I try not to be a negative person but unfortunately to make things better you have to attack the problems. While I applaud the good things and do my best to acknowledge and continue them, unfortunately as a business person you spend most of your time fixing or saying don’t. Of course, most people don’t like to be talked down to like children so in most cases I’ll say “you have an opportunity to improve in this area” In comes across better than “don’t do that, you f things up when you do that” . Here are a couple of general things that I would like to say Don’t.
1. Don’t make me sign up for anything to make a bid on your domain. An email should be more than enough to get back to me. I want to buy something from you. The harder you make it the less likely I’m going to buy your domain. You may think that because I am willing to spend $20K on a domain I’ll spend the extra time if I’m serious. You may be wrong. Why chance it
2. Don’t sign me up for your newsletter. If I want it I will sign up. Feel free to ask me to sign up but let it be my choice. Don’t assume because we have a relationship or have shared an email that you are entitled to add me. It is officially illegal and although I probably would not sue it puts you in a negative light and could hamper any business dealings we have in the future
3. Don’t spam the comments with your new company or domains for sale. I realize the post was on social.com and you own socialbunnies.net but I really don’t care. Site owners spend a lot of time writing and developing followers. Don’t try and leech off it. Either create your own site, advertise, or share the information via personal email and maybe the author will include it in another article.
4. Don’t forget about your customers. It makes me so mad to see employees stocking shelves and ignoring me. Don’t they realize that if they don’t help me and have me buy something there is no reason to stock the shelves.
5. Don’t forget everyone has the same problems. You may feel that your host crashes more than most. Or that your employees call in sick too much. You THINK that your coders take a lot longer to get things done that other company’s. It’s the grass is always greener scenario. You can change hosts or employees and it will most likely all be the same eventually. You can get overly critical when you see the same things every day. That’s why
6. Don’t forget to talk to other people in your line of work. They do what you do. They understand you and your business. They might be able to help solve problems in one sentence that you couldn’t solve in a month. Visiting another company or store can do wonders for your moral. I find it wonderful to visit another nursery with weeds. I don’t feel so alone
7. Please don’t think that because you domain is close to another domain that sold for a lot that you have a valuable domain. One letter can be the difference in $100K. Insurance.com is a little more valuable than 8Insurance.com
8. Don’t let your employees park in the best spots. I want to key the car of the lady that works at the convenient store because her and her coworker both park in the front two spots. It’s not much extra walk for me but she costs me 25 steps a day. I only have so many steps to give each day and she’s stealing them. I also used to go to this wings place and the owner would park his Hummer in the front spot as well. I told him next time I saw his Hummer in the front spot I would keep driving (I went every Friday). It was there so I stopped going. Place closed 2 months later. Yes, I eat that many wings.
9. Don’t email me and tell me a similar name to the name I own is up for auction. And especially don’t do it every day for six days straight.
10. Don’t dismiss the newbies. That newbie may be soon grow to be a major competitor or hopefully an employee or partner that will make you millions.
haha, nice read. I have a one to add. Don’t sweat the little stuff. Choose your battles carefully.
Michael,
You understand this better than anyone. If you want to learn to pick your battles work with family. You learn quickly to let the little things go otherwise you’ll always be fighting. There are no professional barriers to keep you from keeping your mouth shut. You just have to learn when to let (fixed iPhone toilet problem) things go and when to fight for the things you really care about
11. Please don’t tell someone that their pricing is end user pricing when you’re selling similar domains for 2x their price.
11. Don’t start a blog about domaining when you have no track record of accomplishing anything as a domain trader, nor of ever having owned even one decent generic name.
Domain traders with zero track record (Shane, Morgan…). Domain developers with zero track record in real development (Tia Wood). You people are freaking hilarious. You’re bloggers, period.
Do you have the gonads to post this comment Shane? I doubt it.
Chad, Jeff or Whatever your real name is,
You do realize IPs are registered so you can see how many different names you use to post. Not a lot of domainers in Sayreville New Jersey though. I’ll add this. I’m smart enough to know when to stop something I’m not succeeding in. Have you read my blog? You think I have time to fuck around doing something that isn’t positive? If you put through half the effort I do on a daily basis across everything I do you would be a better man. Whether you think I’ve accomplished anything is not at all important. All that matters is that I continue to enjoy what I’m doing and have the rewards that I feel necessary to continue in domain investing. I’ve met some of the guys that you probably respect. I think I’ll keep hanging with the newbies.
Don’t be a hater Chad. You may fuel a domain blogger like Shane or Morgan to bring a new meaning to the term “hanging Chad” one day – in a pure blogging sense of course.
Hi, Chad. Ouch! I’m sorry you feel that way. Enjoy your evening. Take care.
Tia Wood
I am a fan from NJ Shane . #10 is my favorite 🙂 – And Tia has a good talent if you browse her portfolios. Look into my Linkedin about how I came up in domaining 5 years ago. We all need to be a newbie at some point. Those who sit on the fence and just wish get nowhere.
Please Don’t… beat around the bush, if you have something to say, say it…
Please Don’t… promote bullshit products or services on your blog, just for the sake of making a buck or “getting in good” with the company.
Please Don’t… same as above but insert fellow domain blogger instead of “company”.
Etc,.
P.S. Chad’s statement is a bit harsh, but there is some truth to it. Some people who are on the periphery of Domaining try to come off like they are real heavy hitters. Stick to what you know and have experience in. “Coming out of the Woodwork” every few months and posting like a domain demon about stuff that reads like just utter re-regurgitated bullshit garners little respect from anybody. Walk the Talk!
I have always heard be careful on the toes you step on,on the way up because they could be connected to the ass you kiss on the way down.
@Chad
Don’t be nasty to every domainers…be kind and friendly with anyone…show some decent respect and be a good mankind with good compassion and love…rather than hate…jealous…demeaning…cum make the world round…
Don’t hate newbies…
Love You Long Time…
You just have to learn when “toilet” things go and when to fight for the things you really care about
Toilet….Yep!
@ Shane, you said: “You just have to learn when toilet things go and when to fight for the things you really care about” – that was Freudian slip, right? Good analogy!
Tia Wood did MediaOptions site and newsletter design – that guys sells millions. Enough said!
“Place closed 2 months later. Yes, I eat that many wings.”
Ha!! Thanks for the laugh! All valid points and couldn’t agree more.
You and me got to have a wings eating competition sometime Shane.
Oh and like Michael said, don’t sweat the small stuff.
http://www.mwzd.com/stuff/the-law-of-the-garbage-truck/
While I agree with somenod your points, I agree with Chad. You present yourself like a big player but aren’t. Morgan on the other hand has some credible sales, and Tia some noteworthy clients.
As for number 4? Get off your high horse and cut them some slack. The person probably gets paid a pittance to stack shelves, dealing with self important twats like you isn’t in their job description.
And with regards to number 8, no one died and made you royalty. No one owes you a closer parking spot. Be thankful you’re getting the extra exercise instead of continuing a sedentary lifestyle of posting mindless drivel. Saying you want to key someones car for parking in a free, available spot? Really?
The few appaling attitudes like yours are the reason why Americans get a bad rep overseas.
Thanks John. I don’t agree with what you say. I don’t even own a horse and my family has no ties to royalty that I know of. And thankfully I don’t think all Australians are asshats just because of you