Morning Folks!!
Today, I start my 24th year in this sport of domaining. I collect, I invest, I predict, I act, I profit. So what will be different in 2019, 2020, 2021? Keep reading. My path to success is the same as many others and still can be done right now! But my path is 1000% opposite of the majority of struggling domainers that are not doing well. Why are they struggling? I will show you and them and prove it in just a moment with the exact recipe for domaining success. So take a deep breath.
As domainers we are all in this by ourselves. The domain game is a sport like Golf. It's not a team effort! It's you against the golf course. It's me and you against the domain market. We don't compete directly except for buying. A golfer has to focus on the golf course not the leader board if he expects to win. Birdie each and every hole and you will win each and every tournament.. Focus on the other players and leaderboard, you will probably lose. Your job is to sink birdies. Your job as a domainer is to invest and collect gems. BUYING is your main job. Sales is the second stage. But you have to get the first stage right to even participate in the second.
Unfortunately we have INSIDE forces that are hurting our sport! Are hurting our investments. Are abusing the game of domaining. I don't even have to mention these companies by name, you can! And there may be too many to list. But I have written about many of them extensively over the years. But domainers are passive. They never give a crap about anything meaningful or important. But will spend endless time and effort on meaningless gossip and one upping each other.
Domainers have been terrible stewards of their collective assets and common interests. They have not protected their sport or their livelihood effectively. Our biggest business enemies are from business practices and ethics within the industry. The threats from the outside world are virtually non existent. Except for Reverse Domain Name Hijacking (RDNH). And that is becoming more rare. And most domainers could care less about RDNH because nobody ever wanted one of their domains so much they would try and steal it. So the more RDNH you have to defend, the more your portfolio has value and demand. What's the ratio? 1 in 1000 domainers with a domain brought to WIPO? 1 in 10,000? It does say something!
Where to from here? Who cares? It does not matter. There is nothing collective about domaining but the sales price of the last big domain sale and then the pending debates whether it is a bogus sale or not. It's just all so predictable and without constructive direction.
We are planet domaining and we are heading nowhere as we spin thru space. The damage done to this industry from within is more than I could have ever imagined and IMHO, beyond repair. Window's of opportunity closed. So many closed and so few even seen.
Domainers only value to each other is selling each other domains that they should be selling to end users. Look, if your domains are not end user quality then of course you sell to the first person that comes along because of desperation, circumstance and quality. But only one person on earth can put you in that position. So my only question is why?
Yes, tell me about your lack of funds. How about your lack of thought? Your lack of understanding and lack of deliberation? If I had one bullet in a gun and I was hungry I better AIM REALLY GOOD or I am gonna STARVE! I can't afford to WASTE that bullet just like you can't waste money on Pigeon Shit. BUT YOU DO!! . SO AIM!! Make SURE you hit the target. You got one shot to get it right. So target something of value that others would want. That's called DEMAND!
So you can dine on Pigeon or dine on Pigeon shit. Yeah it's YOUR fault if you play the sport the wrong way! So go ahead, lash out at ME for YOU buying CRAP! YOU have the ability to change your destiny whenever you choose. But I am pointing out EXACTLY why so many are floundering and not getting the result they want and expect and at the same time giving you the FIX! WHAT THE HELL ELSE DO YOU WANT??
Sorry, other domainers are not your friends. They are a distraction. Nothing more than sharks in a tank rooting for your demise regardless of the smile or the pat on the back. A golfer may give a high five after a competitor makes an eagle, but if he takes the lead by 2 shots, internally they wished he did not make it! It's human nature.
Many domainers post crap about a sale with no domain name and some $x,xxx price. Useless information and with no value other than to make them feel good and you feel inferior. That's the nonsense most swallow. I laugh at the foolishness of it.
Buy each domain like it is the difference between eating and not eating and you will change your destiny. Have a goal of buying just a couple nice names a month. It's about quality, not quantity.
Want to dabble in GTLD's?, Then be smart about it. Ask the right questions. Look at it via the eyes of others. Stop closing your eyes to all the pitfalls. But if you are in dire financial shape, you have no business buying anything other than .com.
And raise your game!. Doubling your $$$ for a domain is not good unless it is one of your first 3 or 4 sales! You do that for a commodity that sells easily and rapidly. Domains are not liquid. Therefore 2x is for fools and newbies. If it isn't worth 10x to 100x or more of what you bought it for, why are you even wasting your time and money? The sport is simple. But you have to be disciplined, determined and you have to be focused. The best way to do that, is realizing this is an individual sport and other domainers are not going to help you to do any of the things I described. Start focusing on the domains themselves. THEY are your friends!
And as far as money....Well you can't play the stock market unless you have a nest egg. You can't buy a house without a downpayment. You can't lease an apartment without first, last and a security deposit. You can't play golf without golf clubs. Each sport and each investment and each move forward in life requires MONEY or a creative thought process! Buy a domain on time. Finance what you can afford. Plenty of domainers will jump at that opportunity. Oh yes, you can BUY from a domainer, just never ever sell to one! If you are smart, you start small and grow on a constant basis. Time takes time! Stop rushing what you can't rush.
Happy 2019 and onwards to 2020 and my 25th year in the Sport of Domains! The new sport of Kings!
Rick Schwartz
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