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

Morning Folks!!

All too often I see companies that strike gold and sellout
to the first buyer that comes along waving $$$ in their face. But why sell?? If
you hit a gusher, why not keep it? I think the hardest thing you can do is have
a successful business. And if you do have success, why get rid of it? Why sell it?


Unfortunatey sometimes this actually stunts growth and
progress. If my memory serves me right, many years ago IAC bought utrade.com. They bought them because imho they were a threat to uBid.com (which I believe sucks and sucks really bad) and quickly dismantled it. I have seen this play out over and
over again.

Had uTrade.com stayed on the scene with the plan they had, we would
have all been better off. To this day, they had the single best co-branded, lead generating program that was ever on the net imo.

My traffic was growing. My earnings were growing. They were growing. They paid a $5 bounty for each signup. No BS. Each time they got a valid name and member for free it was $5. They new the value of that sign up and they knew the rest was up to them to convert. That added up to about $1300/day with my eBid.com and was growing every single day. It was when I truly learned about ratios and closing rates and targeted traffic.

1 visitor in 1000 to signup was really potent traffic. Normal was 1 in 10,000 or more. The thinking at the time was the best was about 1 in 800. Well the book got rewritten by ebid.com. We broke not only 1 in 800. Not only 1 in 500. Not only 1 in 100. But imagine 5 in 100?? Absolutely unheard of at that time. But THIS is the spark that happens with a perfect match of a site and traffic. So while others debate, I already know and it has been proven.

Then via Avenue A, they wanted to buy my eBid.com. Their offer was $60,000. I laughed in their face. I explained they have been buying the traffic for $30k a month, why would I sell for $60k?? To that, they stopped buying my traffic and have never had contact since.

Today, utrade.com a parked page and owned by Match.com. eBid.com is a parked page and is still owned by me and has earned many times that $60k offer so many years ago. I always get offers, but the earning power still makes it a keeper. uTrade.com was a model to copy, not destroy.

Morning Folks!!

In 1997 I started making my annual July 4th post
so why change now?

Many people
have asked me about the “5 year nap” that Franky talks about in a post that
just happens to have been 3 years ago today. July 4 2007 for an event that
happened in 2004 while I was on a cruise. I was with 2 of my very close friends and we were on the
island for a few hours. Franky picked us up during an absolute monsoon and we
had a long lunch. As you might
imagine Franky had many suitors for his portfolio. Until now, I have never
talked about the contents of that conversation but after reading his 2007 post
and referring back to 2004, I think I am in safe territory so many years later.

To make a long story short, the deal on the table would have
been much bigger than Yung Ye. It was a colossal deal. Franky asked my take on
it. I said take a 5 year nap and when you wake up you will be better off. Point
being, as I have experienced since, if it isn’t ALL cash up front, you can only
count the part of the deal that is. So my advice was, if you would be happy
with the amount of cash up front and the rest is gravy……grab it. On the other
hand, if it is not all cash, then you have to expect you will get nothing on
the other end and all the domains will be gone. The ONLY thing you can EXPECT to see are the dollars up
front.
Well, it’s just over 5 years, there is only one person on
the planet that can say whether my advice was good or it was not. I have debated
posting this as my July 4^th post, but then yesterday Franky made my
decision for me by his first blog post in years. That post answered many
questions. I for one am glad Franky did not sell. Hope he feels the same. Did my advice change the course of history? Probably will
never know.

Either way, Franky came to the game late, never whined about
it, just made things happen day in and day out. Quite
a difference from what we see today.

And when you are enjoying the day, take a moment to remember
those that are really working hard on our behalf and risking their lives. The folks that give us the freedom to do what we choose. I don't know why they do what they do, but thank God there are folks that do this for US.

Morning Folks!!

Sometimes people make funof me when I talk about things like
“Window of opportunity” and “Magic”. Let’s face it, most folks don’t believe in
this. They are the masses. It is expected. I guess I never expected it out of
such a select group that has proven it can think out of the box.But even domainers are divided in much
the same way. Only difference is the percentage among domainers is much, much,
much higher.

Many successful
domainers were successful before domains. They have done it before. They know
the path. They know the signs of success and also the warnings of failure and
how to either avoid or abandon or go all in and do it with eyes wide open and
deliberate. They know the difference between that and “Hope” without a plan or
a policy or even a direction.

When one dream comes true, you tend to pay more attention to
other dreams. When you have one success, the bi-product is the confidence you
get so you can create more successes.
The “Confidence” is the magic. You can’t see it. But does anyone reading
this doubt that happens knowing what you know now? That is the magic defined.
Here it is very visible to the naked eye. But there are other magic things that
happen that you can’t see, you can’t identify. But it is still there and
becomes part of you. That is what I am talking about for all these years but
never found the words to illustrate for all to see. At least the successful can
see and even the folks waiting for their first success can see the logic.

THAT is the thread that bonds like minded people together.
That is the essence and base of everything I do or think or say. Guess what? That alone pisses a lot of
folks off. How unfortunate.

When you make real decisions, tough decisions, good
decisions, you will anger some, disappoint some people and hurt some people. I
don’t like doing that. But I want to continue to challenge the status quo and
keep moving the ball forward for everyone including myself. If we fail to do that we would have done a great disservice
to everyone. You can’t take everyone’s advice or do what everyone wants. It is
a delicate balancing act and there will always be one party not as happy as
another and many times that frustration or anger or disappointment is taken out
on me. I can’t control that. What
I can do is articulate a thought and ask if you fit into that category to be
able to look at it thru my eyes. I
don’t like saying no to folks, but sometimes there is just no other choice.

So you can aim for mediocrity and definitely appeal to a
wider audience, but there is something special in bringing great minds and
hearts together in a calm atmosphere without the noise and weight of mediocrity
at every corner. My greatest sin would be to waste one minute of your time. If
you have been to a TRAFFIC and got nothing out of it then I apologize but am I
the only one responsible? Many others walk away with great things each and
every show. Like I have said since 2004, the only thing Howard and I can do is
create an atmosphere with certain
elements and chemistry to do great things. The history of domaining is intertwined with TRAFFIC on so
many levels over the years. Repeatedly I have said YOU are TRAFFIC. I still believe that
and maybe after all these years folks start to see the vivid difference in our
approach and why. It is never to exclude. But it is time for many to raise
their game (Me included) and reject mediocrity. It is not easy to fail in
domaining, but many do. Maybe even most nowadays. Does not have to be, but you
have chosen your path. If it is working, that is great and continued success.
If is isn’t, then turn frustration into action. I have always found it is just
as easy to follow and find success once you abandon failure. But you have to be strong enough to release failure so you can get your mind and arm around success.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Afternoon Folks!!

Are you a Domainer, a businessman, something more? Don’t sell yourself short. You are much
more than a domainer. At least you should be. Don’t box yourself in. You are a businessperson.
You are an investor. You are a speculator. You are a cutting edge, forward thinking, trailblazer.
You are in a sector that has treasure. But if there was a greater treasure,
then your “Vehicle' would likely change to whatever that might be that you
yourself deem worthy. So we are all much more than domainers.

Much of what I write about is not related to domains. It’s
about business, human nature, history, habits, shopping patterns, profiling consumers, shifts in
thinking, Predicting human nature before it happens.

No matter who we announce over the years as our speaker it
is met with a fair measure of skepticism to put it mildly. Even Steve Forbes! DUH! But each brought something that
enriched our lives. In 2008 TRAFFIC had the Orlando show inside Disney
World. Well the level of service
of that hotel and those Disney employees exceeded my expectaions by leaps and
bounds. We have kidded about the “Pixie Dust” that allowed them to be in such
sincerely good moods all the time. Willing and wanting to help all the time. A
level of service I have never seen before or after. How could a hotel geared
for kids be as good or better than a Ritz Carlton? How was this possible?

So I questioned this over and over for the 2 years that have
past. Then we met Simon. Simon is an alumni of Disney who after many years was
fired! Fired for thinking outside the box. Ooops. But that is just the
beginning of the story, not the end. Howard and I met and spent some time with
Simon Bailey last month. He enriched our lives with a few sentences. What is
that worth? The secrets locked inside this corporate legend are just that, secrets. Not often do you hear these stories nor the motivations behind them. How can you benefit your business with these secrets? Some so simple you might kick yourself.

Between us girls, having keynoters have never sold us any
extra tickets. It was just a way to have some credibility when we had none at
all. But it does add a dimension
and that is all part of what we do. I know you don’t know Simon and his name
means nothing to you. But that does not mean he can’t provide you with valuable
information and insight. He knows squat about domain names. But he understands
how to think bigger and expand your horizons and allow you to work more
effectively with a finer outlook. He’s just a cool guy worth meeting and
talking with. He will add dimension to your life whether it be in domains or anything you do from here on out. Folks think I use the word opportunity and priceless way too much. But that is our goal each and every time and we won't lower it now or ever. Lemonade stands or empires? Maybe it is time to think a little bigger?

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

First, all the first 50 tickets are sold. These folks
receive the $100 room credit and a special gift from Rick and Howard valued at
$100. Effectively making admission $795. We have decided to extend it until 5PM
TODAY! After that, the next 50 will still receive the $100 Hotel Credit. When
those tickets are sold, then it just is a flat $995 until July 31.
So there are significant reasons to sign up right now without delay. Less than
half the cost of what it will be in just 90 days! $1000 less right now than it
will be then. Every tick of the clock just costs you more money. Just do it and
sign up right now. Your admission is fully refundable up until just 7 days
before the show. How do you lose by acting now. This sign up page will be removed at 5PM PDT TODAY and all future signups can be made here and still save $100.

Below is our schedule. Not only is this schedule subject to
change, it will change as we improve the agendato make sure it is packed with
useful things you can employ and use all year long. You will never go
hungry as we will have first class foods, drinks and snacks throughout
the day. All included with your admission. The way you expect us to do
it and just a tad better for good mesaure.

We are looking for sponsors
for pre show events for smaller groups of domainers. Wave running, Exotic Cars,
Beach Volleyball, Midnight Night Club Hopper or your special South Beach idea
or event. Contact Howard at howard@neulaw.com for availability and
costs.

Later this week or next and before we all get distracted by
summer, I will tell you about our Keynote speaker. Somebody I would imagine you
never heard of before but what he has to share with you will enrich your life
and that of your families. You will work smarter and reap more rewards than you
might have otherwise. Simon will dazzle you and you will take away renewed! He
won’t sell us any extra tickets, and the critics will be using bull horns but
his words will be with you long after the show is over.

Sunday October 17^th

Noon Registration Opens

2PM Early Bird Networking. Make the most of your time and
meet folks early

4PM TRAFFIC Orientation. First time to TRAFFIC? We have a
special little gathering just for you to begin to meet some new folks and make
your days at TRAFFIC as rewarding as possible. We are much more than a
tradeshow.

6PM Sunday Night…..Opening cocktail party. The party that
launched an industry and opened the doors to many deals and long lasting friendships. Be the guest of Rick and
Howard as once again bring a life changing event to life.

Monday October 18^th

9AM Registration Opens

9AM-10AM Speed Networking TRAFFIC Style. You spoke, we
listened. Meet folks early and make the most of TRAFFIC. Prefer to sleep? Come
on, only a couple days of work to make a lifetime of difference. Get with the
program.

Monday, 10:00 am Brunch. The most lavish feast to celebrate
2 days ahead of hard work and opportunity. (No pigeons allowed)

10:45 Opening Remarks by Rick and Howard. After a year in
the background, Rick and Howard take the stage to tell you what they really
think and what has happened over the year and what will be happening in the
next year or two as they see it.

11:15 Keynote by Simon. When we had the Orlando show at
Disney we have been trying to find out where the hell they get the “Pixie
Dust”. Well Simon is a Disney Alumni who is going to share that with us. This
will be life changing for you. Mark my words. The domain business is not about
domains, it is about business. And business is about life. Listen to what Simon Says! I personally
guarantee you will walk away with a treasure that will last a lifetime.

12:15 – 12:30 Break

12:30 Presentation and discussion of an industry in
change. An all out informal and
frank discussion of what we have done right, what we have done wrong and where
to in the future as folks diversify into other avenues and parts of the
Internet. No panel, just an open forum where anything goes. We will review
sales for the year and see what trends are developing.

1:45-2:00 Coffee Break

2:00 Seminar. Where the hell are our developing partners?
Can you develop a website without developing a business? SEO or Spammers? Can
you tell the difference? Relevance, popularity or something else? Who can find,
get and keep the real traffic? Graphics, coding. Development of true businesses
with a cash register. How other successes will drive our sector. Mini sites or
mini goals? We don’t know all the answers, so let’s have at it. A live forum
where anything goes.

3:00 Is the Gold Rush beginning or ending? The impact of the
new gtld’s, IDN, and will .whatever be meaningful. When? How big an impact or none at all? Is the second coming
of .com hope, hype or the future? How much is result oriented and how much is
wishful thinking?

4:00 Greed, Corruption, wrong doing, what companies and
organizations have not been good industry stewards? At TRAFFIC we let it all
hang out and let the chips fall where they may. A no bars hold discussion on
Google, Yahoo, the registrars, PPC companies and all the rest. If the shoe
fits…..

5:00 TRAFFIC TEST TRACK

6:30-9:00PM Relax, enjoy the hotel and South Beach. The hotel is smack dab right in the middle of all the action.

9:00 The Famous
TRAFFIC Party at one of South Beach’s “Secret Spots” that just happens to be
WORLD famous! This IS South Beachat its' best. Sponsored by .CO

Tuesday October 19th

10:00 AM Awards Brunch and Elevator Pitches. For the 6^th
year in a row TRAFFIC will present the most coveted awards in the Domain
Industry in which the best of the best are recognized for their successes and
contributions. Your votes have been counted and tabulated and these are your
choices.

The awards will follow the 2 minute Elevator pitch. Have a
new service or product? It is a long standing tradition at TRAFFIC to help
introduce attendees to the newest solutions available. We provide the time and
platform because their success is our success collectively.

11:30 Free networking Schmooze with the exhibitors

12:30 Seminar….Anatomy of a Type in. Who is the person
typing in your domain and why are they doing it? Are they frustrated with the
results being served at threw search engines? Which came first, the chicken or
the egg? Our panel will get into the mind of the surfer.

1:30PM Seminar
Prospecting for End Users. Flip or hold? Which is the best strategy? Is
there a price point where domainers should no longer be buying unless they have
a plan for a business? Is the end user easier to find than you think?

2:30 Meeting of
the Chiefs. This event is always interesting. Heads of the industry will
discuss where we are and what the next 12 months are likely to look like and
why. We will discuss .whatever and the chances any will be more successful than
.mobi. PPC, Development, scandals. The most action packed, tell like it is, no
holds barred panel in the entire industry.

4:00 Get Ready to Rumble! The famous TRAFFIC AUCTION
conducted by Rick Latona Auctions. Drinks, food, lots of action.

9:00PM Farewell Party at one of the hottest clubs on South
Beach

Wednesday October 20th

9AM-10AM Safe travels breakfast. Get a quick but delicious
breakfast before you hit the road or start your day. A last chance to say some
goodbyes and reflect how great the week was. Another TRAFFIC under the belt.
See ya next year!

Morning Folks!!

A couple weeks ago I wrote about domainers buying pigeon shit and of course all the pigeons are still coming to terms with it. I am so sick of folks saying there are no more type in domains. BS! There are. There will always be and until you figure out things, you won't find them, but others will.

Funny thing........
The DAY I was writing about the FACT that there are still type-in domains for registration fee and PIGEONS and the naysayers of course don't believe it........I registered those domains below. They started getting traffic immediately. One I registered LAST NIGHT already has traffic. This may not be the best example as it may be time sensitive, but right now..........Out of 16 domains I registered on April 29, 11 already are making $$$ and the others are just a bit premature. So for the know nothings.....you still know nothing! But go right ahead and make a fool of yourself.
bpspill.com 255 visitors $12.55 earnings
oilspillingulf.com 132 visitors $11.80 earnings
gulfspill.com 165 and $14.95
bpoilspill.org 76 and $1.17
gulfoilleak.com 70 and $2.08
bpspill.com 244 and $12.55
bpspill.org 17 and .48
bpoilslick.com 1035 and $14.39
gulfcoastoilcleanup.com 15 and $3.99
gulfoilcleanup.com 40 and $6.33
gulfoilleak.com 72 and 2.08

bplivefeed.com 64 and .09 in first 36 hours
So the next time some MORON says there are no more type in domains, tell them the same thing I did in 1999. Tell them they are wrong, lazy, don't know what to look for and others will find them if you don't. Believe me, this is not too good a list. But it PROVES that there are still domains that can be hand registered and make $$$. But of course some MORON with a lot of pigeon shit will even challenge RESULTS! When that happens, I will just look at the post from the past 2 days and so will everyone else. That is my answer before you even ask. Don't argue against PROOF just to argue! Time to LEARN!

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning folks!!

First, just for the record, I have always made more money
and had better opportunity during
times like this than during good times. So the point of this post is to understand
what is coming so you can be ahead of the curve and not denying that a curve is
coming and then will likely crash when you don’t adjust to new conditions. Just
like in 1929, the year we remember will likely be 2009. That is what history
has taught us. But 1929 was the “Shock” just like 2008-2009. The true is that pain
takes a while to filter down and that is why the worst is what comes after the
initial crash. Life does not stop during a collapse. This post may help you
navigate this financial and economic storm.

Secondly, don’t believe the common wisdom. For example the
“Dollar”. We have been led to believe how weak the dollar is. How unstable it
is. How nobody wants dollars. The reality is that has never been further from
the truth. Just look at the banks. They are HOARDING dollars not giving them
away. People are hoarding dollars. So for 2 years we have been fooled. That will
change and EVENTUALLY people will want to get rid of their dollars, but not
yet. Prices went down because folks wanted those dollars. Needed those
dollars. Needed to pay bills. But
after you have a glut, then you have shortages and THEN you have inflation.
Inflation is what they hope will happen to save the day. THEN your dollars will
become worth LESS, not worthless.
There will be a POINT where you have old money, old dollars that took
years to earn combined with new dollars that may take minutes to earn. Point is
there is a TIME to turn those old dollars into assets before they become new
dollars worth a fraction of what they were. It is already happening. I see
products I use all the time that have now DOUBLED in price. Nobody is reporting
on this. They likely won’t until way after the fact. You need to be ahead in
this one no matter what currency you use. The Euro or the Dollar or whatever.
In a global economy things react different than 1929. And even if there is no
inflation, then prepare to be deflated as they take more and more of each $100
you make. When the $60, becomes $50, then $40, then $30. So either way, you
MUST prepare because we are likely getting one or the other or BOTH!

