The Domain Industry. The Industry that Doubts Itself.

Morning Folks!!


How can it be?? How does it happen? An industry of such strong willed folks that are also strong doubters in what they themselves do. It is so sad to see folks reacting in a short term manner in what is a life long marathon.


There is NO OTHER INDUSTRY ON EARTH with such a low bar to enter and how quickly you can change your destiny. But unfortunately most folks are clueless when it comes to what makes one domain have great value and one that will just rot until you drop.


Worse is when I see domains of GREAT VALUE being sold for chump change. So the opportunity is out there. But if you are not ARMED with the knowledge as to what makes one domain have GREAT value as opposed to doubling your money, then you will find the road difficult. If you don't understand sales and what motivates some to buy you will not understand domain names.


So you want an example? Fine. The other day somebody got a great bargain. Somebody bought a domain that was $2000 at Sedo and whether you agree or not is worth into the 6 figures. It's not worth 6 figures if he sells it tomorrow. It is worth 6 figures if he buys it to plant. It's worth 7 figures if he uses it for a business. It's not even a .com.


So opportunity in domains come in many wrappers and flavors. The problem is so many seeing the true potential value once the music stops and the .com domain inventory shrinks and shrinks and shrinks. See many are in a business of diminishing returns. A domain can only be bounced around domainers a few times until it either sits with the last domainer or is bought by the end user never to return to the market again.


So resellers will eventually have diminishing returns. Less inventory. Less quality. Less money. Less demand for less quality. A catch 22 and a peek at the future.


Of course their lifeboat is the new gTLD's. But there is a problem at the ranch. While this is great for resellers, the buyers are likely to have great disappointment in their projects. The end user is smart enough to figure things out even if others don't want him to. I blogged about one such case here on this blog not long ago. Others would be smart to heed the words of somebody traveling the actual path as opposed to thse that benefit from your ignrance and gullability.


But sure, if you don't see things clearly of course you have this self doubt. But it is the self doubt that is killing you and your business not the reality of just how much opportunity awaits you. And I say that regardless of the extension you focus on.


I saw this movie before. Many of you have as well. Around 2002 the folks looked almost the same way. One guy either forgot to listen to how bad things were or decided to capitalize on how bad things were. Somewhere along the way with less opportunity than today Franky was able to amass one of the world's greatest domain portfolios. This is likely the last time you will be able to get meaningful .com domain names at prices that are just cheap. But not because of the value of the property but the circumstance of the domainer.


When this wagon comes full circle I can guarantee that this period will DWARF that period. And that is why it is so sad for me to see not only domainers in doubt but teams and companies in doubt. There is no doubt when I look at the future and the horizon. There are only waves. But when you don't know a diamond from a piece of glass, THAT my friends is the only enemy out there.


So when a domain like Beep.me sells for $2000 that is a domain that has meaning and is brandable and marketable. Of course I will have a host of folks saying that they overpaid or some other such nonsense. But in fact they are clueless on their art.


And a disclaimer, I have no idea who bought it and did not even do a whois lookup. If it was an end user, they bought a nice future with a good idea. For a domainer, if he is a cat on a hot tin roof, he can flip it and make a nice months salary or hold on to it and walk away with 6 figures at some point not in the distant future.


And here is what I see. In the past years we have seen a host of electric cars come to market. They got lots of money and they advertised and got all types of publicity and all the rest. Well Fisker collapsed as their cars blew up. The Volt cost like $75,000 to make and they sell for $45,000 and they too blow up too. So even if you wanted one of these PIGS, would you REALLY park it in the garage at night with you, your wife and kids????? It was THE deciding factor for me.


Now gTLD's are not going to blow up anyones house but it may cause a business to blow up and collapse. But there may be a parallel. Because when it doesn't work, they all circle back to what they used before. In this case, gas. Yes, gas can blow your house up to but the incidents are rare and usually self inflicted. And when .crap blows up, then they all circle back to .com and THEN my friends is when you see the manifestation of a 20 year plan coming together. Values will necessarily skyrocket.


Not all gTLD's will be electric cars. But if enough gTLD's blow up....then what? They might hurt other gTLD's. That's what. So what you think may unfold is not what I seeing unfold. How many of these new extensions will PROVE to be electric cars that just blow up? NONE of us know that. But we do know it will be significant because we are already seeing evidence of it and we as domainers have seen this before.


The bottom line is for any extension or domain in that extension to have value it must be powerful, clear and unique before we even discuss other parameters. The right combinations WILL have great value. But the WHEN question is also part of that equation.


But who cares?? It ALL spells opportunity and domainers have opportunity all around them and MANY are walking around like zombies!! Snap out of it!! Wake up. You are in the epicenter of the most dynamic business on earth right now. Your self doubt is killing your business not the opportunities out there.


Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz


Related articles

Domainers are not Domainers Because they say they are.



It’s Noon and I am Already on Page 3 on Domaining.com!

High Noon Folks!!


The traffic for headlines on Domaining.com is gaining steam. Seems like in January there were a wave of New Year's Resolutions and blogs and blogging. The result, here it is noon and there are already bloggers poised to fall to the dreaded page 3 and 4 and maybe even 5 or 6 before it is all over. What does it look like this time next year?


The clutter is not just here and it is not just in domaining. If the Internet were physical you would be seeing more crains than you have ever seen on the net at one time. It's gonna get damn crowded and those folks will now be competeing more and more to the same folks. That's a potential problem that will likely benefit us before the ad war ends and the casulaties are declared.


The one I am looking at is the war between Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Sears, Pennys, etc. One or more of these companies are ether going to suffer a large setback and somebody is going bye-bye! I don't know which one. The weaker ones I think are about to get much weaker.


We are in a different period. The audience is growing online but not in the way or the form of the past even if more numbers are coming online. Much is because of the buying power the last BILLION folks getting online have as compared to the other billions. Hint. It will be less. Each billion before them had greater and wider buying power. That does not mean the first billion had the most buying power. That's a different equation. Could be further down the line.


The pool of searches may not grow as in the past. But the pool of folks trying to sell to those searchers are going to get to the ridiculous point. Millions all trying to be #1 on Google. 1st page on Google. That leaves 99.99% LOSERS.


Meanwhile back to Domaining.com and the countdown to burial on page 3 starts right now. :-)


All eyes on 1800 new gTLD's and the epicenter could turn out to be right here.


We are all such whores for whatever we are whoring. Domaining.com is the front line in our little pond. The whorehouse for domainers. (Francois, that's a compliment) My mind sees things just a little differently than normal folks!! lol


Point is, this space is heating up and this is just the start. Add 1800 gTLD's and we'll be on Page 3 before 6AM. It's coming folks!!!


I think we may have to write a song about it next! 'The way we were'?


Rick Schwartz


btw, ads on the left looks good and will draw more attention to the advertisers.


Domain Investors are a MINORITY in an Industry Turning into an Octopus.

Morning Folks!!


There is a HUGE problem in the domain industry and has NOTHING to do with the value of our assets. It's the FACT that as Domain Name Investors we have gone from the majority to a SMALL minority. They have more people working at GoDaddy.com than there are full time domain investors.


The number outside of the small investor circle is growing at a rate bigger than our entire community every few days or few weeks. That is the level of expansion we are gearing up to see.


The biggest enemy for domain investors is not the value of domains. It is not seeing and not understanding what is happening around us. The oxygen is in jeopardy of being sucked out if you are now keenly aware of what is taking place. If you don't understand the different sectors with different motives. What's worse, SOME don't play by the rules. They take a short cut. They LIE and CHEAT and FOOL to get ahead.


Just yesterday I went to a restaurant that was rated #1 and had rave reviews. Alina and I went to lunch there. The place was fine. No problems. Pretty strange menu. But ok. Just ok. I would be willing to BET that those reviews were PAID for. Paid for! Bullshit! Propaganda. Hook, line sinker. We took the bait.


So we are seeing that at every level. But in the domain industry if you don't see it, then your financial future is at stake. Just look at the 'Comment Whores' that are unknowns without a real name or email addy, spewing shit all over the blogs once anyone dare say anything not liked or are not wanted. Like barking dogs. Agenda driven drivel. But you are seeing some blogs like Elliot's that are rejecting that stuff and that's a good thing. Invisible voices, fake names and emails that are agenda driven and add nothing to the conversation should never see the light of day.


There are basically 3 groups of domain names. By far the biggest and most important are those used by businesses around the world to identify themselves, brand themselves, sell things and grow. That is the BASIS for VALUE to begin with that many forget about.


The next group is you and me. The domain investor. We have a limited audience with collective value that can't even be measured. Tens of Billions, Hundreds of billions. Who knows. The ONLY reason we exist is because of the first group. Without them, we would have sand in the desert!


Then we have the 3rd class or group. They are the masses trying to do anything in their power to duplicate something that is not duplicate-able in THIS medium. They want to repeat what group number 2 did. US. But they CAN'T because they don't have group #1. We do! They would almost have to invent their #1 all over again. Good luck with that. Should be complete about the time your children's grand kids get married.


Let me prove part of that. I got in at the tale end of the 800 number business. But even then their was a path to success. I was the very last guy to come in that industry before it basically collapsed. The LAST guy. But it taught me what was to come.


Many people made tens of millions of dollars with 800 numbers. Many. Hundreds. Not to mention the big companies like AT&T who invented the 800 number and the end user that sold many tens of millions in extra new sales because of the stigma associated in those days to spend $2 a minute on a long distance phone call.


The 888 number's came out. Sure there was new opportunity and many made millions. Not many. Some. Few. But the point is many more participated only to realize it was a smaller pie. Hello!!?? See what is coming now?? They came to a dying industry. Dying because if the Internet. Not because if a new extension.


There are anywhere from 350-1000 men and women that you could truly categorize as 'Domain Investors' on the entire planet. Then you could categorize those into several groups. But for this example, we don't have to.


How many will that number grow by with 1000 new gTLD's for example? Let's see it goes to 100,000 or even 1,000,000. The point of this equation is that the gtld's will have 1000 times as many participants as we all have now, splitting a pie that will never even be 10% the size of .com. That's a damn crowded pool!!


There will always be successes. But they will be fewer, wider and not as great. The pool just is not that deep. The crowds will make it even difficult to find clear water to dive into.


or


The pool will be deeper, bigger and EMPTY.


Either way.....


Just an equation that gives an answer years before the event. I would even like to be proven wrong because wrong means new opportunity. So just like 800 and 888 I don't see the threat. I just see an expansion. Expansion is not a threat even tho many react that way. 888 was never a threat to 800.


.TV, .ME, .whatever even in success will never be a threat to .com. NEVER in OUR lifetimes.


But behold, that is just one leg of this Octopus. A leg that will give birth to other legs. Thousands of legs from that one.


There is no way I could even write about the other legs of this octopus in just one blog post. Lots of legs to talk about. Registrars, PPC, Lead Gen, SEO, Social Media, Fake Social Media, aftermarkets, valuations. I think I might need a blog post just to identify all the tentacles.


But guess what?? None of this matters unless you are oblivious to what is happening. Unaware of the changes and motives and propaganda to make you weaker or even to doubt yourself.


So if you are at a point you are doubting yourself.....STOP! You are just falling victim to BULLSHIT! You are listening to all types of DRIVEL as folks STRUGGLE to keep their companies in business. Allied companies.


The only thing going on is folks are selling their souls to repeat what we did and are doing! If you are a domainer that thinks your domains will be less valuable in the future, YOU ARE A VICTIM! Hook, line and sinker. Spit out the bait you fool before it is too late and you swallow it.


Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz


ICANN Likely to Collapse?! Here’s My Take.

Morning Folks!!


I predict that ICANN will either not exist in the form it does now or will lose much of the power they have enjoyed and ABUSED before this decade is out and maybe even sooner than that. Many will say 'Who cares' and the rest will say 'It ain't ever gonna happen'. I beg to differ and here is why.

I have been writing online for 16 years now. I have said this now a few times. I have never had the occasion in my LIFE to use the word CLUSTERF*%K until ICANN. This organization as a whole is one big clusterf*%k. They have the system of clusterf*%king down 3 levels deep plus 3 generations of leadership. It is so screwed up that the only way to fix it is to dissolve ICANN, eliminate the past and current corruption noted as 'Conflict of Interest' repeatedly, and appoint a panel that will actually work for the public good instead of their OWN PERSONAL GOOD! That my friends is a DISGRACE! A violation of the power we entrusted them with.

Criminal activity? I can't say that at this point but if there were ever a true Congressional investigation (and that might happen someday), it certainly would not surprise me. What I can say is that the motives at work have nothing to do with the benefit to the public and if there were a Congressional investigation, heads would roll and possibly even worse because they have a culture there that paints a very ugly picture.

As just one example, the process that ICANN has put in place for the new gTLD's is so messed up that it will likely be 3-5 years before they actually roll out and possibly longer as they work through all the bombs they will have to deal with because of poor thought and planning. Negligence has penalties. They built this monster to put money in the ICANN coffers, but now they have to control this monster. What happens when it becomes OUT of control? Who will be responsible? It just may be that all roads lead right back to ICANN.

I am betting they won't be able to keep it under control and it will have to be dealt with in some major fashion. Yes, I know that I am crazy for thinking this can/will happen. But how do you unravel a clusterf*%k? How do you fix so many bad decisions that it can only lead to chaos? As it spins out of control what exactly happens? Who eventually fixes it? It seems physically impossible for the folks that brought 'Clusterf*%king' to the web to now fix what they built. The world depends on ICANN and ICANN is NOT DEPENDABLE!



This is really beginning to look like a road to nowhere and that is why I believe we will see massive changes before the end of this decade and could be much sooner.

As always, I like being on the record early on. Time tells all and that is what I see in time. Odds are way against me on this one. But they still have to deal with the clusterf*%k and conflicts of interest and they have the eyes of the world watching.

Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz


UPDATE:


I always say 'Timing is everything'. I wrote this post last week and have been waiting to publish it. I have no substantiation in this article as you see. No links, no evidence. Just some gut feelings from watching from the bleachers. But then I find this post at DomainIncite.com last night by Kevin Murphy. I think he provides more than ample substantiation of why it is I have these thoughts and reinforce what I see likely to happen in time.

The Experimental Domain Sale. A Dose of Reality. My NNN Domains For Sale.

Morning Folks!!


While all the bloggers are tripping all over themselves this morning posting the new gTLD's, let's deal with REALITY. The lessons already learned.


We all know that NNN.COM are always in demand and prices can go to 6 figures or more. Most sell for between $25,000-$50,000. But what is the value of the .CO equilalent? I don't know, let's find out.


This is something I have not done before but I always deal with reality. So I want to sell the following NNN.co domains. I would prefer to sell the entire lot to one entity.


Let the bidding begin! (Maybe)























































































































































































































































































254.co

264.co

274.co

284.co

302.co

340.co

341.co

342.co

346.co

347.co

349.co

354.co

364.co

374.co

384.co

394.co

402.co

403.co

405.co

407.co

408.co

410.co

412.co

417.co

421.co

429.co

430.co

436.co

437.co

439.co

441.co

446.co

447.co

449.co

452.co

453.co

454.co

460.co

461.co

462.co

463.co

467.co

470.co

472.co

473.co

474.co

475.co

476.co

478.co

481.co

482.co

483.co

485.co

487.co

489.co

490.co

491.co

492.co

493.co

494.co

495.co

496.co

497.co

498.co

614.co

624.co

641.co

643.co

644.co

704.co

705.co

706.co

709.co

714.co

734.co

736.co

740.co

741.co

742.co

743.co

744.co

746.co

748.co

749.co

754.co

764.co

794.co

796.co

804.co

964.co

984.co
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Reveal of the”Big Dud”. Need, Want, Desire = Sales. No Need, No want, No Desire.

Morning Folks!!


One of my favorite lines I use when people press me for answers I don’t know is “It will reveal itself.” Which to means be patient and as things unfold, the answers will reveal themselves. So today we have the “Big Reveal”.


I want to wish all applicants good luck in their journey of new gTLD’s. When I speak out I speak out through the eyes of an end user and as a domain name investor. I have dabbled in many extensions other than .com and I guess that is why I am so opinionated. When you have excess dollars you are always looking where you can put those dollars and maybe hit big. It is not often there is even that type of opportunity even in a world full of opportunity.


High stakes poker is what we are about to see. Some in it only for the game itself. They may be the smartest ones. In and out before it begins. But then again many will really want their new gTLD and may not have enough money to secure it. That is where we as domainers may have an opportunity to fund one of those.


I have heard dozens and dozens of new extensions. But none have really lit my fire yet. I define exciting as need, want and desire from an end user and right now I don’t see that demand. So it has to be created. That may or may not happen and we are going to have a lot of barkers out there. It is going to be a carnival. T.R.A.F.F.I.C. won't have enough booths for all of them! (But we will expand to accomodate)


My position is clear. But as I do each day when new info comes in, I reconsider and see if anything changes. Today will be interesting as we go through the lists to see if any or how many may meet the threshold of interest. I am hoping that something changes my mind.


I will pay more attention to domainer plays than those of others because I think domainers have a leg up into what might work. The 1 in 1000 that changes everything. Is it out there? I DON’T KNOW. I don’t think so. Based on history probably not, but we will see and an open mind is key to any success in business.


I think the race will soon be on and elbows will be flying. Is this the NBA? Could it get nasty? Intense? It may. Stay tuned. In the next 1-2 years we are going to see a barrage of advertising and positioning and collapse. We are about to witness a free for all the likes of which we have never seen before and it won’t be up to domainers if these new extensions can find a big enough audience to be effective and meaningful and will it take years or decades to accomplish.


All the new extensions just prop up .com to an even more powerful position in the world. Expansion never hurt Times Square! Sometimes standing on the sidelines at the start of something is a good strategy. May 18th for example. Facebook.


Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

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Nothing to Fear other than our Own Shadows and Stupidity!

Morning Folks!!


There is FEAR in the domain Industry. That is the only word that can describe what I see. But it is unfounded fear the way I view the universe. Fear created by others because they WANT what you have.


Fear of a “Shadow” that can never duplicate a phenomenon even though they will try. They still talk about the Hula-Hoop. That was SIXTY years ago and they are stil looking for the second coming. Problem is the second coming did not look like a hula-hoop. It looked like a ”Pet Rock”.


For the last 2 years I have said during this economic turmoil that Ron Jackson would get on stage at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. and report a record setting year of domain sales. I have been WRONG both times. But I believe in just 3 weeks I am finally about to be right. My timing was off, but the event unfolded as seen. Record setting domain sales in a tough environment.


Quite interesting to see fortune 500 companies buying WAVES of domain names just at a time where so many domainers are giving up. Are you folks CRAZY??


Pete Rose was great because he ever gave up. And by never giving up he squeezed another 10% out of himself each and every time. That 10% extra effort would result in a 50% success rate. Point is MOST give up just before the finish line. Too bad for them. They had victory within their reach and FEAR of failure made them give in. Passion lost out to fear. Persistence lost out to fear. The ONLY thing to fear is not giving it 110% each and every time. That is the only failure to fear.


How do you describe something not visible to the naked eye? An event about to unfold? Some see ghosts and I see opportunity. Some see shadows and get driven by fear.


Some are worried about the new gTLD’s. I still only see opportunity. Whatever downside that can happen is nothing more than the tide coming in and going out. Inhaling and exhaling. I just see much more upside than downside.


But, that is what makes a “Market”. That is why they have 57 flavors of ice cream. That is why markets go up and down. As businesses you job is not only to “Whither” the storm, but it is to “Thrive” during the storm or directly after the storm.


Don’t believe how things will unfold? Tell me that in 4 years from today. Can you survive for another 4 years? Steady as she goes. Fear makes bargains. There are bargains out there. There are deals out there. There are terms out there because there is more “Circumstance” out there than in most of our lifetimes.


Point is it is times like THIS that fortunes are made. The worst times provide the largest opportunity. My suggestion to those core domainers is to be in a strong cash position so you can buy FEAR! So you buy the unknown at a deep discount. Fear is driving the market when really nothing has changed. The power of your knowledge will more than offet anything the future can throw at you. These are the best of times because there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.


Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz

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Register(.)com and .Site Team up for UNETHICAL Account Stuffing!! I Don’t want your .CRAP in MY Account!!


Afternoon Folks!!



