A trip down memory lane

In 1996 I started to go to chatboards to see if any other
people or industries had discovered the power of a domain name. I would make a
post about who I was and what I have been doing and what I discovered. Usually
they would just delete my post. I even used my real name. Wasn't good enough.
Why would they listen to a moron paying $100 for a domain name that was free
just a year or two ago or less and they did not want them when they were free.
They would say we have 66.154.67.109 we don't need anything else. When I asked
them how they would advertise that on Radio or TV.....that challenge was too
much for them to overcome and they would ban me and delete all my posts at that
point.
The ONLY place I found ANYONE receptive was in the adult
industry. They thought I was full of shit too. I remember before I ever got my
first BIG check. I actually thought my calculator was broken. While EVERYONE
else was talking about making 1/10 of ONE PENNY per visitor, I was making 10
cents per visitor. 25 cents per visitor. I REALLY thought I must be doing
something wrong. Then the check showed up. HOLY SHIT!!!!! I was doing nothing
wrong I was doing it quite right. Most did not even believe me. They thought I
was making it up. Sergeandfmandme_2


 

Then in 1997 they plugged in some of my domain names and saw
conversions the likes of which they had NEVER seen before. I then went on to buy domains like porno.com, men.com, ass.com, sexo.com, voyeur.com and many many more. The total combined cost for those 5 domains back then was $94,000 in 5 separate transactions.

In those days the average traffic would take 10,000 visitors
to produce one subscription. (Sign up). The really good traffic would produce at
a rate of 1 in 1500. The really really good stuff was 1 in 800. They thought
that was the very best conversions. Until I showed them 1 in 50. So that got
the attention of some folks and it gave me a forum (Ynot) to talk about the
power of domain names without fear those posts would get deleted. I even found
an early ally in Joe Holler who was respected in that community and if not for
him I would have had the same fate I had everywhere else.

 

In 1999 I got the code from the guys at Ynot to start my own
domain board and by May 18th of the next year I finally decided it was time and
the board went online with the following post:

'Welcome to one of the first domain chatboards on the net. I
will be posting pertinent news about domain names and how we are all being
affected by new rulings every day of the week.
Alone it is a tough
mountain to climb. With a little support of others facing the same issues can
only help. Use this board to your advantage and not a place to piss with each
other.
Good luck to us!'
Rick
Schwartz,eRealestate

 
Nobody showed up for 10 days. Then there was another post.
Then a few days later another. Within 30 days a conversation was going on and
the rest is history. By that time I had already assembled about 75% of my
current portfolio. Today I am thrilled that I have been joined with so many
other voices that have recognized domains as the real estate of this new century
and the fuel that powers the net. The multiple facets that makes domains so
valuable and increasing by the day.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz