If you want to be a Successful INVESTOR, Stop Being a WHORE!

Morning Folks!!

If you can't handle the truth then stop reading and go buy a comic book. I have stated for years that the bar to entering domaining is very low and when you look at how some look at their business it becomes obvious.

Even domain flippers are selling collectible and unique assets with an income producing potential with a global presence. Except many of them don't know it. They think they are selling a PRODUCT they buy for $100 and sell for $200 or $300. They mark it up like inventory. Inventory??

So this caught my eye. 'You devalued your domains by offering them everywhere for sale: forums, brokers, flippers, your mom. Hold them locked up like a virgin in a harem, next time.'
Copyright DomainGang.com:http://domaingang.com/domain-news/71-reasons-why-your-domains-suck/

Well those words are PRICELESS. The #1 challenge the Domain Industry has always faced is being a whore to make a sale and never understanding the TRUE value of a domain name. I have talked about it before. For many years. But Lucius put it in a very succinct sentence.

This week I used the Beep.me domain as an example. A $2000 sale of a domain could EASILY be worth INTO the 6 figures. First of all wtf is anyone or any company selling a domain like that for $2k?? A PREMIUM domain name worthy of much better then a $2000 sale. So sales are going down not because business sucks but because of things like this. All these companies should have QUALIFIED folks on staff to comb thru domains like this and not let them slip thru. Problem is the 50 people on the planet that may be qualified to do that have their own gigs and the last thing they need is a job.

This was just easy pickins for me because I think it was a good illustration. And if Beep.me has no value then the 1900 .whatevers don't either. But a 'Natural' is a 'Natural' and THAT is the key to any .whatever. If it is just a word with a .crap extension it will always be limited in value and business if any at all. But the top .whatevers will have some 'Natural' sounding things that have a chance. But that is the extent of it.

Half of you will jump on .crap and put a crappier name in front of it. Shitty.Crap. Which at least has MEANING! If you put Shitty.Crap out there I guarantee it is self explanatory. May not work as well with unrelatedwordsstucktogether.crap

Don't even get me started. I just see some companies undervaluing their assets in a way that is unfathomable to me. But that is their business and not for me to say this or that. So I don't want these companies to take offense. I can list many. Maybe all. Not that bad for a domain investor. But I have the ability to look at it from their side of the table and the least these companies need to do is isolate 6 and 7 figure domain names.

MOST domainers would flip that domain for $5k in 24 hours. BAD MOVE!!! At LEAST know the difference between a $5 domain and a $250,000 one. $100,000 on a rainy day. Fine, don't agree. But then you are no domain investor either. Maybe it is $25,000 or $50,000. Doesn't matter.

The point is even if you are a domain flipper this business is MUCH MORE than doubling or tripling the price against your cost. It is understanding you are in the diamond business whether you want to be or not and all diamonds are not the same. Beep.me is a diamond to somebody.

If I had the time I would open my own appraisal service and charge folks $250 each for a no bullshit Rick Schwartz valuation. Of course the ones I certify as 'Pigeon Shit' would make the owners very unhappy. lol But I would have to focus on domains with a minimum value of $25,000. But who has the time?

I have said for years that the only difference between a $3000 call girl and a $50 corner whore is the asking price and the value they put on themselves. I have seen beautiful $50 street whores and some homely $3000 call girls. (Seen, not used lol)

But domains can be truly measured for value in a number of ways. The automated ones are silly. They don't work. They factor in many pieces of the equation but fail to factor in the key pieces. TheDomains.com did a piece where they valued the domains at the TRAFFIC Auction at $1.85MM.

Well I like to mental masturbate as much as the next guy but the TRAFFIC Auction list is not worth $1.85MM and if it is, some folks are going to get some incredible bargains.

Just to be clear…

Flipping is just short term investing. Nothing wrong with that at all. It’s a great way to make a lot of money. I just prefer the long term outlook because it is less work and I have the luxury of waiting and that was my approach from the get go so that’s how I roll. ;-)

But even that does not always work out as I lose money on domains sometimes too. lol

99% of the domains I see have very limited value. 1% have value. 1% of those have great value. So when you are in a diamond mine only morons talk about the glass. The pros are busy looking for the diamonds in all that crap pile of glass. They only talk diamonds. And hopefully the biggest and best diamonds they can find.

Point is to STUDY first and then decide to sell or hold. Do you know how many emails I get from people that got a domain 5 SECONDS ago?? Flip less and make more!! Work smarter, not harder. Good luck!

Have a GREAT Day!


Rick Schwartz

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Thursday Night at The Bellagio $159……Rooms Thin

Morning Folks!!


