First let me say this is not a post about either Rick personally but it’s about the way of thought many domainers exercise in the current industry. The economic variables of today we are forced to work in will certainly bring opportunity to many domainers but this opportunity must be considered more than just buying a worthy asset at cheaper prices than a year ago.
Joel Ohman referenced a quote I made with a great follow article up about his life cycle in the world of business online (note I did not say domain business) and it would be relevant to your future success to read this article to understand exactly how many elements there are to success online.
Real world experience, understanding of the importance of keyword domains, SEO talent, proper development, online marketing skills. For long term success most people need to understand that starting a website should be viewed no less important than as opening a brick and mortar company (albeit with lower costs) and most of us (even I) need to go back to school every now and then to learn about the courses which factor in to the success of a plan.
Although I do say the first is to stop reading domain blogs it is entirely understandable to peak and peruse what fellow domainers are doing but for the most part these blogs are entirely irrelevant to anything affecting your growth as a developer except to understand a little more how much your domain may be possibly worth.
Is that why you read blogs?
to check your domain value every day – note that daytraders have the same addiction refreshing real time quotes.
For some its ok. Buying and selling domains is a business – a semi-respectable business (will delete semi when main street gets it) but its only part of being a domain owner for many.
Taking the next step: Building a Business … is something very few domainers can ever help you with.
Compare it to buying a car.
The car salesman can tell you all day long how great the new BMW 7 Series is compared to a Jag or Mercedes however when you leave the parking lot and come back a week later for advice on how to modify the car for performance, improve handling with come custom work or almost anything related to making the car you just bought better very few – if any – would ever return to the salesman who sold you the car for advice.
Domainers in general continue to return for advice from other domainers about development, planning a business, SEO markerting and more. Granted, the fellowship is nice and there ARE some people who really know a lot but most of these people do not blog in the vicous cycle of blogs on domaining.com or NameBee (take the Castello’s for example – these 2 have done wonderful things but they do not blog and if you 2 are reading – dont do it … way too time consuming).
I remember when I started learning chess many years ago my chessmaster always told me – NEVER play with someone who you can beat.
That is exactly the same concept which should be applied to those seriously interested in development.
Anyone in this space knows one Rick can sell some great names but has admitted time over time he is no developer. Another Rick made the now semi-famous quote “There is no money in web design” telling us simply that his business plan could not work in an industry where 100’s of companies offer similar services at similar prices – who continue to thrive. Truth is “there IS money in web design” however even one of our own couldn’t do it so why take development advice from him.
I’ve always said certain names in this industry have their respective places but the grand illusion of putting these people on pedestals to learn from them for EVERYTHING web/domain/online marketing related is comical at best.
Today’s economy brings a single opportunity to each and every person interested in online marketing to pick up assets at very fair and reasonable price however Success can START with a domain but no way ends there.
You may have noticed (or probably not) that I have removed myself from blogging on any consistent basis purely because of the lack of real knowledge gained every day from domaining blogs and I suggest those domain owners seriously really interested in development do the same. Truth is no one will really miss you but come back with success stories and see how quickly your blog becomes popular again but this time you will have domainers, SEO and end users excited to read about your work.
As your momma probably always said – honey, you have to go to school.
Now would be a good time to start.
If you’re like I am and just have way too much to do then its easy to never follow up on good domains which were recently purchased and developed. Of course, a lot of sales are parked, more will never be developed and some will just sit with empty DNS for years to come but there has to be quite a few examples of great sites around that are new buys (not necessarily new reg – just new change of ownership).