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

Morning Folks!!

Big things to be unveiled at TRAFFIC Next Week and now it is starting to surface.

Why did we pick this time of year and October specifically to do most of our annual show since 2004? The #1 reason is because October means BUSINESS! That is when folks really start paying attention again. The financial engine of the universe starts up for the holiday season. In October things happen. Big things happen and BIG decisions are made. This is all teeing off for the season and the following year. Even the cars are mostly unveiled in October. The market goes crazy in October because of what i just started.

Last night Frank Schilling distributed a letter to his group of traffic partners. Frank takes the gloves off and offers a 'Revolutionary' change and one of the frankest writings I have ever seen from him. He is determined to break the status quo wide open and by luck of timing, he will introduce his new baby next week at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Let me give you one tidbit. You MUST have an iphone 4 or 5 to participate. No droids at this time. He recommends that if you don't have one, you go out and buy one. I wholeheartedly agree. Here in small part is what he had to say:

'I think I’ve found the Gold folks. Something to bring you real value.. No fluff here. Something material and revolutionary. You will ultimately be the ones to tell me if that’s so. During the past 9 months, DNS has taken the first and perhaps the most important step of improving the experience for buyers, of explaining value. For the sellers we have created a process to speed up negotiation and provide greater speed and certainty around negotiation.

I’m very proud of the platform that results from our effort. We think that you will find this software revolutionary to your business – so much so that we’ve patented many elements of it. It will be free to use and open to everyone.

During this project we have revamped the inside of our ITC/DNS management interface to make it more simple and enjoyable to use and improved everything that folks liked. Even our existing partners have never had these tools, permissions or powers. Newcomers will be blown into next week when they see it. We’ve built a very elaborate, but easy-to-use application for which you will need to purchase an iPhone .. (any iPhone, 4 or 5).

We’ve coupled these two pieces with a sophisticated in-house management platform to change the way you think about your domain business. The three elements, Management interface—App—CRM System work together like a piston engine. I plan to announce these changes at TRAFFIC in Ft. Lauderdale. I have no particular reason for choosing TRAFFIC as the venue to launch this product other than the dates align with our readiness and I’ll be there as an attendee.'

As Frank does that I am reading on DNJournal.com that Afternic will be unveiling their newly designed site with all types of new bells and whistles.

I am privy to a few other introductions and a couple of delayed which could be because of the crowded field of what is going to come out next week at TRAFFIC. I also am seeing companies disappearing and melting down. It's not going to be easy from here on out and if you see what Frank wrote, you know that he too sees things far beyond the confines of domaining that are sure to affect us all in the coming year. Let's just say 'Challenging' will be an understatement.

I am on record as saying the 3 months before the election and the 3 months after the election would be some of the most volatile months we have ever seen in our lifetimes. We are in that gravitational pull right now. Just look at a world on fire.

The big puke is coming and then things will get better. Much better. Just like a stomach ache. And then it goes away.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

I really feel bad for those struggling in life. Terrible in fact. That is why I spend so much time and energy trying to show folks what I see and how I see it and how I can work at my leisure and accomplish more in 1 day then some folks can in a year or more because they are 'Decision-ally Paralyzed'. Unable to make a decision. Unable to accept defeat which means they are unable to accept a win.

It pains me to see so many questioning their domains and business investment model because they hear the loud chatter out there telling them black is white. That the gtld with 61% leakage is somehow superior to your easy to spell one or two word .com domain names that are used universally.

Come on. But I keep my mind open and I am capable of being swayed, but I am not capable of losing faith in my .coms. One has nothing to do with the other. Same as Moon to Mars. They are both in space but one does not have much to do with the other. I have more faith in my domains than my dollars by a wide margin. I sleep well knowing I own the domains I do. I don't sleep as well knowing that my buying power for my dollar is likely to take a major hit next year and every day until then. The domain name will become my single greatest hedge in the future against inflation.

ALL and ANY .whatever will LEAK to the .com counterpart. PERIOD! Every single one of them. The ONLY thing that will vary is the size of that hole. So far the evidence of the only true test, shows a 61% leakage. That is more than a leak. That is more than a gusher. That is a failure beyond anything anyone expected including myself. I was in the 25%-35% camp until Mr. Johnson and the folks at Overstock.com spent millions and millions and millions to find out that they lost an amazing and astounding 61% of all their traffic.

Advertising is about targeting simple things to simple people. Techies trying to duplicate the hoola hoop have SEVERE head winds and don't understand human behavior.

Sorry, I went a bit off on a tangent. But it needed to be said as I see what I see.

Just look at Cowboys.com. We as a group of quality folks could not make a decision. 5 YEARS went by and finally a decision was basically forced. SUCCESS!! I like .TV and I like .ME. Do you really think the same scenario for those extensions (cowboy.me or cowboys.tv) would have been like it was and the publicity it got for the .com?? It would have been .meaningless. No story at all. That's a key!

But as I stated privately, it took 5 YEARS for a decision that should have been made in 5 MINUTES. Paralysis in the flesh. Change that ONE THING and you have the power to change the world. Fear is what prevents success. 10 type 'A' personalities does not have the power of two like minded people. THAT is the lesson I learned from the Cowboys.com deal. No regrets. I would do it again. I am glad I am a stockholder in such a great domain name. We are only up to chapter 2 of this story. Much more to cum. :-)

There is one thing Howard and I can claim that no other show can. We are 100% paid attendance. Everyone pays. Our rates are published and there are no 'Comps'. PERIOD! No other show can claim this as far as I know. Is there a difference? You bet there is and I am going to prove it right here right now!

Now doing this over the years and actually enforcing it has not been easy. Has made me no friends. But when my best buddy pays and the top domainers pay, then everyone should pay and be equal. And so they do and it hasn't been easy for all these years. But we have a formula that works and continues to work. When folks have 'SKIN' in the game they are more likely to do deals so they can see a concrete result for their efforts. If it did not work, folks would not come from half a world away where they easily have to add thousands in expenses just to get here let alone 20 hours on a plane or more.

Simply put...T.R.A.F.F.I.C. works because T.R.A.F.F.I.C. really does mean B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S. We never have 'Extras from Central Casting' just to fill seats or have more noise.

Do you really want to deal with the guys you see out there with bad judgement like my new friend Roger this week? How many folks like that do you want to waste your time with? We don't exclude them, but the bar is set high for a reason. They must at least be 'Financially qualified'. The only way you do that is doing what we do. And when we start prices at $995 like we will do for all the shows, the bar is set reasonably enough for anyone with true passion and desire to make the leap and attend. GREAT things happen when you actually put yourself out there.

Next week we expect some 300 domain investors to drop in and take their destiny in their own hands. They don't WAIT for things to happen, they MAKE things happen. I learned about making things happen back in the mid 1980's and early 1990's. The difference in sitting on the sidelines and being passive or jumping in and being aggressive. Passive did not get you where you are today. DID IT??

Ya know what troubles me the most? Domainers questioning the future of their holdings. If they are solid domains, the future is bright and there is absolutely nothing to worry about. If you have portfolios of .nets and .whatevers, you better have prime one worders or something naturally meaningful. Get rid of the crap. Replace with quality and you will be on track again. Been repeating that for many years now.

When you see the future like I see the future, you would never second guess yourself again. You all listen to too much noise. Much of that noise with an agenda. Until you can see and understand the difference, you will be lost in space with no compass. That makes me terribly sad. Like fish swallowing the bait. Bad ending and it doesn't have to be that way. You just need to identify it before the fact!

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz