The Rick Schwartz Domain Name and Traffic Blog: RicksBlog.com – Home of The Domain King®

Afternoon Folks!

Last month we sent out a survey to see what domainers thought about certain issues. When it comes to ICANN, 75% of respondents could care less. It is the thing you know will put everyone to sleep.

On whether you agree with the following statement. Nearly 90% of the survey agree:

'I think sponsors make a lot of money from domainers and need to be more supportive of the domain industry; especially Yahoo and Google.'

That 90% shows domainers can see some things through a common eye.

Most of the other questions were for our internal use so we know what you need, expect and want. Location and ease to get there are important.

When it comes to panels, it's a split. Some love them and come to the show for them and some don't attend any.

When it comes to networking, a substantial majority said we have a pretty good balance. But if we add even more networking folks will not object. More is better.

Lastly, our highest rating of 20 categories polled was on the following:

'Meeting the Folks you wanted to meet'

Your answers help us fine tune what we do as well as fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle. So thanks for all that participated!!

Rick Schwartz

Evening Folks!

There are a few hundred of us that will be making a living with domain names until the day we die. There are thousands just passing thru trying to make a quick buck at any expense. OUR expense! Most have no values, no morals and would not know right from wrong if it slapped them upside the head.

I have done as much bell ringing as I care to do at the moment. I think it is on domainers to DEMAND the information. I have taken arrows for even this. Time to step up if you want to know, DEMAND answers. Many I am sure already know. But I can testify as I write this that I have never told anyone more information than I have revealed here.

Can you cover your ass and protect your customer at the same time if those things are at odds?

If not, who is the default winner and the default loser????

SICKENING THOUGHT!

It’s a crime to watch a company that Monte built with GREAT and LOYAL folks be held prisoner to some corporate nonsense. I have read it was a bad call, a mistake, bad judgement by this employee. Fine, I never asked the employee to be fired. I did ask him to come forward. His employer hides behind some mumbo jumbo and he just hides.

So each event by itself may not be huge. But when you add them all up, there is a pattern and the picture it paints offends me. It sickens me. It is a visceral affect. I can’t control an emotion that foundational.

Sorry. When I see something bad going on, I can’t just walk away and believe it did not happen. I am happy so many can. I just am not wired that way.

So those that choose can lower their standards as much as they want but don’t count me in. I won’t sellout to what clearly are the boundaries one does not cross. So if folks do it wrong when all eyes are on them, what do they do in the dark of night? When nobody is watching? When they think they can get away with it? Under the cover of THEIR privacy??

This is NOT the way to be doing business. It stinks more than I can really stomach. Silence is a vote for continuing business as usual and the only losers are domainers. (What else is new?)

I never thought I would move my domains from Moniker. During the Halvarez scandal I moved 250 as a protest. But now, now I have to seriously consider going thru the ordeal of moving nearly 5000 others. This time not in protest. This time because I don’t trust the mother ship to make the right decision when faced with hard choices because they can’t even make the easy calls.

So decide. Are you an Ostrich or an Eagle? Sorry, that’s how I see it when wrong doing is going on and you close your eyes because it is not you or it is a friend involved. Just don't expect much when it is you. I ask you as fellow domainers that will be doing this for the rest of their lives to stand up. Stand up because it is now my time to sit down.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!
Happy New Year's to All on this first business day of 2011. What a year it is going to be!

If you liked South Beach, you are going to LOVE Fort Lauderdale Beach and the New Ritz Carlton Hotel right in the middle of all the action.

T.R.A.F.F.I.C. is proud to announce that the 2011 show will be held at the gorgeous New Fort Lauderdale Beach Ritz Carlton Hotel From October 16^th-19^th.

One of the biggest hits at our South Beach show was the reservation by T.R.A.F.F.I.C. of all of the hotel’s cabanas. In 2011, T.R.A.F.F.I.C. has once again reserved all of the cabanas, but with one major difference. The cabanas at our new venue are the most luxurious, welcoming cabanas in South Florida. You will need to reserve yours early as all 10 Cabana’s overlook the Blue Atlantic for a very special networking experience.

The Stunning New Ritz Carlton in the back with Beach Place and dozens of shops in Front

T.R.A.F.F.I.C. is the Domain Industry’s “Luxury Brand”. At T.R.A.F.F.I.C., you celebrate your past accomplishments while at the same time plant the seeds for future ones. Howard and I simply facilitate things by creating a conducive atmosphere and carve out time and space for you to accomplish those goals with like- minded business people. As the industry evolves, so will the influx of new investors and businesses. You can accelerate progress, but you can’t rush it. There is a huge difference.

Our guests deserve the best and we are here to make that happen. And like I always say, it isn’t whether you can afford T.R.A.F.F.I.C., it’s that you can’t afford to miss it. Missing T.R.A.F.F.I.C. has proved more costly than most could even imagine. Passing on a chance for progress is never the right decision. Coming to T.R.A.F.F.I.C. gives you the chance to grow your businesses exponentially. The deals that are done are stunning. It is woven into the fabric of the history of domaining. And as you know we work on polishing the schedule until stage time! We never stop. We want to give you so much value for your dollar that it is impossible to stay home and be a bystander.

Each of our past DIAMOND SPONSORS have seen their companies grow dramatically by being the lead at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. with all of the attention that they received They accelerate until they are flying high. All of our past sponsors have grown their respective companies substantially due to their exposure and participation at T.R.A.F.F.I.C.

Like us or not, Howard and I deliver over and over again or nobody would waste their time and money traveling from around the world to attend. They come because there is nowhere else they can go and accomplish so much so fast and have a great time doing it because they are with their friends and associates at the 'fraternity' we have established. A show by domainers for domainers.

This will be our 22^nd show. We have come to the conclusion that we will never satisfy everybody, because when you try, you satisfy nobody. So we will continue to do it the way we think it should be done. T.R.A.F.F.I.C. means BUSINESS for a reason.

As you know we planned to do a show in the San Francisco area in conjunction with ICANN. We had a specific agenda, with a specific goal that could only work at the proper venue. After an exhaustive search and then sending out a poll a few weeks ago to see what most folks thought, it became clear that the interest was not really there to have a meaningful and impactful show and on the heals of the other shows, just did not make sense.

Instead we decided to focus all of our energy on the Florida show in October. The show that will be more inline of what the industry needs and is looking for.

Registration will be opening up in the days ahead and we make it affordable to those that act early. Business is about seizing opportunity and in this case you will save nearly 50% by making the decision to come and making that decision now.

Sponsor sheets will be available later this week and registration will open later this month.

You can expect significant savings off the Room Prices and also their Suites. We will be setting up the page with reservation info and special code in the next few days. You can expect savings of $30/night now and as much as $200/night at showtime. The rate will be $254 for an upgraded Ocean View Room. We'll send you the link and code as soon as it is available.

T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Means Business!

Cabana View

Thanks for your time!

Rick and Howard

Morning Folks!!

This will be the first year that folks are online and engaged. 2010 we hit “Critical Mass”. It was a LONG time coming, but welcome to the Virtual world to come.

I know the big buzz is 3D. But let me tell you what I think. First, my generation has been waiting for 3D for 50 some years. Now that it is here, it may be just a fad passing through and this is why I think that.

First, the glasses suck. Second the glasses suck. It is harder to multitask if not impossible. Let’s just say there are a host of pitfalls and we’ll see if those pitfalls doom the product .

But that is not even what I am writing about today. See in my mind, “Virtual” would trump 3D. Yes they are a bit different. But I would say Virtual takes it a step further. Imagine seeing a movie from inside the scene or any where in it? Imagine going to any tourist place and having the total experience of being there. Or 50% of the experience. Exponentially what we have now. Google street is a first step.

Maybe we will all be buying little domes that could give you the illusion of actually being wherever. What I see over the past 15 years are the building blocks getting assembled. We have yet to integrate those building blocks. We are well on the way.

For people that can put a man on the moon, this leap is tiny in comparison and it already exists in different forms. Now that nearly everyone is spending time online each and every day, they will want more. They will want to turn their computers and lives into a true virtual reality capable of things we cannot even fathom at this point.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz