I get it. I get the fact that Rick and company has put A LOT of time, effort, and money into bringing us a great domain conference. I completely understand how frustrating it is to have people “ride the bus” without paying for gas. Which is essentially what people will be doing if they go to Vegas with no intent of going to TRAFFIC. They are capitalizing on others work in order to benefit themselves. Anyone that comes to Vegas with no intent other than to hang out or do business with other domain investors are leeches. BUT in my opinion, this is not Richard Lau and Water School.
Richard Lau is one of the biggest and best domain investors we have in our industry. He is no leech. He gives, helps, and shares as much or more than anyone in our industry. Should he have communicated better with Rick about hosting his party and being one of the after parties? Probably. I don’t know this for sure, but there obviously seems to be some lack of communication between them about working together. But then again after reading Rick’s posts and comments it would seem that this may be pretty difficult. There may even be problems in the past, I’m not sure. But it is very obvious that this could have turned out MUCH better than it did. Now all we have is a bunch of name calling and accusations. Both of which I hate to see because I like and respect the men on both sides of the debate. I also paid for a ticket to have a good time and socialize and now feel uncomfortable with the whole conference. Rather than concentrate on putting on a good show for attendees I feel the focus has been put on the non paying and non affiliated parties.
As I stated in another post, Rick was nice enough to let my Mom into a few dinners…for FREE. A very kind gesture. And I know he would have no problem with her going to the Water School Party (which she will be attending) because she is not the people he is upset with. But this is Vegas. There will be a lot of people that just want to come to Vegas that have no interest in attending TRAFFIC. In all honesty there is only two panels the entire conference that I have any interest in attending. I will attend more only because I’m already there. It’s mostly talks from people we hear from, read about every single day. They may say something new and great but we already know all the faces. There may be a need for a “social pass” because I also get why many domain investors have no interest in attending the daytime events.
Last year’s Water Party was the best networking party of DomainFest. It really could have, should be, part of the festivities at TRAFFIC. Rick could have an evening of awesome entertainment for free. In Richard’s defense the schedule does say
“Our Open Party Night is when we encourage you to have your special gatherings, dinners and parties tonight because you won’t want to miss a minute of the parties and events to come!”
The way I read it this was the night to do exactly what was being done.
I want to reiterate, I get the problem. I just don’t see Richard Lau’s party being one of them. The biggest problem I see is me not being on the Blogger panel.
They could have been an integral PART of T.R.A.F.F.I.C. All they had to do is ask. Unfortunately, they never intended to have the event as part of T.R.A.F.F.I.C. as they knew from the beginning that they would be inviting their friends who simply want to network with T.R.A.F.F.I.C. attendees without paying to come in the front door.
Hello Shane,
I disagree, There has been a faction of detractors attending Traffic Conferences peddling their Kool-Aid. The Kool-Aid many times undermines Pure play .COM Generic URL Centric Marketing.
Using the water school as an emotional ploy trigger is really low balling here Shawn. You can screw me but you better pay, and smile while doing it or out the door you go.
Many Bloggers just have to admit their Pre 95 Envy.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger).
Listen “crouching tiger, pansy dragon”,
Enough of your Random Capitalizations within text, like you’re referring to something the rest of the world should know about.
Enough of your strange sayings. Nobody understands you. Do you realize that? Just speak normally, already.
And stop with the signature. Geez. Show a URL or a business or something. It’s just strange.
Gratefully, Todd Adams (Normal Person) (Something Else)
Gratefully, Todd Adams (Normal Person) (Something Else)
This must be one hell of a party to make such a big fuss over !
Hello Adam,
R. E. = ” This must be one hell of a party to make such a big fuss over ! ”
The real ground breaking Party is at Traffic and all the Johnny come latelys are finding ways to crash the gait.
The train called URL .COM Centric Marketing is going to sweep SEO Manipulated Marketing off its feet and escort it to the back of the room.
Rick Schwartz and JointVentures is going to create a large number of successful Online Businesses into the future, dragging even the sceptics with it.
These interested interlopers Google and Yahoo sense something Big is starting. The fuss is not Water School its the next Big Break through in Online Marketing and people want a front row seat and they aint cheap.
You want your moneys worth?
Go to traffic and wear blinders till you get to the real game changing event.
Gratefully Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
good lord this industry makes me laugh. What a bunch of thin skinned, self congratulating jokers. Shane, don’t you dare speak ill of anyone – it may jeopardize your chance to make it into the “Domainer Hall of Fame”….
The search Engine Crowd is on Red Alert.
They are infiltrating not only paycheck support but now are surveying Blogs with their emissaries to try to eleviate End-Users being educated to their severe shortcomings and their inability to differentiate their patrons from their most feared competitors,who are often on the same search page.
Jack you will not be laughing long my friend.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Jeff,
You write like a computer translation program
I’m starting to think that our friend from industrially manufactured animals is some kind of a twisted hidden agenda to denigrate the domain industry. I mean, wtf…
It is quite amusing to see how the organizers of TRAFFIC and some of the guys who are paying to go to TRAFFIC (or have been paid to talk about it before it even happens) are doing their best to get some cheap (or free) publicity for their silly domaining conference. Most domain investors see through the bull and the lard these days. I live in Asia and still I smell a rat whenever the name ‘RICK’ (maybe he is a RAT!) or ‘TRAFFIC’ is mentioned. Grow up fellas!
Hi Shane,
You are really promoting Traffic a lot these days. Seems like you are being paid to do it or getting more than just free meals for your MOM.
Salvio/enoma
Nobody is paying to have us write. Blogs are for opinions and mine swayed neither way for money. You are clueless
“The biggest problem I see is me not being on the Blogger panel.”
Shane, I have not populated the panels yet. So your comment is premature. Thanks!
I understand how Rick can be bothered by people hanging around a Traffic show without paying. Specifically I recall some people hanging around the lobby where past Traffic shows have been without paying to attend. That’s not good. The same city but not at the conference hotel. That’s more respectful.
Howver, I’m still missing how this takes away from Traffic since it is scheduled on the Open Party Night that is already specified on the Conference schedule. I didn’t realize non-conference parties can’t have non-traffic attendees. If people are coming to Vegas to hang around during the conference, this one event isn’t going to change that, since they’d just go to another party on the open party night. But people will come to WaterNight and then decide to register for Traffic. I absolutely encourage everyone to attend Traffic, and obviously I lead by example. I’ve been booked for months.
I imagine we will be reading more of this and about others both before and after the event.
If someone is really making money domaining attending TRAFFIC in Vegas in a no brainer. Pay for it. Pay for your guests. If someone is having a great year domaining buy extra tickets and give them away.
Jeff are you real?Maybe using a captcha to post a comment would save us from him.
@ Faith
I am not only real but a qualified professional with my Profile over at Linkedin,thank you.
You know I am philanthropic at heart as anyone anywhere.
The really Big New Online Marketing event is being overshadowed by this water School snafu.
The Smart Money will support both water school and traffic, both. The really Smart money senses big Marketing changes that will be explained professionally at Traffic.
We can tell you what the brightest future for Online Marketing entails
ITS CALLED (.COM URL CENTRIC Marketing)that elicits
( Residual, Emotional, Recall, Response ) That brings Repeat Revenue Clicks to your site.
Expecting SEO Manipulated Search Engine Marketing to do the same is like trying to -iss up a rope.
This is a freight train that will deliver the largest Online Business Expansion in History.
And yes Rick Schwartz is the train conductor, tickets please!
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Metal Jeff,
Please stop posting. You are like a radical conspiracy theorist. Nobody thinks you’re saving the rest of us…instead, we think you’re just prosthelytizing.
It’s fine for Rick Schwartz to prosthelytize on his own blog. Get your own blog, do what you do, and if people think you’re not as crazy as you sound on here and every other fricken blog, then you’ll have the most successful domain blog in the industry.
Put your money where your prolific fingers are. Get a blog, stop posting your crazy ideas on everyone else’s blogs. They add zero value. Nobody finds them useful. Capish?
Gratefully, Todd Adams (Normal Person) (Something Else)
The big hitters exchanges should have been between themselves not opened up for all, it reflects badly unfortunately and looks unprofessional.
Sorry to take the bait today from “Crouching Tiger Hidden Jeff”. But to let you all know I 90% skip the comments by Jeff / Metal Tiger person. I vote for a ban across all blogs. While his commenting does not bother me – it is because I am smart enough to skip his comments. But I am getting totally sick of people responding (whom are 100% correct by-the-way about his idiotness) and this guy wasting a minute of our time everyday. And being a total lame-o with nothing better to do! So Shane – if you care – please ban the dufus. I am personally sick of non-intellectual discussions and he is getting out of control.
Shane Cultra asked if his mother, who has no interest in domains, could attend a T.R.A.F.F.I.C. party, and we said that there would be no charge, because there is no benefit.
However, if KNOWN DOMAINERS and KNOWN SPONSORS show up, they MUST have badges as they are receiving a benefit from T.R.A.F.F.I.C. PERIOD!!
Seems only fair!
Only Ban from the boards those who call for bans on the free speech of others, (oh sh_t I guess that now applies to me too…)
🙂