Phil Lodico ⬥ 22 July
Last Thursday marked FairWinds’ three-year anniversary. Since I was on vacation last week, I had some time to think about our business, the marketplace, and how both have changed and evolved with the moving Internet landscape in the last three years. What kept coming back to me was a statement made by one of our clients – FairWinds is a game changer.
While I don’t often like to blog about FairWinds in a pro-service or pro-company manner, in looking back on what we’ve achieved and where we all still need to go – I felt that this was one of those times that I should.
We founded FairWinds because, for too long, brand owners had to rely on the only available option for domain guidance and had reactive domain strategies and domain programs that were viewed as cost centers. Three years in, even with operations and offices across the US and in Zurich Switzerland, new services, additional companies being formed under FairWinds, and CADNA’s growth and success, I’m still concerned that many brand owners are still missing out on the basics. While it is clear that our efforts through FairWinds and CADNA have changed the domain space forever and have enabled our clients to save and make tens of millions of dollars through the domain name space – more can be done.
Domain names are important–more now than even just three years ago. In fact they may be the MOST important part of a company’s Internet strategy. With over 40% of all Internet traffic coming from domain names and the address bar, tapping into this is not only wise–it is essential.
Our success and work for clients such as Verizon, The Gap, Bacardi, Xerox and many, many others, speaks for itself. All of our clients work with domain registrars, outside counsel, and marketing agencies for the execution of different aspects of their Internet program. Yet they choose to partner with FairWinds in order to reach new heights online and establish market-leading domain programs.
Even companies who have yet to work with us derive value from our initiatives and our work. CADNA, the leading global voice in the fight against cybersquatting, is making the name space safer and less costly for all businesses and consumers.
Some clients may choose to work with us because of our objectivity, or our expertise, or for our leadership as with CADNA or ICANN, but at the end of the day – companies work with us because we are simply the best at what we do. We are singularly focused on the domain name space and do not let domain fulfillment get in the way.
While the formula is not overly complex— register the right set of names; only enforce names that truly count, pair names with content, and invest time and resources into using the address bar as THE vehicle for online visibility —the key to changing the game is partnering with proven leaders and experts who can transform the domain program into one that creates value for the company. Domain names are not just moderately valuable; they are incredibly valuable. They require the focus of industry veterans who understand how to ensure that brands are effectively harnessing that value.
It’s not ok to simply maintain the status quo. Partnering with other players in the space who dabble a little in a lot of things cannot produce results that are comparable to those that FairWinds consistently achieves. The wrong partners will not only stagnate a brand’s online growth, they can actually hurt the business by wasting time and money, diluting brands, and ultimately costing the company sales.
I encourage those of you who believe it is time for the game to change at your company to give us a call. We can make it happen. No one else can.
Tags: Bacardi, brand owners, CADNA, clients, cybersquatting, domain names, domain registrars, FairWinds, ICANN, Internet, Switzerland, The Gap, US, Verizon, Xerox, Zurich