Morning Folks!!
Being FIRST to market is a big deal. But it ain’t the whole enchilada. When I look back at things, I was almost never first. Not even in domains. I came in on the 2nd or 3rd stage of this business. They were no longer free and only a fool like me who came in late would pay $100 a pop for these things when virtually nobody was online.
I look back further. The lighting product I marketed was around for 8 YEARS before I saw something unique and marketed differently. It ignited not only that factory, but several others with competing products. When I finally met the guy in Hong Kong, he was amazed at my youth at the time and knew I had made him a very wealthy man.
The Ad Blimps I sold were around for 50 years. I just did something a little different that allowed me to ship customized ones in 24 hours when others were 3 weeks. I copied everything the others did with that one twist. But when folks wanted this item, they wanted it immediately. I figured out the void and became a thorn to the other gys around for a long time.
With my Vanity 800 numbers I literally got in the game at the very end. But it was still life changing and without what I learned there, I may have never known about type ins. See they existed before they existed because human nature is predictable.
Everything I have done was never first. TRAFFIC was just a reinterpretation of other shows I had attended in my life and then just applied a few twists designed to bring an obscure industry to the attention of the universe. To bring like minded folks together where they could recharge and reenergize and see they were not alone. Not only were they not alone, but they were among some of the sharpest anywhere and they deserved a couple days to enjoy the fruits of their labor and grow their business at the same time.
So that brings me to domain development and the net. I am not looking to be first here either. I just want to copy well. That’s it. Let others blaze THAT trail. Then copy what works. I don’t need large market share to be successful. I need 1% from here and there. 5%. It all adds up.
Folks always wanted to know why I did not develop my gaming domains or why I never did a deal with any gaming sites that would pay a bounty or a percentage. In my mind that was simple, it was illegal and why risk everything for a few more dollars. Ain't worth it. Now look at the news.
Same in adult. I don't have to have content to make money. Why have the liability? But that does not mean you can't benefit. The slippery slope in adult comes down to one word and that word is different for everyone. The word, 'Obscene' is why I don't do adult the way most would with my domains. I could have made TENS of millions more but why take the risk?
I mean we are in a time on the Internet that would be like before they discovered the Arch in the real world. Or steel to build skyscrapers. We are little past the stone ages when compared to the real world. We may be entering the time of “Enlightenment” soon. But we are far from there. The caves are still cold and dark. But these companies I have been talking about the last few posts are changing that. We are beginning to realize the power and folks are starting to walk upright.
When I was in Furniture I met the greatest designer that ever lived. True! It was called the Polaroid Camera. Take a picture and duplicate the item. Make it better and cheaper. Deliver it faster and in one piece. That was the design department used by most factories. I am sure it hasn’t changed other than they use an iphone. Now and they can have it copied by the time I would drive back to the factory.
We may not live longer but we can do more in the time we have. I started the journey and there was no 'Express Mail'. No Fed Ex. No Kinkos. No Office Depot. No fax machines. No Computers. Not even Calculators. No Cell Phone. No Cordless Phone. No Speaker Phone. No VCR. No TIVO. No Cable. No Satellite. No Skype. No Internet. No SHIT! And I could go on for another paragraph.
Add to my list. It is simply amazing what has been achieved and now we get to build from there an entire new whatever this is that is starting to take shape for the first time. We are highly adaptable beings when you pay attention to what is happening.
We have millions of new tools now and we have yet to have the time to sit down and see how they are all connected and what cool things you can do with what is already out there. So while the economy sucks, innovation is running at a record pace and just be prepared to COPY what works. Go to sleep and wake up and look at the world with a fresh set of eyes. You will be amazed at what you see.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz
Recent Comments