I received this email this morning and it is DESPERATE, UNETHICAL and DISGUSTING!! But it's not the first time this .CRAP model has been used to PUMP and DUMP! To inflate registration numbers just to fool and mislead domain investors and the public!!





This is one of the biggest gTLD models, STUFFING accounts with Domains nobody asked for or ordered! I have to act not to get it stuffed in my account??!! I have to opt-out?? BULLSHIT!!



Many companies will be fooled into paying renewals for years! That's a SCAM in MY BOOK! A TOTAL SCAM BY THESE COMPANIES!!



That's the gTLD world for you. Based on LIES, FAKE REGISTRATIONS, ACCOUNT STUFFING AND DECEIT. They have prayed on innocent companies hoping they don't notice this CRAP! CRAP! CRAP!!



Rick Schwartz


DomainKing’s 10 Step Guide to Selling Domain Names!




Morning Folks!!



Sales are about Buying. Buy shit, get shit. People lose the sale at the beginning. Buying is the start. They lose the sale by what they say. SO STOP TALKING!! SHUT-UP!! Knowing WHEN to SHUT-UP is the #1 key to sales.



Some people teach the world to sing. I want to teach domainers how to sell. Not only how to sell, how to extract maximum value for your assets. YOUR job is to appraise. YOUR job is to believe. YOUR job is to compare & show the value. YOUR job is to be strong. YOUR job. DO IT!



Here are my 10 steps to be a better salesperson.



Lesson 1: If you give a price, YOU LOSE!! Ask a question don't give a price.



Lesson 2: If you give a counter-offer just because they made an offer, YOU LOSE!! You only give a counter-offer when they give you an offer inside your realm of value. Other than that, NO WAY!! They can keep making offers. NEVER counter until they are in the realm. If you have a $1 Million home and someone offers you $75,000, you don't counter. Not at $100k, not at $500k. Not at $750k. You counter when you get a TRULY BONA-FIDE offer! PERIOD! Or YOU LOSE! Why dance to their tune?? YOU set the parameters!



Lesson 3: Don’t negotiate. That’s when you turn it into a conversation. Ask a question. Ask another question. Probe. Discuss. Tell them your own profitable plans. You did buy the domain for a reason. Right?? If not, you are not buying the right names. I buy focus on domains I have an idea for and I can build a future if that was the only name I owned.



Lesson 4: Don't do REASONABLE, Don't do CURIOUS. How to handle "Curious" inquiries "I am curious about the price" 2 responses: 1. Toss it 2. Ask "Why?" That's your opportunity to get info w/o wasting your time. "Reasonable" IS a total waste of time and usually another domainer. If you are selling to other domainers, you are far from getting maximum value. Actually, you are getting minimum value. Reasonable is for losers!



Lesson 5: Don’t wet your pants. So you got an inquiry. Big deal. Don’t get too excited. Don’t jump up and down, calm down. Now is the moment to do the research on your own domain names to find the current value. I'm not going to tell you how to do that. Figure it out! A domain's value can go from Zilch to millions with new products, news, or events. Pre-pricing domains are not the best approach. The day smart glasses came to be in the news, I snapped up smartglasses.com for $3500. I rest my case.



Lesson 6: Don’t be sucked in by BS and shiny object chasers. Let an email marinate!! You don’t need/want a “Hot” lead. You want a strong one! Strong ones don’t lose interest in 24hrs Weak ones do! When you waste time w/ weak, you lose time & opportunity.



Lesson 7. A Domains value is Fluid. Do the research at the time of inquiry. Put your own value on it and stick to it. Assign a value worthy of the domain name. Don’t price it out $1200 cuz the mortgage is due. Want to be a millionaire? Think/act like one.



Lesson 8: Sales is about buying. Buy shit, get shit. Most success or failure happens at the beginning. The end is simply when you find out about it but don’t necessarily figure it out. So the beginning of a sale is the purchase of the domain name itself. Choose wisely. Stop buying crap. If you buy crap, what the hell do you expect?



Lesson #9 Invest in dotcom. You invest in dotcom, you gamble (and lose) on .whatever. Stop reinventing the wheel. Stop spitting in the wind. Start smarter. The internet starts and ends with .com domains so give up the .crap and you will live well.



"You build nightmares on gTLD Domains But there's a solution... When you wake up from the nightmare, the dream is just a dot-Com away!"™ -Rick Schwartz



Lesson 10 Domain Names that are easy to spell are easier to sell. Spelling test = Can an 8th grader spell it right? Radio test = Are there multiple ways to spell or even hear wrong? Hair/Hear/Here Must be easy to remember & pass on (word of mouth advertising is key)



In Review: Part1 Lesson 1: If you give a price, YOU LOSE!! Lesson 2: If you give a counter-offer just cuz they made an offer, YOU LOSE!! Lesson 3: Don’t negotiate. That’s when you turn it into a conversation.



In Review Part 2 Lesson 4: Don't do REASONABLE, Don't do CURIOUS Lesson 5: Don’t wet your pants. Lesson 6: Don’t be sucked in by BS and shiny object chasers.



In review Part 3 Lesson 7: Value of domains is fluid. Stick to your value! Lesson 8: Sales is about buying. Buy shit, get shit! Lesson 9: Invest in dotcom. Invest in dotcom, you gamble (and lose) on .whatever. Lesson 10 Easy to spell means easy to sell.



Remember one thing, you are selling a unique asset. Act like it!



All business people need to be good in sales. Sales takes talent and you get that by practice and rehearsing. Saying the right things. Knowing when to SHUT THE F*ck up! Sales is about LISTENING not TALKING. Listen CAREFULLY. Know what to answer, know what to ignore, know what to look for, know how to answer.



Stop leaving your family's future on the table or putting your future into the pocket of others. Learn to sell. Learn to create value. Learn to be tough, not desperate. If you want to be a millionaire, you MUST think like one, act like one, and make decisions like one! This is your roadmap. GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!



Rick Schwartz






Reflections of the Past, Applied to the Future. Asheville, the New Delray!


Morning Folks!!



So when I found the 2004 picture of me in front of the Grove Park Inn yesterday I started to reflect on the similarities and differences between TRAFFIC 2004 and the Asheville Meetup. Let me share some thoughts with you.



For one thing, I had never produced a trade show before nor had I ever been on stage in front of people of which I was terrified. I never fed 135 people 3 or 4 meals each or put a menu together. I never did a host of things that now I have done 28 times. But I always rise to the occasion no matter what it is in life. I even surprise and impress myself sometimes.



TRAFFIC 2004-2007 were sensational events by all accounts. The success of TRAFFIC had a very specific recipe and to be honest, it was lost when the interests of domain investors took a back seat to the needs of sponsors and others. My original recipe was no more.



In 2014 it was time to get out of the way of the GTLD trainwreck. Sometimes it just makes sense to sit it out. Get out of harm's way and allow the dust to settle. Once the dust settles, and folks are clear-eyed once again, the original need want and desire remain and come back with a fury. Meanwhile, there is nobody in the industry on the record like I am when it comes to gTLDs.. Literally, HUNDREDS of posts articulating and exposing the pitfalls. They poisoned a thriving industry and NOW it's time to recover!



TRAFFIC 2004 was unique because it brought so many people together for the first time face to face. Before that, we had interacted on "Ricks Board" for 4 years since 2000. Relationships that were forged 15-20 years ago have endured the test of time. The trail never changed, I just had to sit and wait 5 years for a failure that should have been recognized in 5 minutes!



I have created intersections that have been life-changing. Bringing people together that have something in common and would have never met without bending destiny just a tiny little bit. That's the way I give back. It's the way I change people's life. Many that I have never met nor will I ever meet. But I have some street cred after 20 some years of consistency.



What's different now is the fact that besides knowing each other over a long period of time we are now armed with so much more knowledge and understanding. The universe itself has changed so much. They have gotten so much more sophisticated as well.



My recipe always included slowing things down. Take folks out of their everyday frenzy of activities, calls, and appointments and allow very smart and very creative people do what they do best. Be smart and creative with each other and at the same time receiving an energy transfusion that lasts a very long time. It reinforces our belief in ourselves and our assets.



When you come back and taste the original recipe and the show done for the original reason you will know in the first moments that it's like coming home to have your favorite dish and how mouth-watering delicious it is.



This time we are a self-funded, not for profit get together that is going to provide something special, fun and unique and still do 3 days of business and have a group of high power players without the noise. As a soloist, I don't need to make a profit or make a living from a show. My personal motives are different. I need to accelerate the future. Especially after a horrible 5 year detour.



This idea I had 15-20 years ago was shared for the first time on February 8th. I ran it by Berkens on the 7th. Told him about my dream and my idea. Host hotel contacted and had signed the contract on February 21st. The first business day was just last Monday the 25th. On Tuesday the 26th we exhausted the first block of rooms I contracted for and added more. Thanks for the confidence. It means alot.



So at this point, we have more actual domain investors paid and registered than came to either of the last 2 TRAFFIC shows. Mostly high-level investors. A number of them with great portfolios but have never been to any show. It's their TRAFFIC 2004 for sure. And that is in just 4 days for an event 5 months away. WOW!



As I posted early on if it were just Berkens, Messer and Schwartz it would have been a great time. But to be joined now with dozens of other truly professional domain investors and many more to come is going to be so much better.



When I tossed out a number to Berkens early on he asked how many domainers coming would be good and what you hope to expect. I said 18-36. But when I posted the idea and folks were excited about it, I signed the contract based on 60 attendees.



We will likely blow past 60 and am now planning for 130. Once we sell 130 tickets, I will close registration, and I will crunch some numbers. There are 60 tickets at $295, and there are 70 tickets at $395. I want everyone there for $295. But I am planning and financing this a long way in advance, and you still need to have a reason and sense of urgency to sign up.



https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1st-annual-asheville-professional-domain-investors-meetup-family-outing-registration-57272887749?aff=affiliate1



That brings me to the next thing. Once you register, getting your hotel room is very important. This is the first week of August and easily their single busiest week of the year. This little town and great digs are going to redefine "Vibrant" for you. But please make your reservations now! The hotel does not mind waiting and getting another $200/night more per room. They know from experience that they will be sold out.



Rooms are still $349 but I expect the next round of rooms to be raised to $399 which is still much less than the lowest rate of $479 I can find right now. As we get closer to the summer, I would expect rates to be between $599-$699 until they sell out. If you get an error message, it means the second block of rooms have been sold out. Please drop me a line if that happens.



https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park/meetings/1st-annual-domain-investors-08012019



Also, airlines. The 2 major hubs other than some direct flights to Asheville are Atlanta and Charlotte. It is best to fly in early in the day if possible. Summer can get backed up in the afternoon plus pm thunderstorms and I don't want anyone to miss the incredible opening cocktail party that is going to mark the start of a new era in domain investing. Come in a day early but don't miss it!



As I announced on Twitter, the Ghost tour has been booked, and our guide is no slouch. We are going to have the one and only Christian MacLeod! He is a pro-paranormal investigator who has been in the NYTimes, on Coast to Coast AM national radio, ABC news affiliate, etc; and, he is the current Master of the Masonic Lodge.





Fabulous.com/Directnic.com have stepped up to sponsor the Friday lunch. Thanks, guys! Could not have picked a better Inaguaral sponsor! Going back to the future!



I do have a few openings for other things like tours or busses, a possible breakfast, but I think it is essential to be selective given what I have learned. While attendance is open, sponsorships are going to be restricted. And to answer your burning question, the answer is "No." No, this event will have no gTLD sponsors. They are welcome to attend, but sponsorships would be like me selling out at this stage and at this time.



Looking into the future! Want to see what I see?


All I can say is this is a labor of love. I do what I do in the months before the event and then get out of the way once the show starts. It's your show. As I started before the show came to fruition, I don't even want to touch the money. I will finance and fund it, I will organize it, I will guarantee the contract, I will do all the grunt work. But I don't want to make a business of it. Using Eventbrite helps me do that. I elected not to get a check from them until after the event is over. That keeps the bookkeeping much simpler.



If anyone has any dietary restrictions, please let me know, and I will make arrangements. That said, come hungry because there is some delicious food coming your way.



When you take a detour and, you end up in the wrong place, in my world, you go back to the starting point and try a different path. In this case, a tried and true path that works. So we will take out the noise, take out the gTLD's, take out their sponsorships and get back to the BUSINESS of domain name investing!!!



Rick Schwartz