Heading to DomainFest 2010

Well, just about got all my task list checked off (translation: honey do list) before I leave tomorrow morning to head out to LA for DomainFest 2010. I am looking forward to the networking at the event. After spending a good portion of my time at trade events in my past life this is the first pure domaining trade event I will be attending.

There are some great sessions I look forward to at the event but I tend to enjoy meeting people and networking as much as learning at these type of things, although I have got to speak and meet on the phone many people I will likely spend sometime with there the real value is in the new relationships that get built.

I also look forward to meeting up with the Southern California Domainers Group as well, they have done a great job getting organized. Once you get a group all headed in the same direction it is amazing what energy can come from that and then everyone becomes more successful.

If you are going to be at the event and would like to meet at some point shoot me a message, would love to say thanks to anyone that happens to read my little blog.

One Word, Thanks!

As anyone who follows me on Twitter knows, I really was having a hard time coming up with a blog topic today after the attention my post yesterday got. I must say when I wrote the post yesterday I knew it would cause a stir but really had no idea how much. I received so many emails and phone calls today it was crazy.

Since I actually took on domaining as a whole and the attitude a lot of people have towards our potential customers I was afraid there would be a ton of backlash and any goodwill I have built up for whatever reason would of disappeared immediately. Instead I am really amazed at the positive response.

This tells me something, and I think it is something that we could all feel for sometime, there is something happening now that is a bit different in this domain industry, people are starting to understand that they have to find ways to be creative to get their domain business growing, whether it be development of their key assets, getting out and speaking, or whatever else it may be, people are thinking different.

They may not have one word category killer domains but if they focus on quality names and not bad names there is still a chance, it is just done differently now.

In many cases people are afraid to put a bit of a controversial viewpoint out there because it is out there forever these days for all to see. I just wanted to say what I think alot of people were thinking. People called me crazy (actually bat **** crazy, thanks Andrew) but really what is wrong with someone voicing what they think other people are thinking but did not have a place to say it.

My post was not pointed at any individual domainer or industry leader. My post was really pointed at two general industry issues that maybe should of been put in two posts in hindsight (20/20 huh).

They were:

1) The continued general comments from domainers who like to say that end users are stupid since they just do not buy their names.

2) The fact there is no industry group that is focused on promoting the marketing of the domain industry as a whole to the masses of business owners.

So, all that said, Thanks to all those who commented on the post, thanks to Rick Schwartz and David Castello for commenting. For me it is a major compliment to have them take the time out to read what I put out.

I know they may not of agreed with everything I said but too me it is always great to have all perspectives represented.

After Thanksgiving is behind us I plan on doing a post to outline some steps I think we could take to at least start the marathon process of getting our value proposition to the masses. Who is running with me???

If you have not read the post take a look here: Domain Industry Problem