It's May Day!! T.R.A.F.F.I.C. is now on the radar screen and it starts 4 weeks from TODAY!!! As you know Thursday is the middle day and the day we sell most rooms. We are looking thin now on Thursday as well as the days before the show. We are in single digits left there and we can't add to our block.


At $159 you may save staying somewhere else but the diggs are not as good, you will waste a lot of time in Taxi lines and you will end up paying more for less and getting less out of the show.


If there are any problems, please lmk.


We won't run out of tickets but we will run out of rooms. So I URGE you to make your reservations for the hotel FIRST and do it soon. I will give an update on Friday or earlier if events warrant it.


Rick Schwartz



T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Las Vegas Quick Poll 9AM Start or Noon Start? And a Bombshell!

Morning Folks!!


Simple question today. Normally we start T.R.A.F.F.I.C. at 9AM. But in Vegas we are thinking of starting as late as noon. So the question is when would you like to see the show hours. Please take the poll below and let us know what you think. On May 1, I start working on the schedule in earnest and want to give you what you folks want and fit into the Vegas nightlife.


NOTICE: I have gotten wind of a couple companies, company teams and a few individuals setting up shop in Vegas to leach off of TRAFFIC during the show. Your reputations, not mine. Just one level above RDNH for me.


JUST TO BE CLEAR


So if you or your company needs to save a few grand, this is not the place to do it. Those savings will be very costly. Howard and I work way too hard to sit idly by. So on the record, for the record. If they cheat us, they will cheat you. SIMPLE!


And of course I will publish each and every name of the companies and the individuals. So Don't do it! Stay home or come thru the front door. ZERO TOLERANCE! Coincidence? We will let your peers decide. Just so we are clear. If you engage in this activity, EVERYONE gets to know. This is a serious show where many people paid a lot of money to attend and you are taking advantage of them. NO WAY!!







































T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Las Vegas Show Hours
9AM-6PM
10AM-6PM
11AM-6PM
11AM-7PM
Noon-6PM
Noon-7PM
Free polls from Pollhost.com


Rick Schwartz


JointVentures.com and the First TWO Actual emails to me from Danny!

Morning Folks!!


Danny Welsh and I have been working face to face this week for the FIRST TIME since we launched JointVentures.com. Pretty amazing to get this far and have our FIRST face to face discussions nearly 6 months into this project.


By tonight we will have spent about 45 hours together getting systems in place and starting next week you will see some visible progress and for the first time you will begin to see the vision we have and what we are going to do to change the lives of every domain investor reading this that have lease quality domain names. I just got his 2011 Christmas card in January 2013 because I only check that particular PO Box 1 or 2 times a year.


The seed for all this was planted Last April 29th and before that. Matter of fact, I have seen evidence this week that Danny started working on this over a year before he ever contacted me. Last April 29th he wrote me an email. He also wrote 19 more. He figured it would take 20 emails to me to get to 'Yes'. Well he basically got to yes on the first email as it appears below. And as they will say someday....The rest is HISTORY!


I only have one mission and one goal and that is by December 31, 2013 to demonstrate to an industry an old and very profitable direction. We are going to change lives and we are going to do it right in front of you just like we have done so far. But by T.R.A.F.F.I.C., which is just 8 weeks away, your doubt will be washed away with what we will make public at that time. Then every single domain investor will start kicking themselves for selling a domain for $1000 that had the capability to earn $1000/month.















'Hey Rick, You may remember my name...or not.


But I assure you, before it's all said and done we WILL be joint venture partners.


I've made a number attempts to reach you in the last 3 years since stumbling across your blog and realizing the power of the 'starving crowds' you managed to find and gain leadership of by securing so many amazing keyword-rich domains with “type-in traffic”-- while all the Madison Avenue 'branding experts' do boneheaded things like spend millions on SuperBowl commercials for crap image impression purposes.


And since I've tried to reach you with emails, letters, calls, blow up posters in the mail, at conferences, Christmas cards, you name it. If I knew where you lived I'd probably hire a coordinated team parachute group to drop on your front porch with my message because my desire to work with you is very strong. ;)


It's the same thing I've been saying, trying to get your attention. But in the last couple years I've significantly increased the value I could bring to any joint venture with you-- most specifically in the realm of copywriting (ie salesmanship in print), having written salescopy for over half a dozen client projects that exceeded one million dollars in sales so far.


Let me use my skill as a copywriter and in building joint venture relationships to help you match audience to content.


I know I can develop one of your type-in traffic domain audiences into a more profitable income stream.



Give me a chance?'


My Response:


Hi Danny,


Let me know your idea and how you see it unfolding.









'Rick, my desire to work with you is enough that frankly wherever you feel a motivated individual talented in copywriting and joint venture deal-making could add the most value is where I’d like to begin doing business with you.


I have read in your blog that you have this goal: “I just want 100 different running businesses that require no time.” I believe there’s plenty of opportunity for me to use my skills to make money in partnership with you by helping you reach that goal.


While I could give you a thumbnail sketch of a half-dozen different ideas to propose for monetization of one of your single domain names— which is likely the kind of proposals you receive most often— I’m confident you already know one or more certain domain properties or verticals in your portfolio that is under-performing compared to potential-- where a degree of effort, creativity, and salesmanship by someone like me could significantly increase income without work or hassle to you.


Here’s how I might see that possibility unfolding…I’d like to work with you in 3 capacities, each of which would serve and support the other, and in the following order of execution:


1. Passive joint venture attraction: Allow me to create a salesletter-style “offer” of your partnership program for companies that would like to leverage your significant traffic sources in a certain vertical and in exchange pay you ongoing residual revenue share and/or equity stake per your preference. I believe an easy and quick testing roll-out of this idea could be accomplished with minimal time investment on your part simply by re-positioning www.jointventures.com -- and any other JV-related domains you may own-- with a copy of this offer letter. The letter would include the following: a primer on the power of type-in traffic, vertical industries available for targeting, figures of average visitors in each, criteria for partnership, and a solid qualifying application—all of which I believe I can achieve from my observations and notes of your stated goals combined with a short conversation with you to ask some questions to make sure my understanding is accurate and uncover some metrics and facts you believe might help me ‘sell’ it in print. In addition to writing the letter, if you feel appropriate I would like to serve as an initial qualifying “filter” to protect your time and negotiate with inquiries initially. Upon success of such a test, I would propose broadening the sources of traffic by pointing relevant domains to a vertical-specific version of this partnership offer letter to receive joint venture inquiries that are laser targeted proposals. As proof I can do this, I offer the following experience: I have written a salesletter for a client whose joint venture networking summit has attracted 100-200 attendees each time it has been held at a price point of $1495 (happy to send you a PDF if interested), so I really feel like I understand the JV mindset and value of companies partnering together. Each deal earning more income through the new joint venture than the existing domain asset does via parking would be one more business towards your goal of 100.


2. Active joint venture prospecting: Let me actively target companies offering products and services perfectly matched to the audience visiting select generic domains of yours, and in partnership with you, take on the responsibility to solicit ideally suited operating businesses that have solid prospect-to-sale conversion track records, negotiate with them, and close revenue-sharing deals. For example, if you told me that you’ve always felt a set of specific domains in your portfolio with significant regular traffic could earn much more income-- but actively pursuing another monetization opportunity is not compatible with your existing lifestyle or time limitations-- give me a chance to create a monetization joint venture on your behalf for each. As proof I can do this, I offer the following experience: I have successfully negotiated a number of lucrative joint venture deals in real estate, information affiliate marketing, and others (albeit admittedly none so significant yet as some of yours). I believe an easy and quick testing roll-out of this idea could be accomplished with minimal time investment on your part simply by your providing me with verbal authorization to represent 5-8 of your existing domain portfolio, with you of course as the final say on any deals struck. Upon success of such a test, I would propose allowing me to recruit a team of other such active joint venture prospectors. Each deal earning more income through the new joint venture than the existing domain asset does via parking would be one more business towards your goal of 100.




3. Joint venture & advertising commission sales team: Upon success of #1 and #2, let me recruit, train, motivate and manage a commission-only sales force who would operate a telephone sales effort responsible for actively presenting your domain name portfolio partnership and advertising options to strike revenue-sharing JV deals and/or sell advertising on your behalf. As proof I can do this, I offer the following experience: my real estate business partners and I have received to date over 1100 applications to work for free in our apprenticeship program at MMMChallenge.com. This was managed with resources, influence and opportunities that are small in comparison to yours; thus, I am confident recruiting a quality group of salespeople on your behalf can be managed without a great deal of input from you. Each joint venture deal created would be one more business towards your goal of 100.


What do you say, Rick?'


Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz




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Terry Jones and Steve Forbes to speak at T.R.A.F.F.I.C.

I am happy
to announce that  T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
will be having some great guest speakers lined up during the next 2 shows. Next
week Terry Jones will be the
keynote speaker at our New York City Show at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan.
Terry is the Founder and former CEO of Travelocity.com. He will share his
stories of frustration and success. His road traveled may seem very familiar to
those attending.


Then
on October 10th in Miami, Steve Forbes will
take the stage at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. EAST. Mr. Forbes is President and CEO of Forbes and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Magazine.You will find that he has a great
interest in what we do. I think you will find his words more than insightful
and we are lucky to have someone of his stature coming to speak.


Have a GREAT day!
Rick Schwartz