Now I know folks in the industry want me to be positive and
upbeat. I am. Very positive that we are years away from the end of this. I can
BS you into believing things will be great, but they will not. Last year I said
that Ron Jackson will report record domain sales. I was wrong. But not totally.
The only thing I was wrong on was I called it too soon. It will be this year.

Desperation is setting in. You can see it. When folks sell
domains for survival, that is not good. Sell domains to pay the registration
fees of the one they want to keep. That is not good. I can make a list of
dozens of reasons, but the biggest may just be the increase in capital gains
tax coming in 2011. A million dollar domain sale will cost you $50,000 more in
taxes than this year. Plus, as
some of these larger sales come to light, 2009 still is in contention. Marchex
sold $1.3 million worth of “non-strategic” (I love that spin and plan to use
it) domain names in the first 3
months of 2010. Most folks I know are weeding their collections and seeing
which domains don’t fit and can be sold to buy new more pertinent domains if
they are in good shape or out of sheer weakness because they need cash for
renewal fees if they are in a weak
state. That makes for an interesting market. There are some real gems out there
and it may be time to pay attention to that and less attention to pigeon
droppings at the drop houses.

What will hurt the domain business is far from our control.
Countries are defaulting. Unthinkable just months ago. But Iceland, Greece,
Spain, Portugal are all on the verge. Great Britain is a mess. China is about
to see an economic collapse as well. There is no running or hiding from what is
coming. The only thing you can do is prepare. How do you prepare? It will be
different for everyone. But paying
off your debt, including your mortgage should be #1 on your agenda. Having
months of money not in a bank may be the second thing. I know, most of you
believe we are already past the worst point. Well, I just don’t agree. Too many
factors at play. So much is uncontrollable and when uncontrollable happens, you
better be prepared. Sure, they
will bail out these countries. Sure the market will spike. Sure you can make a
lot of money. Sure this only
delays the inevitable.

As for what happened last Thursday. The one thing they can’t
say is the word “Panic.” They could put any other face on it but panic could be
the kiss of death. Thank goodness that GREED sometimes trumps PANIC! That may
have been what saved us. But maybe that is just a window into what is coming.
Could the unthinkable happen? The market may go up today, but a day does not
make a market. The overall outlook is not good no matter how everyone tries to
spin it.

Now the best thing that can happen is that I am wrong. But the numbers prove I am right. The direction proves I am right. The EVIDENCE proves I am right and soon the
REALITY will prove I am right. But I would much rather be wrong. I would much
rather whistle past the graveyard. I would much rather not like to see what I
see and have seen for quite some time. The next 6 months may be the most
volatile of our entire lifetimes and then who knows after that.

What happened to the GM commercial saying they paid back the
loan? It went bye bye because it was a lie. They paid themselves from other
loaned money. What a crock! The trickery that is going on today trumps anything
I have seen in my life. The books are no longer “Cooked” they are total fiction
and that will eventually explode. When? I don’t know. They have delayed it for
decades. But time is running out.

Now that does not mean you can’t make a FORTUNE right now.
Matter of fact, there has never been a better time to make fortunes. Money is
flying all over the place. That sounds like two conflicting statements but they
are not. This is what happens during times like this so you need to get your
share of what is on the table. Denial of reality will never make you money.
Understanding reality will make you a fortune. Stop chasing yesterdays’ fad and focus on what will unfold
in 1 year, 2 years, 5 years. I don’t know the exact moment this will all
happen, but when you have a 5 year horizon, you are likely to nail it. Just
assume we are playing “Musical Chairs” and make sure your are safe when the
music stops.

Life is measured by years. You have good years and not so
good years. Just make sure the years that are coming are your best years
because if they are not, they will likely be your worst.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning folks!!

First, just for the record, I have always made more money
and had better opportunity during
times like this than during good times. So the point of this post is to understand
what is coming so you can be ahead of the curve and not denying that a curve is
coming and then will likely crash when you don’t adjust to new conditions. Just
like in 1929, the year we remember will likely be 2009. That is what history
has taught us. But 1929 was the “Shock” just like 2008-2009. The true is that pain
takes a while to filter down and that is why the worst is what comes after the
initial crash. Life does not stop during a collapse. This post may help you
navigate this financial and economic storm.

Secondly, don’t believe the common wisdom. For example the
“Dollar”. We have been led to believe how weak the dollar is. How unstable it
is. How nobody wants dollars. The reality is that has never been further from
the truth. Just look at the banks. They are HORDING dollars not giving them
away. People are hording dollars. So for 2 years we have been fooled. That will
change and EVENTUALLY people will want to get rid of their dollars, but not
yet. Prices went down because folks wanted those dollars. Needed those
dollars. Needed to pay bills. But
after you have a glut, then you have shortages and THEN you have inflation.
Inflation is what they hope will happen to save the day. THEN your dollars will
become worth LESS, not worthless.
There will be a POINT where you have old money, old dollars that took
years to earn combined with new dollars that may take minutes to earn. Point is
there is a TIME to turn those old dollars into assets before they become new
dollars worth a fraction of what they were. It is already happening. I see
products I use all the time that have now DOUBLED in price. Nobody is reporting
on this. They likely won’t until way after the fact. You need to be ahead in
this one no matter what currency you use. The Euro or the Dollar or whatever.
In a global economy things react different than 1929. And even if there is no
inflation, then prepare to be deflated as they take more and more of each $100
you make. When the $60, becomes $50, then $40, then $30. So either way, you
MUST prepare because we are likely getting one or the other or BOTH!

Now I know folks in the industry want me to be positive and
upbeat. I am. Very positive that we are years away from the end of this. I can
BS you into believing things will be great, but they will not. Last year I said
that Ron Jackson will report record domain sales. I was wrong. But not totally.
The only thing I was wrong on was I called it too soon. It will be this year.

Desperation is setting in. You can see it. When folks sell
domains for survival, that is not good. Sell domains to pay the registration
fees of the one they want to keep. That is not good. I can make a list of
dozens of reasons, but the biggest may just be the increase in capital gains
tax coming in 2011. A million dollar domain sale will cost you $50,000 more in
taxes than this year. Plus, as
some of these larger sales come to light, 2009 still is in contention. Marchex
sold $1.3 million worth of “non-strategic” (I love that spin and plan to use
it) domain names in the first 3
months of 2010. Most folks I know are weeding their collections and seeing
which domains don’t fit and can be sold to buy new more pertinent domains if
they are in good shape or out of sheer weakness because they need cash for
renewal fees if they are in a weak
state. That makes for an interesting market. There are some real gems out there
and it may be time to pay attention to that and less attention to pigeon
droppings at the drop houses.

What will hurt the domain business is far from our control.
Countries are defaulting. Unthinkable just months ago. But Iceland, Greece,
Spain, Portugal are all on the verge. Great Britain is a mess. China is about
to see an economic collapse as well. There is no running or hiding from what is
coming. The only thing you can do is prepare. How do you prepare? It will be
different for everyone. But paying
off your debt, including your mortgage should be #1 on your agenda. Having
months of money not in a bank may be the second thing. I know, most of you
believe we are already past the worst point. Well, I just don’t agree. Too many
factors at play. So much is uncontrollable and when uncontrollable happens, you
better be prepared. Sure, they
will bail out these countries. Sure the market will spike. Sure you can make a
lot of money. Sure this only
delays the inevitable.

As for what happened last Thursday. The one thing they can’t
say is the word “Panic.” They could put any other face on it but panic could be
the kiss of death. Thank goodness that GREED sometimes trumps PANIC! That may
have been what saved us. But maybe that is just a window into what is coming.
Could the unthinkable happen? The market may go up today, but a day does not
make a market. The overall outlook is not good no matter how everyone tries to
spin it.

Now the best thing that can happen is that I am wrong. But the numbers prove I am right. The direction proves I am right. The EVIDENCE proves I am right and soon the
REALITY will prove I am right. But I would much rather be wrong. I would much
rather whistle past the graveyard. I would much rather not like to see what I
see and have seen for quite some time. The next 6 months may be the most
volatile of our entire lifetimes and then who knows after that.

What happened to the GM commercial saying they paid back the
loan? It went bye bye because it was a lie. They paid themselves from other
loaned money. What a crock! The trickery that is going on today trumps anything
I have seen in my life. The books are no longer “Cooked” they are total fiction
and that will eventually explode. When? I don’t know. They have delayed it for
decades. But time is running out.

Now that does not mean you can’t make a FORTUNE right now.
Matter of fact, there has never been a better time to make fortunes. Money is
flying all over the place. That sounds like two conflicting statements but they
are not. This is what happens during times like this so you need to get your
share of what is on the table. Denial of reality will never make you money.
Understanding reality will make you a fortune. Stop chasing yesterdays’ fad and focus on what will unfold
in 1 year, 2 years, 5 years. I don’t know the exact moment this will all
happen, but when you have a 5 year horizon, you are likely to nail it. Just
assume we are playing “Musical Chairs” and make sure your are safe when the
music stops.

Life is measured by years. You have good years and not so
good years. Just make sure the years that are coming are your best years
because if they are not, they will likely be your worst.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz

Morning Folks!!

I posted this over atTheDomainsand decided I need to post it here and perhaps expand on it a bit. I will get some folks upset. Not my intention. Just my absolute view of things. You are free to disagree. Most do. Nothing new or unexpected. So I can tell you what you want to hear or I can tell it the way I see it. Those that know me also know I have little choice other than to tell it the way I see it as opposed to blowing smoke up your ass. One has value and one does not.

Since 2007 I have bought only a handful of domains. Good ones were hard to find and overpriced considering the sales were to other domainers and not to end users. Some don't get the difference and the prices for the audience were just not in line with reality. But now times have changed. There is a bumper crop of really good domains at prices that are much lower than the previous period. Now don't get confused between overpriced domains and a falling market. The market is not falling, just realistic prices are in play and those prices continue to rise. A great domain will be a great domain and will outlive everyone reading this today. Crap will be crap forever and that is what motivates me to write. Lots of new blood off on the wrong track. The truth produces anger. I just believe everyone involved in domaining should make big money because it is laying there to be made. It saddens me when I hear folks are in trouble and they can't make ends meet. It is never too late to start over. It is never to late to get it right. Next time never happens so may as well do it today and make it this time. Forget about what you thought you knew yesterday. Per chance, you may have been wrong. Especially if you are not earning at least 6 figures from the jump in domaining. Don't blow your opportunity for another day. This really is your last best chance. Weakness and circumstance make great assets surface.

There are a lot of assets to invest in. Never has there been an asset priced so low that went up so fast and maintained that value. This opportunity in domains was open to every living and breathing person on earth and 99.9% missed it.

I have asked one question now for a decade. Can anyone name me an investment that was available to all and went up faster than domain names in value other than a lottery ticket??

Gold?? Took thousands of years to get to $1000 an ounce. Diamonds? Real Estate?

Like anything else, domains are a market. Markets go up and markets go down. But the foundation for premium dotcom domain names is more solid than any other single investment on planet earth.

I always qualify what I say with “Premium” and “dotcom”. I do admit that there is a significant amount of the industry that is tulip based. Means domains with no value are trading at prices that don’t justify it. But that happens in every sector. The domain industry is still very young and not yet matured. That takes time to fix. Only time can fix that. And it will.

But I go around all day looking where I can put cash to work. 1% or 2% at the bank ain’t gonna cut it. Real Estate is wonderful but it comes with taxes and maintenance. Not very portable. Gold? Very heavy. Hard to secure. Difficult to travel with. Stocks? I have made a small fortune in the stock market. But it is no longer for the long term. It’s a day casino at best. You can make lots of $$$. No question. But again, what do you do with those $$$ once you accumulate them? My answer for the last 15 years has been to buy great domain names and that seems to be more solid than anything I have ever been involved with. Just don’t buy garbage. I see investment quality domains laying around for $500, $1000, $2000 and I see domains with little or no value fetch much more. That’s what makes the world go round and the way I see it, domains and domaining have never been hotter. More shows, more auctions, more large companies getting larger. A guy could come into domaining today with a few thousand bucks and within a couple years time could be worth millions. Unfortunately for so many of the newer folks coming into the industry, they buy before they learn. Before they understand. Not knowing that the first domains you buy are THE most important domains. That sets your course and that is where most mistakes occur. A place where folks can't afford to make that mistake. That and not being patient. Not understanding that sometimes doing nothing will make you more money than doing something and screwing it up because of the need you feel and can't control. There are great values out there. There is a tremendous amount of shit out there. The prices are similar. Pigeons eat shit, eagles methodically swoop over their prey. Both are birds. Are all folks that call themselves 'Domainers' actually 'Domainers'? See, this is where I get in trouble. Because I can't help but to mention it in an effort for many to realize that it is the same effort, the same dollars, the same time to find great domains as opposed to crap. It's worth taking the time to learn. Learn the rules that worked 10 years ago still work today because those rules worked 20 years ago, 50 years ago, 100 years ago and they will work in 100 years from now.

