WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM DOMAINER GOSSIP?
April 23rd, 2008 Posted in General Domain News
This isn’t an expose on the leaders of domain industry news, nor on myself or any of my fellow domain bloggers. This is just a little “note” for domainers who want to learn the business quickly and find their profit goals without encountering despair. Maybe this little blog message can sail across the bows of all domainers (including the domain juggernaut companies) to remind them of our collective goal: Promote domains.
A popular band once sung these words:
“Fearing not I’d become my enemy
In the instant that I preach”
(I won’t make it easy to let you know who wrote it and all who sang it… domaining is about research)
Many times in my writings I should have followed this sage advice, but failed for one reason or another. My mom blames it on the Welsh blood mixed in with the Swedish, Scottish and German heritage that makes me who I am. I get to blame it on genes. I don’t know how that works. Anyway, my advice to all beginning domainers is to be careful of letting your emotions get the better of you in dealing with the intricacies and the many characters who comprise this business.
I can tell you that most of the top domain news bloggers and websites are spot-on honest, knowledgeable and helpful, even though it doesn’t always serve their interests. (The sites featured on my blogroll to the right are the best, based on my experience over the last several years. Feel free to contact me with your domain blog or newsite for possible addition to my blogroll).
What I’ve found in this burgeoning industry of online real estate is that many of us can say negative things about someone in the heat of the moment, and still hoist a mug of beer together with them a few weeks later. This is what makes the domain industry so attractive to people with insight, creative instincts, intelligence and vision. I haven’t seen more than two or three rivalries between the big dog players and even lesser players last for more than a few months. Usually, those rivalries end up making both parties a lot of money (you guys know who you are).
The main point for all of us domainers to focus on is that the success of our competitors will most likely lead to success of our own companies. Working together, promoting our goals together, accepting the oddball personalities (*ahem*) and the pompous and overly ambitious people who make up this business is a good path to follow, because we all need everyone to help us succeed. There are no “elite”. There are no “special groups”. There is no “noise”. There is just “us”. How many geniuses in our civilization’s growth were looked at as imbeciles and “ne’er do wells”? Most of them. Same applies to the domain business.
The domain industry stretches across the globe, and the players all carry forward a thousand different ideas and goals to promote the incredible value of domain names.
My wish is that everyone understands this concept and works hard to accept this theme: “Say your piece, forgive, forget, skol, shake hands, and promote domains.”
Peace
6 Responses to “WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM DOMAINER GOSSIP?”
By damir on Apr 23, 2008
The main point for all of us domainers to focus on is that the success of our competitors will most likely lead to success of our own companies. - Nice post
++++STEPHEN DOUGLAS SEZ+++++
Thank you. In a new business technology (I like to look at domains as being a new “marketing technology”), those invested in the business must understand that as long as domains have not been accepted as the ultimate power in online marketing, we all need to work to establish that goal, and “friendly” competition drives this force.
By SEYI on Apr 23, 2008
Thanks for your words of wisdom. Hopefully everybody could learn one or more things from your advice.
++++STEPHEN DOUGLAS SEZ+++++
Hope is a good word to help others reach for. Thank you!
By Kelly Lieberman on Apr 23, 2008
If ever there was a post that was dead-on for not only domaining, but just about every other topic that I have encountered in the 4 hours that I have been awake this morning - this is it!
After reading another cryptic post yesterday from a fellow that I consider a ‘creative genius’ about the future of domaining I almost felt like throwing my hands in the air and saying “Ok, I give up already”.
Then I realized, that I too am a ‘creative genius’! While I am new to the domaining world, I have made impressive contributions in many other areas of commerce.
I am not going to buy in to his current brand of “the sky is falling” mentality. I will make my mark in this business as others will through trial and error and we will adapt and grow and change as this business demands it.
There will always be ways to make money in this economy and in this business as long as we are adaptable.
You are right, let’s not shoot ourselves in the foot by talking negatively about the business and don’t let anybody shoot your own foot for you!
++++STEPHEN DOUGLAS SEZ+++++
Thanks Kelly… I understand exactly what you mean, and the longer you’re in this business, the more you will experience success in blazing new trails you believe in, and have honestly taken the time to explore, test, and implement. Always be ready to “adapt”, as you put it so well, within your own ideas as necessity warrants it. Good luck!
By Daniel Dryzek on Apr 24, 2008
Very good post indeed
I have very similar feeling that we should focus on doing our job best rather than arguing with each other (in negative sense). Best regards from sunny Warsaw! It’s almost 20°C - summer is coming to town 
++++STEPHEN DOUGLAS SEZ+++++
Thanks Dan. Nice to hear from Warsaw, and that it’s sunny there!
By jeff schneider on Apr 27, 2008
Wow
Timing is everything. I am usually a very supportive and positive person, that is till I got on a domain forum. I found myself with opinions that were not being respected by other forum members who would gang up on you if they did not agree.
I found the energy of the forum was catchy, and I became antagonistic out of defense of my right to my opinions. The more I was attacked the more I attacked. It finally ended in a huge blow out, to my relief. Now I can get on the bright side of things again. I am now very leery of any forums.
++++STEPHEN DOUGLAS SEZ+++++
Wow Jeff, welcome to the club. And that club is a lot bigger than the amount of regular forum users.
There are a certain crowd of domainers and pseudo-domainers whose claim to fame is that they make thousands of posts, and feel pretty ingrained into the forum systems, accomplished by kissing moderators and admin asses, just to stay “comfortable”. Mostly because they have given nothing in the way of domain sales or domain innovation to offer, they have thousands of posts under their name because they either 1) make fun of some newbie or other member trying to sell a domain or make a point, and 2) try to sell their own crappy domains.
If you take the name of any top domainer in this industry, and check how many posts they’ve made in the last three years on ANY domain forum, it probably won’t be more than 500, most likely even less. Now that’s not to brand all domain forum members with over 3000 posts as losers just passing the time away feeling important because they suck the doorknobs of the forum admins and moderators… That’s not true at all in the global sense. However, trust me, there are LOTS of members who feel they’ve achieved greatness because they’ve established themselves on a forum and it gives them a sense of nerdish power they never had before. This clouds their thinking.
The game of a forum is to STIR THINGS UP. Create issues, make people think, get them angry or interested, make them defend their opinions and to do it with logic, facts, and hopefully wit. Most can’t reach that level of response, and start labeling you as a loser who is going into “Jude 2″ mode, or attack you personally, blah blah. Not coincidentally, these negative posts are allowed to simmer in your threads. Then all the noobie forum members join in attacking you because they base their opinions on POST AMOUNTS of the members (and thinking this recognition power makes the forum member look established and strong) making their comments towards you. Hence, you get a lot of posts belittling your ideas in your posts, and hoisting you up to kick around so they all get boners about how powerful they are (based on the sheep member responses). Meanwhile, 98% of them have made less than $5,000 in domain aftermarket sales and have NO INPUT whatsoever in making contributions to the furthering of domain marketing. A higher percentage of them are not a member of any domain industry organization such as DNOA or ICA.
So, I take my flame posts in stride. I like a lot of the people I argue with, i just separate their statements from the person so I don’t make it personal. Unfortunately, some of them can’t do this and hate my guts. They don’t even know me but they attack me personally. I’m a nice guy and I have the network of REAL domainers to prove it! I respect people who are accomplished and good people, even if they have wrong ideas about domaining. We keep the arguments professional, creating a good thread of “point and counterpoint.” Those who are personally attacking me (or anyone), have nothing else to offer domainers but their anonyminity.
The best forums to get professional advice and are hosted by great admins are DNforum.com and Namepros.com.
Jeff, remember this… if you have an idea that someone hates, and a group of people attack you personally for your statements (as long as you aren’t being abrasive) consider the source. And you can always mark their posts for complaint and review by a moderator. I rarely do that, unless I see a blatant personal attack beyond proper decor.
Thanks for your post… and never be “cowed” or afraid to state your opinions, even when they are controversial. That’s what forums are for, if it’s a real forum.
By jeff schneider on Apr 28, 2008
Stephen,
As I read your response, I was chuckling inside. It is obvious you are a creative thinker, and more than likely experienced the mob mentality, that can be present in the forum format. Creative people down through history have been criticized and even murdered.
I find that I learn far more from an open formatted Blog, than a forum. In the forum format many people are afraid to say what they believe is the truth. In my opinion Blogs are better, if you want to learn the truth. Thanks for your candid and honest reply.
++++STEPHEN DOUGLAS SEZ+++++
I feel your pain, and glad to have given some hope to you to continue discussing your ideas and opinions, no matter how far off the sheep path they travel.