. The magic is in the quality of those that attend. They provide the energy and the ingredients. What Howard and I do is funnel that energy and refine it into conditions that bring and nurture opportunity. Together that moves everyone in the industry forward. Friend or foe, everyone has benefited.

Traffic Stories and Reviews

Dnjournal.com 

Conceptualist.com Sahar's take on "Value"

Conceptualist.com Observations by a first time attendee that won a ticket from Bido.com

Whizzbangsblog.com Learn why Michael Gilmour flys half way around the world to come to TRAFFIC

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Secret .mobi fan spotted and revealed!!

Morning folks!!

In September 2006 .mobi was released. I did not think much of the extension. Just another dotcom wannabe.  I laughed as most are still doing and moved on. Then about 3 weeks later another thought occurred to me and I made a quick about face. What did I see? If I tell ya, I’d have to kill ya. But at that moment I saw something that would allow only a very NARROW but hugely successful amount of .mobi’s that could change the world. Besides the obvious company names and trademarks that would be snapped up by their respective companies, I identified less than 10 generic domains that could have great value in the future. The one that led my list was Tickets.mobi. It joined flowers.mobi which was also in the list. Why? Well, let’s look at how these two industries were transformed by the internet, perhaps more than most or even all others. 20 years ago when I would call 1-800-FLOWERS, I bought stuff but would never see it. The Internet changed that. I finally had a visual to go with the dollar amount. That transformed the buying experience for millions. Same with tickets. Before, you would call an 800# and got what you got after cross examining the operator on the other end of the phone line. The Internet gave me the visual and now we can all see the exact seat we get.

So as I sat and identified the industries that could once again be transformed by .mobi, the list was short and narrow. But like other things, IDEAS come about and that short and narrow list is likely to fatten up.

For example, last Tuesday night, Jim McCann said they were working on a system that you will be able to send a “Virtual Bouquet” to someone sitting in a nightclub you might be at. So never discount how things can be transformed by a new idea. Will that happen at flowers.com? No.They have a separate site for that. Today a dotcom. Tomorrow……who knows. Especially when matched up with GPS or as a default extension. Do any of us know how this will unfold? No. But it does not stop folks from putting blinders on and actively rooting against something. Step back folks. Don’t be guilty of the same things others have done to you. Open minds seize opportunities that closed minds will never see.

Now that I got the #1 .mobi I have aimed for since day one, (Tickets.mobi) it will be interesting to see how the old guard domainers learn I am a big .mobi fan. (No surprise for some) I see it as the next best extension to dot com and really nobody needs to agree with me. The more folks disagree, the more I know I am on the right track. So save the naysaying for 5 years not 5 minutes. Then we can discuss why so many of my good friends missed such a winner. They will just say…..”Damn, Rick was right again.”

Here is the reality. In 5 years the domain may be worth between $0 and $60,000. It may also be worth between $60,000 and $60 million. I decided to place my bet on the latter. Place your bets where you may. At the end of the day, I will trust my gut more than any other set of factors. My gut says this will be a $60,000 loss or the single biggest payday of my life. Only had that feeling a few times before. Porno.com, Men.com, Candy.com, Property.com, Tickets.mobi. So then the question becomes: “Why did I buy flowers.mobi for more than tickets.mobi? The answer is pretty simple. Flowers.mobi was the only other .mobi released that was in my top 10 list and since tickets.mobi was not yet out there, I wanted a foot in this door. Porn.mobi was also on the short list as is sex.mobi and some other obvious ones. Domainers will not decide if .mobi hits or not. Businesses across the world will decide. They may see it as a way to capture another market. Another generation. They may see things we don't see. The thing that will decide the future of .mobi is not domainers. It is businesses across the world and advertising dollars spent. 

btw, the FIRST question that Jim McCann asked me was "What did I think about .mobi?" I told him it is too early to tell. The answer won't reveal itself for 3-5 years. What folks did not know when he was there is that Jim McCann was the LONGEST domainer in the room. He started in 1992!! While others are still struggling with their initial sites and online presence, here we have Mr. Cutting Edge himself and his focus comes down to one word, "Mobile"! Their focus for the future is the mobile, on the go, younger audience. Will that help .mobi? Stay tuned!

Have a GREAT Day
Rick Schwartz

A post from 1998. Wow, what a ride!

Every once in a while somebody will find an old post of mine and that happened this morning. Thank you Owen! This post as you will see was written on July 4, 1998. There was no domain industry. As you can see, I am still trying to sell the concept that the Internet was here to stay and just how important it is. So this is an interesting perspective from nearly 10 years ago. My goodness, look how the universe has changed in the past decade. What “Orbit” were you in a decade ago? Think back to that time and what was different. Look how the world has transformed itself in this decade. This is extremely timely as the new proposed law will change the life of every person that owns one or more domains if passed. We have come from total obscurity to being the #1 asset to legislate away from the current owners. Don't know what I am talking about? Read what Mike Berkens has to say after you read the following post. Now maybe folks will see the reason to support the Internet Commerce Association. 

From July 4th 1998........

Morning All!!

This is my 3rd annual July 4th post on domains.
Second on Ynot - and I believe the first was on Jonathans OLD board.

The first year they laughed me off the board
The second year they began to see what I saw
The third year I would like to show you where this "Domain train" is ultimately going.

First of all you MUST visualize a domain as a PHYSICAL piece of property, land, undeveloped land.

Second you must realize that it is a MULTIDIMENSIONAL object because of "Product branding" and WORLDWIDE address.

Third you must realize the special "Uniqueness" ALL domains inherently have.

Fourth......it is FREE to get to and hopefully EASY to remember and SPELL.

Fifth and MOST important, you must realize just how VALUABLE that real estate REALLY is.

I have said one thing numerous times since I started down this path.....and 3 years later......I believe it stronger than ever!! "The price of domains (Electronic realestate) will go up faster than ANY other land EVER known to man" I had made $0 at the point that I BELIEVED that statement to be true.

When I talk about domains I talk of PRIME domains. Not some of my silly "cams" or "gos" or "starts" or other such veins. (That is for down the road)  I am talking corner properties in Manhattan, Beverly Hills, South Beach.

1 or 2 word domains that are TARGETED to a SPECIFIC group of people.

So where do I see myself at this point.......
I see myself in Times Square and I own a few corners plus a BUNCH of land on 42nd st.
When I arrived.....it was like a ghost town....it was barren and empty and MORE than scary.

Today......I hear the sounds of a MASSIVE construction project underway. Trucks and cranes and banging and digging and everything else you can imagine.

AND IT HAS EXPANDED!!

Those sounds are being heard in other geographic regions as well. It's not only Manhattan!!

They have expanded to KANSAS if you were talking in domain terms, and with new highways opening up in the form of different extensions......things get even more interesting!

THIS is the year that the mainstream WILL figure it out. I started this journey expecting it to be 4 or 5 years down the road before it hit. That would make my ultimate predictions come true in the next 18 months.

So What will happen??

First of all how many of you would have imagined a year ago that the board would have soooo many postings in references to domains....buying, selling, trading? That IS significant.

I believe that the "Multi national" companies of the world may begin to see what I see. When that happens....AND IT WILL HAPPEN.....you will see a significant amount of buying going on and the prices will go thru the roof! I see numerous domains that will become next to priceless BECAUSE they WON'T be for sale. THAT will cause other domain prices to rise.

Location! Location! Location!

I always believed it was a lot easier for a crummy restaurant to be successful in a prime location with built in traffic than a GREAT restaurant that nobody is able to find. Doesn't mean the GREAT restaurant won't be successful.......but it DOES MEAN:

that he MUST be MUCH BETTER!
that he has to work MUCH harder!
that he has to give them a reason to go out of their way!
that he will always look down on the guy with the great location!

BUT

At some point......the GREAT restaurant may want BOTH!

The BIG money IS coming! REALLLLLLLLLLY Big!

I believe it. I believed it in 1995. And I believe it stronger on THIS July 4th than any other!

I remember last July 4th when I said to friends and such that a company's website address would appear in every commercial, every magazine ad, every billboard and at some point in time will become MORE important than even their 800 number. Guess what - yes, they laughed at me. I got more than a FEW raised eyebrows.

I would say on THIS July 4th that ANY company without a presence on the net is LOSING BUSINESS and their competition is gaining it! It indicates a company with little foresight and if you were an investor in one of these companies I would say it was time to change.

Keep your eyes on Disney, Microsoft, and some OLD GIANTS, plus a few unknowns to lead the hottest race you have EVER seen. Look at the domains Disney and Microsoft are buying up RIGHT NOW.


The BIGGEST factor!

Let's say Sears decides to build a store in Osh Kosh......It costs them $25 million, takes them 2 years to build after 5 years of planning.

VERY SLOW......VERY EXPENSIVE!

And if they get it wrong.....Ha ha!!

Now if Sears decides to build NUMEROUS websites TARGETED at different groups of people they could take that same $$$$ and do some SERIOUS damage on the net!

AND they can do it overnight!

WHY did I stop advertising my Dirty phone numbers in all those magazines I was in back in 1996?
Cuz on the net I could take it and turn my money around in days and I no longer had to wait 6-9 months to get a return!

Maybe others will come to the same conclusion......If they follow the $$$$$......then there isn't a doubt in my mind.

Sorry for the Long and Boring post......But I LOVE tradition!!

Have a happy and SAFE 4th!!
Rick Schwartz

TRAFFIC WEST 2008...One for the history books!

Morning folks!!

Just off the red-eye flight from Vegas and today we start working on the Orlando show in May. Before I collapse I just wanted to thank all those that came and supported T.R.A.F.F.I.C. We had one hell of a week!

In the coming days you will read reviews from folks that were there. The seminars focused on Transparency and with the help of some of the top monetizers in our space, we are on the verge of publishing our standards that will help define things and make it easier to compare different programs.

The highlight of the show was the speech by Jim McCann of 1800flowers.com. What few in the room knew when he came to give his talk was that Jim was the singles longest domain holder in the room. A "Domainer" since 1992. The flowers.com have multiple websites and web businesses and they are aggressively expanding.

The surprise of the show for many was Dr. Kevin Ham. (Ieft in picture next to Frank Schilling and myself. Picture courtesy of DNJournal.com) Kevin spoke at the very first TRAFFIC in 2004 and has remained very quiet until a few weeks ago when he asked me for some time to speak at TRAFFIC which I was happy to agree to. He told me "There was something he needed to say." That was all I needed to know because as many were about to find out, Kevin was much deeper than just the 2.0 story.

Kevin got up early on Wednesday morning and without notes, gave a MOVING 50 minute talk about things more important in life than the almighty dollar but at the same time just how passionate he was about reaching new goals, bigger dreams and feels like he is barely scratching the surface. I was watching, some were close to tears. Including Kevin. Including me. Including many. The most moving part was when he talked about "Value" and put things in perspective when comparing things of value next to each other talking about the value of his children and asked what number do you put on their value. Not even billions would come close to their value. Money may make us comfortable, but life is short and one has to keep things in the right order. He talked about Ben Stein and how much his speech at the first TRAFFIC in 2004 was an inspiration as Ben talked about spending time with your mother and father while there is still time.

Dr. Ham ended his talk to a standing ovation. A really warm standing ovation. That only happened three times before at TRAFFIC. The first standing "O" was in 2004 and that too was for Kevin.

So when folks talk about the VALUE of going to TRAFFIC, listening to Kevin was priceless. I am sure everyone there would agree that his words were worth the price of admission 10x over. Sometimes the biggest value is found in an unexpected place and time.

I will let others review the success and accomplishments of TRAFFIC X, but Howard and I walk away knowing we gave it everything we had and hope we added value to everyone's business and the industry in general. Like I have said since day one....."When you bring GREAT people together, GREAT things will happen."

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Sneak Peak TRAFFIC WEST 2008

Morning Folks!!

In a few minutes I am off to Las Vegas and TRAFFIC. But before I go I would like to share the message that will be inside the printed show program. Whether you attend or not, it's something to readas we are going to have a very interesting 2008.

Hi Folks and Welcome to Las Vegas and TRAFFIC WEST 2008.

This is the 13th year of my 20 year plan. It may be a 20 year plan, but the finish line does not happen the minute you hit 20 years. It is a process that happens over time and many things have to fall in place for this to happen. As I see it, 2008 is THE most pivotal year in this industry. The entire future of our space will be determined in the next several months. If the domain industry rises to the occasion, then the 20 year plan is right on track and it will be a great ride. If not, the consequences won't be seen today but the ride to the 20 year mark will be rough and unpleasant and you had better have loads of lawyers on staff.

This is the year that will determine if your destiny is going to be in your hands or forfeit to those predators that want what you have because the value of domains has skyrocketed into the thousands of dollars, and in many instances in the hundreds of thousands and even millions. Just because the market has yet to recognize it does not mean that we can surrender what we believe due to the ignorance of others. That ignorance will transform itself into a monster unless folks grasp what is a natural phenomena. That is why you have to look back at history to see what will unfold in the future. That was why we had Steve Forbes as a speaker.  As an historian, he understands the threats to take over our assets as has happened in the past. That is why we will hear from Jim McCann who is a walking history and may have fought some of the battles we are yet to see.

Some tell me I should not say things like this. I am the most optimistic person you will meet. That optimism does not mean I am blind to reality. Blind to threats. Blind to bad weather just because the sun is shining today and all is well. I know this industry is very charitable. If you want to continue to be able to give and provide, then fortify your own livelihoods by supporting the organization that may be the only thing between us and the predators that will surely come to get our assets; not in the marketplace, but  rather resort to the courtroom where they can outspend and out wait you while making your lives miserable.

On the other front is transparency. Payouts with no rhyme or reason. The numbers don't lie and we are seeing things that are troubling. Like I have said several times in the last few months...."We count our change when we give a $20 at McDonalds and don't do the same things when BIG money is at stake. Personally, I think that is insane and lazy and I could go on and on.

Recently someone posed this question:

"When will all these companies stop treating us like mindless "traffic" and more like "partners" or at least offer those of us interested this respect?"

My answer:

"That's an easy one....When DOMAINERS show up and demand it. For years we have done nothing to protect our assets. THIS is the chance to press for concrete changes. With a unified mind and purpose, there is strength to demand transparency and accountability.  Without it, there is no reason why any change to increase our income should take place. Only domain owners themselves can demand their fair share."

So, while things are still good, we are entering some uncertain economic times. We have real challenges and in the coming months we will see if domainers are up to the challenge.

Thanks for coming to TRAFFIC. Howard and I along with our wives and Ray will do everything we can to provide the tools and relationships you need to achieve whatever dream you carry with you. When you bring GREAT people together, GREAT things can happen.

Rick Schwartz
CEO and Co-founder
WORLD ASSOCIATION OF DOMAIN NAME DEVELOPERS, INC