In most business you buy something for $10 and sell it for $20, $30, maybe $50 or $100. Things have shelf lives and your job is to move it fast. Great domains are like fine wines, the longer you hold them, the better they get. It is an appreciating asset when you buy right and buy the right domain. An appreciating asset that can be expanded on, built on, developed. And done on your own time table at the right time as things unfold in reality and not calendar based. There are two types of domainers. Ones that hold assets and ones that hold liabilities. The asset class has only grown marginally in the past few years. However the liability class is growing faster and much more furiously.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz
PS: Here is yourstarting point of your new life. It's a compass. Don't ask how, it is all spelled out. Both of these posts should be linked everywhere. I leave this for last because MOST will never read this far. They are too busy rushing off to another failure.

Plus, here is a post from a DECADE ago.This post was dug up by Owen and posted today. 5/4/2010. It was originally posted by me in 1998.

Morning Folks!!

The days of going to a tradeshow for the parties are over.
What may have been in vogue in the past is no longer in fashion. The focus is business. Business
and Networking. Those focused on other extraneous events are just not in tune
with the times. That is why where a tradeshow is held is important. Business
during the day, hard business and then play hard at night. Often times you are
not sure where the show begins and the parties end. I think you need some
definition.

If you have not listened to Rick Latona’s interview with
Andrew Allerman, you should. The audio is a bit hard on the ears but the
content is solid. Rick answers one of the single biggest questions in the industry. Definitely worth a few minutes of your time.

One thing Rick mentions is that they called up their top 100
customers and asked them why they come to TRAFFIC. I think Rick was surprised
by the answer. Not me. It is what I have been saying all along. When he asked
the question he assumed “Parties” would be much higher on the chart. In a way he
is right. But in a minute I will explain what it is. First of all the #1 answer
by far was “Networking”. Parties were barely a mention even tho we have had
some legendary ones. But Like I said, that is no surprise to me as TRAFFIC
means business and always has. Now if you were to ask the same question at
other venues, the numbers would be different. So when you mix folks that come
for the parties with serious folks that are coming to do business, that my
friends is a distraction. Wasting time with folks that could care less about
other things. I am really happy that Rick Latona took the time and energy to do
that. Rick will tell you himself that he has learned things about TRAFFIC from the inside that surprised him. Good stuff. That allows him to build on our foundation and still stick to business.

I want to be 100%
inclusive, but I have always wanted to have as few distractions as possible.
When you bring great people together, great things happen. I have said that for
years and there is just no time for sideshows and drama.

Folks make up all types of stuff to fit their biases and agenda. The partnership we have with Latona is based on OUR VISION that we all share and to give me the time to do what I want in 2010 that I will be discussing in my next Blog post. None
of the folks that think they know so much was ever there privy to our
conversations however they speak like they know something. Ignorance in action. Price is no longer a barrier in coming to TRAFFIC. Invitations are no longer a barrier. The only barriers are the ones that are made up in the mind. Also known as EXCUSES.

So while Rick Latona is opening up TRAFFIC to more folks, I will still discourage folks
from coming that are not focused on business and furthering their careers and
the industry in general. TRAFFIC means Business and I think the industry is going to be delighted with the changes in Las Vegas and then delighted with our Florida show in October not to mention the International shows in between. Hong Kong to Vancouver with stops in Milan and Dublin. That is pretty damn exciting!

Last year I explained that during a recession businesses do one of two things. Either they pull back on the throttle because they are inexperienced, timid and scared and that puts them in jeopardy or they put the pedal to the metal and expand because that is what you do if you want to have success during hard times. So when you look back at 2009, how did you do? What did you do? Are you stronger or weaker? Are others that you work with stronger or weaker? Have you seen some that have fallen into my first category?

As you can see I took my own advice. Expansion to every corner of the world by TRAFFIC at the very least likely time. Full throttle baby! The ONLY way to navigate times like this. In my next post I will discuss other things that I have done and am doing. Candy.com was also a great success in 2009 but not even included in my equation or list of accomplishments. That was just a little bonus and sweet reward for work done YEARS ago. Now we all get to see what happens to a GREAT domain in the hands of a GREAT company that has a vision and the energy to fulfill that vision. And do it at the BOTTOM of the business cycle. These guys did not pull back either. They expanded. They expanded while others were scared and that will produce rewards greater than anything I can write. Just look at the big winners of 2009. They ALL expanded. And the losers? Well you can fill in those blanks with those that have pulled back and are now paying dearly for that decision. Yup, 2009 was tough. 2010 may be tougher in many respects. But let me be clear, that has nothing to do with making great fortunes. It is easier to make $$$ in times like this. Just have to know how it works and how to look at things. A prism is only a piece of glass until you hold it and look at it exactly right.

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz