The organizers of the TRAFFIC conference have just announced the three winners of the “How attending T.R.A.F.F.I.C. has helped to change my life.” contest.
The winner gets a free ticket to the Miami show, or a free ticket to next year’s show or a refund of the ticket if they already paid. Plus the first night at the hotel for free!! In addition they will be picked up by a limo at the airport.
Second Prize is a FREE Hotel room for 2 nights and the third prize is a hotel room for 1 night less taxes and fees.
ALL those that send an entry but don’t win will receive honorable mention and deep and sincere thanks from all of us.
Below are the winners:
1. ALAN HACK
2. HOWARD FELLMAN
3. STEVE KAZIYEV
#1 From Alan Hack:
Here is my essay on how TRAFFIC has changed my life.
“TRAFFIC Means Business” is the motto for TRAFFIC and that has been my direct experience. As a veteran of over 10 TRAFFIC conferences, here is how TRAFFIC has changed my life.
First and foremost TRAFFIC has helped me generate revenue far in excess of all the money spent to attend the conferences. It has paid off in pure dollars and cents.
Second, TRAFFIC has helped me to significantly increase my business knowledge. I know a lot more about domains, the Internet, and business in general from attending TRAFFIC conferences. I have learned so much from the presenters and attendees both at the seminars and in spirited private and group conversations. Many people like me work alone or in small companies, so the ideas exchanged at TRAFFIC have helped shape and evolve my thinking and my business.
Third, TRAFFIC has helped me grow and strengthen my contact base with high level people in the domain name, Internet marketing and business world. I have met and spent time with many very intelligent people, and breaking bread with them has been much more productive than emails or phone calls could ever have been. That has been very important as strong relationships forged over time have been critical to my working closely with others on significant transactions. These contacts and relationships have served my business tremendously and will be valuable for years to come in any business ventures I pursue.
Fourth, new business ideas and opportunities beyond what I had contemplated on my own have been conceived and birthed at TRAFFIC conferences. The people I have met and spent time with at TRAFFIC have opened my eyes to new business opportunities both in and out of the domain and Internet business. I was an entrepreneur before working in the domain name/Internet space and have become a more experienced and knowledgeable entrepreneur specifically because of attending TRAFFIC.
Fifth, on a personal level I have made great friends at TRAFFIC, many of whom will be friends for life. That in itself is priceless.
The bottom line is that NONE of this would have happened without attending multiple TRAFFIC conferences. They have been worth every dollar spent and more.
What I have learned is this: TRAFFIC is like life, you get out of it what you put into it. Rick and Howard create the space, bring the people together and the rest is up to you. If you show up, engage with and learn from those who attend TRAFFIC, your business and life will be greatly enhanced, GUARANTEED!
Sincerely,
Alan Hack, President
Names Plus Marketing
#2 Howard Fellman
I attended the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. domain conference and expo several years ago when it was held at the Lowe’s Hotel on Miami Beach.
First, a word about the hotel itself. It was awesome. Directly on the beach, the place was a 5 star palace. Beats the Holiday Inns at which I’m used to staying. The atmosphere, people and hosts were most gracious. Howard and Rick sure know how to throw a party! This was the not only the impression I immediately had, but it was obviously shared by the others in attendance. As someone who grew up on Miami Beach, the only place that can possibly top the Lowe’s is well, the Fontainebleau — their upcoming venue.
I met people there who I had been reading about and hearing about for years. I mean big people like founders, pioneers, registrars, publishers, CEOs and more. I met the brains behind many of the websites I visit, the publishers of many of the tools I utilize regularly, the editors of the sites I read and many of the voices I’ve listed to attentively throughout the years on Webmaster Radio.
While there I wore a t-shirt that had been sent to me by Network Solutions as a promotion when I registered one of my early domains. The white shirt had the URL on the back in big bold letters and it was the first time I ever wore it. I was amazed at how many people came up to me after noticing the URL on my back. Seems that many of them had similar domains too. Some wanted to buy, trade, joint venture, advertise or rent. To this day, I am still in contact with many of the attendees I met that day, several years ago. I have done business with several of them and consider some to be exceptionally good friends to this day.
The conference was awesome and my head seemed like it was about to bust from all of the knowledge I had soaked in and the contacts I suddenly had. As someone who lives and breathes domains and sees them as the real estate of the 21st century, this was definitely a show of a lifetime for me.
I’d like to thank both Rick and Howard for the obviously hard work they put in and want to assure them that, as an attendee, it shows. Best of luck with your upcoming show in Miami Beach, guys. It’s been a great 10 years and domains have increased in value significantly during the period.
Best wishes,
Howard Fellman
#3 STEVE KAZIYEV
The year is 2004 and I’m hand registering names and here is a link at my site going back to 2005
http://web.archive.org/web/20050210073156/
http://www.domainbonanza.com/
As you can see that these names were garbage and i don’t remember what i was thinking.
I remember reading either an email or somewhere on the web that there will be a domain conference called Traffic 2007 in vegas. Without knowing anybody in the industry at all i buy my ticket to Traffic.
Rick, i can’t really describe to you what this conference meant to me and did to me. It really opened up my mind and knowledge, before Traffic i really didn’t know that a domain name industry existed. And i was so happy and same time sad that i wasn’t aware of Traffic prior to 2007. Prior to, what ever i was doing was done in the blind, no direction and sheer speculation. I was introduced to parking, and other pertinent platforms that really changed my life forever. I met great people of which I’m still friends with to date. I have to say Rick that I owe you guys, for putting together these events and bringing domain people together. Traffic has opened up a whole new world for me. Thank You Rick, I owe you.
Steven Kaziyev, Founder
YourBrand.com – Naming & Branding Solutions
Thank you and congratulations to all the winners!! All testimonials will be posted to the website.
