T.R.A.F.F.I.C. presents”Industry Shake up and Wake up”

Good Afternoon Folks!!
I don't usually post the contents of what I send out to our TRAFFIC mailing list. However some snippets are out there and the subject matter at Silicon Valley will affect everyone in the industry so I think I will post for all to see in full so is does not get spun too far from the intent. This is a pivotal moment in the evolution of our industry. I have not publicized this before because I wanted the other shows to do what they do and focus on what they want. Then we could come and articulate what we have in store for Silicon Valley and beyond and how this will move everyone forward and help our bottom lines. This is a serious show for serious times.
Good Afternoon Folks!


We didn't want to bother you again until we announce the
schedule next month. However, I can tell you that we are not
working on business as usual. We are working on presentations that will
lead to changing the dynamics of the entire industry. We will focus
much of our attention on traffic that takes up space and eats
advertisers dollars but is so poor that all domains are devalued and so
are our earnings. Yet, many are selling this traffic that Can't Really
Add Profits(C.R.A.P.) and the cost to any professional domainer
sending bona fide type in traffic is high. No matter how you spin it a
dollar earned from CRAP is a dollar right out of YOUR pocket. I think
when we meet head-to-head with GOOGLE on stage and you and I create a
dialog, you will hear it right from the horse's mouth. THAT'S WHEN you
might just understand just how much this activity is costing you and
me. If you are not looking for higher payouts, stay home. But I am
telling you THIS is the point in time to engage. We are doing our job,
but others are getting OUR MONEY! How long do you want to remain
passive? How long do you want your earnings to continue to erode?!


We have seen companies come and go now. Some quite large. Some
left destruction in their wake. Those focusing on trademarks and other
schemes and garbage traffic should be eliminated. If not, our way of
earning will continue to erode as GOOGLE's customer base for the domain
channel shrinks instead of expanding as it should. Don't take my word,
listen to the words right from Google. Folks with really good traffic
need to pay attention and learn how to isolate our traffic from the
garbage traffic. We know the conversions on type ins. Nobody can touch
it. But those numbers just get watered down when they mix in the CRAP.
There are so many advertisers that opt-out of the domain channel and
the ONLY reason is the CRAP they end up paying for. It hurts you, me
and Google plus it destroys future business.
TRAFFIC
means business and we are going to shine the spotlight on those
companies that are putting all of us at risk and costing us more than
you might imagine. If you want to get the most out of your legitimate
traffic it is time to expose those that are eating up the commissions
and at the same time leaving the advertiser little to show for their
money. This results in an entire industry losing its customer base
simply due to abuse. It is time to do what should have been done a long
time ago. Professional domainers with pure traffic need to separate
themselves from those with CRAP and Silicon Valley is the right place
to do it. Let adveretisers hear just how serious we take it. If we turn
a blind eye, we are no better than those with traffic that does not
convert to sales.
In addition we are going to have more networking opportunities than ever
before. A much looser schedule. Seminars will be limited unlike
previous shows and we will have just 2 auctions. We'll have some great
parties and the best food ever, but I will be the first to admit that
it won't be our focus. There is work to do and $$$ to be earned. We
don't do this for our health. We do it to move everyone forward. The
more oars in the water, the quicker we move. We have an opportunity to
demonstrate just how serious we are and why folks outside our channel
should pay attention and take a second look at what we do. A chance to
distance ourselves from the 'Cybersquatter' tag that some deserve but
professionals like us do not.
Now let's focus across the pond to TRAFFIC in Amsterdam.


We have decided to extend the deadline for the discounted
admissions for TRAFFIC ccTLDs until February 28. If you sign up now,
you can save yourself $500. Space is limited to 400 attendees.
Seriously, this looks like it is going to sell out so don't come to me
if you missed your chance to get admission tickets to the event. Rick
Latona and his crew are doing a bang up job on this show and there are
some big announcements still to come.
This is the first show of its kind! It is completely and totally
dedicated to the ccTLD market, and we have a lot of really great things
planned. We have speakers from the major ccTLDs committed and 3 days of
seminars, dinners, and lavish parties to attend.
If you have any interest
in ccTLDs this is the show NOT to miss this year! More information can be found
by going to www.targetedtraffic.com/cctlds
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz


PS: Just a note.....We have extended the group rates for Silicon Valley until tomorrow at 5PM.


Social Networks are Big, but are they Profitable?

Morning folks!!

Anytime you can accumulate large groups of people there is
money to be made. The more focused they are, the more money you could/should
make. I always use real world parallels to find unknown answers on the Internet.
For example. I use Yankee Stadium as a test. They fill the place with 50,000
people that pay to be there. All I want is to own the concessions in the stadium.
I want to sell them food and jackets and pennants and future tickets and beer
and anything else I can sell a 'Captive' audience.

The more people you have in that 'Captive' audience and the
more focused they are the more dollars you can mine. The more sales you can
make.

So back to the net. I think this concept is so simple and
elementary that few understand it. Without SALES there is no business. Show me a
business with no sales and marketing in their arsenal and I will show you a
business that will be out of business. EVERYONE MUST be a salesman. There is no
choice in business. You must sell. Don't sell and you won't eat. Most learn very
quickly. But most also don't know any techniques to selling. Don't know a sale
when they see it. Don't understand the concept of creating or closing that sale.

So until these social networking sites become George Foreman
or Ron Popeil type sales people, they will be extracting just a tiny fraction of
what otherwise can be mined.

The biggest gap on the Internet remains the lack of
understanding of how a sale is made. That actually is more important than
developing. You don't really have to develop a site. You need to develop sales
machines. Cash registers. Checkout stands. You can use other peoples businesses.
Just like Yankee Stadium. I don't need a damn baseball team to make lots of $$$.
I don't even have to own the stadium. I don't even have to build the stadium.
The land alone is my ticket.

How do you explain that you have this piece of land and for
some mystical reason 50,000 people a day flock to this piece and they are all
interested in Major League Baseball?? How do you tell the Steinbrenner that this
is a great place to build a ballpark? A place where you can guarantee that every
game will have every seat filled? Here have it! I just want the concession
stands when you build it.

So what does this have to do with Social Networks? Nothing.
Everything. The future unfolds one mystical piece at a time. It's like a puzzle
you try and figure out. It is hard at the beginning, but at the POINT that you
figure it out the answers come gushing out like an exploding
volcano.

We are soon going to witness such an event. The economic
crisis HELPS accelerate that eventuality. The one thing domain owners are the
worst at is being patient. Patience is the key to this treasure. It was the key
in 1995 and it is the key today. That puzzle out there is getting closer to
being fulfilled. It will happen so abruptly it may be hard to believe. There
will be a tipping point followed by a stampede. But I am telling you one thing, focus on meaningful domains. I think some folks are chasing shadows with many domains I see
out there. I believe we are entering a period that will give folks one last chance to buy really good domains at reasonable prices. In the next few months domains that would not ordinarily come to market will come and they will be priced to move. My advice, be patient and target the best domain you can afford to buy. You should walk away from this recession with at least a few gems. Gems you can point to and say you bought during the darkest of times. Circumstance will bring opportunity to those that are patient and know what to look for. Don't rush. I would say a 1 year window starting in the months ahead. So be patient, determined and focus on true quality. The way to quality is to insist on some stats and learn whether they are real or inflated. Better yet, learn to estimate traffic on a domain. The only reason I ever ask for stats is to see if they are selling me a bag of smoke. I know what the traffic on that domain is before I even ask. When it does not match I need to find out why. Many unknown brokers do the pump and dump. So knowing before you even ask is the real key. No traffic, no stats = limited FACE value if any at all. What was ok to invest in last year is a liability today. Most folks continue to buy liabilities instead of assets. That dog won't hunt in what we are about to go through.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz