Morning Folks!!
It's not much more than 60 days to T.R.A.F.F.I.C. and that is when my attention begins to focus on setting up the agenda. I don't do it alone. I reach out to all domainers and ask them constantly what they want to hear about? What issues are important to them? Who do they want to hear from? What discussions will help them expand their business? How are they going to make money in the future?
Many of us were 100% reliant on parking a few years back. When the bottom fell out, domainers went to work in new directions with new ventures. They just not sit and do nothing. I know personally I went from 100% of my income to now less than 1/2. It did not happen overnight. It took 4 years and then some. I am not done and you are not done.
As we begin to focus on individual domains our needs are going to change. Our direction is going to change. It is the reason we have always referred to ourselves as 'Developers' because that was where the road was eventually going to lead to.
With those thoughts in mind I am happy to begin to announce some of our speakers. Today, I am happy to report that Michael Ricciardelli of Bankrate.com will be speaking at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. 2012.
Michael Ricciardelli was appointed SVP, Business Development and Consumer Marketing after joining Bankrate in September 2006. Prior to joining Bankrate, he was Vice President - Marketing & Media Sales at Apartments.com/Classified Ventures where he managed all marketing functions and online advertising sales efforts. From 1999 to 2003, he was Co-Founder & Vice President of Strategic Development for Insurance.com - venture funded by Fidelity Capital and sold in 2003 to Comparison Market. Earlier in his career, Mr. Ricciardelli also held positions in strategy consulting and business development at Fidelity Investments, and financial analysis at Salomon Brothers.
I think Michael has the credentials of somebody that can speak intelligently to our group and help us define and understand the elements needed for a great success with just one domain name in your portfolio. Guys like this are the hardest to get because the pool is so very limited of people that actually know what they are talking about. So it is never from a lack of desire.
I want to thank Alan Dunn for the lead and I ask all of you to think if you know anyone that fits the criteria we are looking for. That YOU are looking for. Together we have long tentacles and I think it is time to take advantage of those folks that you have crossed paths with or heard about. All I need is an email addy and a name and I will do the rest.
I don't think anyone can argue that the Domain Industry is at a cross roads. There is a new shiny object out there in the form of gTLD's and everyone is looking. We will too. We will listen to what domainers see and don't see. But we can't ignore the FACT that we as a group have more information and knowledge about domain names than anyone. We know answers to questions many have yet to think of. That has great value. We'll kick that ball around and see if any minds are changed.
And what is the fallout if consumer does not buy into it? What happens to all those that took the wrong fork in the road trying to invent the 'Second coming'? I'll tell you. They will end up in our laps. It will be for the consumer to decide but the ONLY thing that is going to truly motivate him/her to go there willingly is new and different content that can't be found anywhere else. So far nobody has been able to do that. Name your DOT. That is even before we address the issue of confusion which is an even bigger issue. Folks fear the unknown. So to take the fear out, information is the cure.
Many domainers are downright confused themselves let alone the consumer. They are questioning each decision they make like never before. Sales are forced. A deep breath and recharge at TRAFFIC is exactly what is needed to take the confusion away and add clarity by finding out the answers to your questions. Do business from strength, not weakness. Weakness costs 100x what TRAFFIC costs and can easily be spotted.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz
owen
Alan himself has a great story with HowToSaevMoney.com
Matt Cutts would be great especially on a panel with Rob Monster and Scott Cleland
Colin Pape, Braden Pollock, Brandon Abbey and Merlin Kauffman have great stories as gauged by the traffic reading them on my blog every day.
I’d vote to bring back Bill Hartzer and/or Jay Berkowitz
ave Bruce Turkel talk about GEO domains from the C&V perspective (he’s bought for clients half dozen last year)
CEO of Marksman
Brian Glickrlich- buyer of Glen Beck’s domains and defender of reputations from comment bullies like you find here
Show us the money..
All the plebs will buy new extensions and then eventually realise they are a waste of space…. and then they’ll start looking for the .com. Get prepared for lots of low ball offers.
Show us the money..
You probably want to have a show/session on development strategy. Basically taking a domain into ecommerce, directory etc. What domains are best suited to what and some real examples of people that have built web businesses that have worked.
Like whats your strategy with property.com compared to other strategies and development plans.
Problem is though just like domains have been.. ‘knowledge is power’ and most people don’t want to devulge it.
Anunt
Bring these people to Traffic panel and let them answer questions from the audience about new gTLDs:
Donuts, Google, Minds and Machines, Amazon, Famous Four Media, Uniregistry, Directi, Demand Media, Straat Investments.
This is what everybody at Traffic wants.
Make this happen Rick.
Jeff Schneider
Hello Rick,
I want to thank OWEN for this Thought Nugget:
” comment bullies like you find here”
These Bullies pervade our Industry with lies and mis-truths that cause lots of confusion and lost opportunities for Businessmen and domainers alike. They all have agendas to crush the aspirations of whoever their poison is targeted at.
These denizens of the deep dark underworld, swim in the Channels of progress and due untold damage to aspiring developers who in my opinion hold the brightest future for our country. This may sound overstated to some, but never underestimate the power of nagging obstructionists. We have plenty in our government as well.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Jeff Schneider
Hello Rick,
Has the thought ever ocurred to anyone that We meaning Businessmen and Domainers hold the Key to cyberspaces INFRASTRUCTURE ?
This surely is the FACTUAL CASE !
Why as KEY HOKDERS do we put up with the GOOGLE.COMS and their burgeoning force of OBSTRUCTIONISTS !
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Jeff Schneider
Hello Rick,
Lets try to clear up some illusions. This is a continuation of the fact that we as business owners in the .Com Channel are key benefactors of this awesome Business platform.
Google.com and other Ad Companies would have us believe otherwise.
The capitalism Cowboys ready to shoot arrows are pausing. You know why?
We are part and parcel to the fabric OR KEY to the top TIER TRAFFIC PATTERNS THAT RULE E-COOMERCE!
OK So lets refocus before the point in this is lost.
We are the Tail That Wags the Dog!
We all would be wise to act that way instead of the tail between the legs attitude that we are experiencing. Don’t you all see ! We hold the key !
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
ri.sk
@Jeff
I’m not sure ‘domainers’ do hold the key
to the web’s infrastructure…
Of course, a domain is both a destination
and an identity, but it would be foolish
and complacent to think that domain names
will continue in their current form forever.
Don’t forget, the commercial web has only
been around the last 20 yrs (or less) and
has changed dramatically during that time.
You, along with every other ‘domainer’, are
NOT in control of how technology develops
on the web, so the domainer’s warcry of”I
was first, and am sitting pretty, so pay me
my money” could be overtaken in the future,
and made irrelevant by technology, or something
else…
Quite what the”something else” is ‘though
is anyone’s guess at this stage.
Show us the money..
Domains will be around for a long time. There will be need some way of calling websites and addresses for all time. While apps and social sites might direct traffic it still won’t replace the need for a good URL.
URLs will disappear when telephone numbers disappear…
In some ways the prices of URLs should increase for all the usual reasons but also because as the cost of development decreases (The barriers to getting online) the price of URLs can increase.
ri.sk
@show us
Lets hope you’re right.. (it may
just be simple-minded complacency
that i’m objecting to!).
:-)