DomainFest was Best

I returned to New York last night after spending a week in California visiting Burbank and attending DomainFest Global.   It always seems that each domain conference is better than the previous conference I attended.   This can certainly be said about DFG. Aside from the panels (which were good), the networking opportunities were phenomenal – both during conference time set up for networking and during the parties in the evening. Believe it or not, I even had several great discussions at the Playboy Mansion (all involving domains and development… get your mind out of the gutter, friends!)

I don’t typically attend all of the panels, but the few I attended had good information and dialogue. Typically at domain conferences, I maximize my time meeting colleagues, introducing friends, and learning about what others are doing to increase the value of their domain names and generate revenue from them. The atmosphere and layout at DFG was great for individual meetings and discussions involving several people. There were a few times in the exhibition area where people from different backgrounds had great conversations just by happenstance because we were sitting on adjacent couches.

Some people who didn’t attend are going to look at the results of the domain auction and possibly consider it a low point for domain owners.   I disagree with this view for a couple of reasons.   Even in tough times, close to a million dollars in domain names were purchased.   Sellers don’t have the need to drop their prices and give away their names.   This shows some strength, as weakness would be indicated by great domain names being listed at very low reserves, as domain owners need to sell ASAP. This just isn’t the case, and owners of good domain names aren’t looking to sell them in a down market.

This was the best domain conference I have attended so far, and it is a tribute to the hard work of everyone at Oversee.net who oversaw a great show.   Even in difficult times, amid lowering revenues and layoffs, the team at Oversee pulled through and gave us a great conference.

Elliot Silver
Elliot Silver
About The Author: Elliot Silver is an Internet entrepreneur and publisher of DomainInvesting.com. Elliot is also the founder and President of Top Notch Domains, LLC, a company that has closed eight figures in deals. Please read the DomainInvesting.com Terms of Use page for additional information about the publisher, website comment policy, disclosures, and conflicts of interest. Reach out to Elliot: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

11 COMMENTS

  1. Elliot, I don’t want to be a pain, but the basic speech about it was great and certainly the best conference is basically the same speech we can read after all confrences!

    We don’t learn anything, it’s annoying and frustrating for people that did not had the chance to be present.

    Me, as all your fans are waitting for much more!

    Tell us funny/stange/cool/stupid things that happend, real stories, … Let us share true moments.

    I am not blaming you Elliot, you are not alone, the few posts I read until now all have similar content.

    Where is Julia Mackenzi and her memorable posts about DomainFest?

    For those that don’t remember, this is the kind of stories that we would like to read after a conference:

    isitmeoriseveryoneelsestupid.com/2008/01/22/domainfest-2008-hollywood-la-part-1/

    isitmeoriseveryoneelsestupid.com/2008/01/26/domainfest-2008-hollywood-la-part-2/

    Friendly

  2. @Francois

    I presume by your comments that you were not at the show. Why not buy a ticket next time and go see the wild and wacky events for yourself?

    And then write some blog posts about it for us !!

    – Richard

    • Agreed…

      Plus the main point of my post is that 75% of the conference is about making personal contacts and discussing non-public things that can only be talked about one on one in private. DFG provided a great venue and agenda for accomplishing this, and I think anyone that is invested in domain names should consider attending DFG or another great conference. More on this will be written tomorrow.

  3. I agree with your comments, Elliot. DomainFest 2009 was indeed fantastic. Kudos to Ron Sheridan and his staff for pulling off such a successful event, especially during these troubling economic times. My personal litmus test at these conventions is the intensity and quality of networking. After Michael and I spoke with you on our panel, we were approached by numerous people and negotiated two co-development deals. The chance of quickly interacting with your peers alone makes events like this a necessity for serious domainers.

  4. @Francois…respectfully, stop hatin’ and start participatin’.

    The blog has been very informative for me and inspired monetization strategies that I am trying out. I will definitely be at the conference next year.

    Keep up the good work

  5. Oh my god AC, I don’t hate Elliot, at the inverse!

    It’s me who select each morning the headlines that make the domaining.com newsletter sent each morning to thousands domainers, and I can tell ou Elliot use to be part of my natural and favorite choices.

    And Richard, unfortunately, I will never assist to any domaining conferences due to the language barrier. It’s official I don’t understand anything when someone speak english, and for speak, euh … euh…

    This is why it’s so important for me, as the only participation I can have is reading bloggers posts about the conference or seeing their photos.
    I think I am not the only one in this case…

    You know this comment is not specially focused to Elliot, and I did not intend to be rude. But I am so frustrated that most the conference participants after don’t share enough what they seen, what they live, what they felt, …

    Even if I was not present I would like to get my little part of pleasure reading something more than just what most are writting.

    If hurted Elliot or anyone, I do apologize.

  6. Elliot! Great meeting you in prior to the mansion party.. I have to agree, this was the best show I’ve attended, and mostly for the networking.

    While the auction was very well executed, nobody was in buying mode, not even the online buyers.

    This resulted in a lot of ridiculous noise from the auctioneers, but not much excitement from the audience… Do those auction guys really think that making those stupid noises, spinning around, and making ridiculous faces makes people want to bid?

    Aside from the auction, this is the first show I’ve been to where I felt people truly wanted to network full-tilt and see everyone there was to see…

    Kudos to Ron Sheridan and his team for the show, and all the domainers who came to the show to support the industry and make this the best attended show of the year… I think ultimately over 1,000 people were there, at least for the Playboy Mansion party 🙂

    Cheers!
    Randy

    p.s. For those who prefer to live vicariously through the attendees, and there’s nothing wrong with that, please understand that there are not enough words to describe meeting in person stellar people like Elliot, and talking for hours about where they think the industry is going.

    Save your money, invest not in SomeSillyDomainICantSell.net, but in ticket to the show.

    You will find that It has been the best investment you ever make in domaining.

    p.p.s. If you do the above, you’ll understand clearly why Elliot is “out of words” when he comes back from a show. 🙂

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