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"No sense speculating and getting hopes raised unnecessarily."
Wait a minute, are ther new ground rules for the 'penny boards'?
"I would think someone would want to sell."
Maybe I can help. How many shares do you want to buy?!
"WOW!!!! ITS ME TALKING TO IKE!"
Well we'll have to take your word on that. Me? I think I see some Chinese people off to the upper right. And I'm pretty sure that we all know what THAT means!
Help! My 'evidence lobe' has been damaged!
"We are one of the paying customers, keep the faith!"
Glad to see you back on the board, Macblast. You in particular can attest to the 'analytics', much in disrepute among some on this board, that we went through both to establish proof of concept for your corporate requirements and to implement Go800 for three Lenox Tools brand keywords.
Most impressive is that we together were able to create the Brand by Area Code Program though our phone and email brainstorming and through Ike's prompt and decisive response to your expressed need.
These steps may strike those who theorize over 'missed revenue streams' as unnecessary impediments to realization of their 'beliefs'. But those of us who reside in the 'reality based universe' realize that belief does not trump due diligence or testing of assumptions. If I'd ever once responded to you with "We don't need to do that. I absolutely believe it will work", then we both know how the Lenox Tools Go800 'story' would've ended.
"or if that was the ft 500 company.'
Bank requested a 'security' test and not a test of capacity. It is reasonbale to infer that there are two separate companies 'in play'. There is nothing to infer from the prize offering regarding the FF company. An Ipad is hardly a buget buster.Then again maybe it was 70,000 share of GOIG stock excahnged for the $499 Ipad!
" picked up on the second ring. Says something will be out soon, apologizes for the delay."
I've had that same conversation with him. Unfortunately there is no common agreement on the meaning of the word 'soon' within the ACLH organization.
"Guess blackhawks does not comprehend that revenue no matter how it would be generated is better than no or very limited revenue now, something over nothing? I would opt for something...........
Amazing. I take OIL'S well intentioned advice to drop the 'running gun battle' over vanity keywords and now I receive a gratuitous swipe from you about my alleged lack of comprehesnion.
Too many people on this board, and in society in general, pass off their 'beliefs' as self evident truths or facts. They're not and disagreement with stated beliefs is not synonoymous with lack of comprehension. By the way, 40 contracted customers, 20 or so stock symbol customers and the 'deal' with DTSL are not exactly nothing. Nobody has asserted that those are sufficient or up to expectations set. But they are not "nothing"
You both have my email address. Want to continue this 'debate'? You know where to find me.
Brendan, way to go. May the board now return to posting kudos for the deserving rather then indulging in 'magical thinking' about presumed revenue sources that are supported by nothing BUT beliefs, 'wild hairs' and little angels on your shoulders!
"The texting went great."
And the Fortune 500 company for whose benefit the demonstration was conducted.....WAS present.
"Having a lack of dispensable income sucks."
You Have 'dispensed' with income, on paper.
You're looking for a return to 'disposable' income!
"If Blackhawks is an ambassador and was the one to land Lenox, more power to him."
There are no 'ifs' about it. You have no respect for evidence, neither recognizing it nor providing it.
Your cell phone # goes in the data base as have others I've entered. It is just as secure as are all of the others in our data base. If you don't trust at least that much to be true, then I suggest you sell your GOIG shares.
I gave you a very specific, safe and legitmate way for you to test the validity of your 'statement' and a way to 'pay for it' that removes any financial benefit for me.
You're making a lot of extraneous arguments to avoid testing the validity of what you've repeatedly claimed is true, but which hasn't convinced not just me on this board.
If you're afraid to submit your premise(s) to a test say so and be done with it.
"In my heart, GOIG forever you will beee
It is now time to buy my Bentley"
Not availible, not certain if their saleable,
just having fun, but if that day should come
may I suggest words, vanity, before a Bentley?
"You are clearly showing poor business acumen, and doing the company no favor, by using its name without its authority to try to prop up some failed argument that you have against a service that should be offered."
In other words, you don't want to try it out?!
"If Unique actually takes you up on your offer, he's already proved his point...all Unique is saying is that people will buy vanity keywords...that would be 100% of the market research group since you've decided to conduct the research with only one person."
All that he would have 'proven' is that he was willing to donate $15 to make his 'statement'. I've argued that his statement might not be sufficient motivation for others to pay for vanity keywords. It's arguable.
What is not in dispute is that he is unwilling to ask others if his reason for 'buying' a vanity key word is sufficient reason for others to do the same. Maybe we learn that there are other reasons not yet thought of. That's what tests, trials and market research are for and why Unique is perfect for the trial
Who would be a more enthusiatic proponent, dare I say Ambassador, for vanity keywords?!
"All you will do is tie up your allotment of spots for reserved keywords, along with tying up the system with server usage that you KNOW will result in no money to the company,.."
My proposal "ties up nothing" I add and remove trials from time to time. Data base capacity is not an issue.
You're not serious about my 'proposal' tying up the servers', are you?! Someone whose 'making a statment' will NOT have texters at all, let alone enough of them to 'tie up' anything.
I said that I allow for the possibility of "being suprised". If I am I then have something to take to Ike to get him to take a closer look. That's how it's done in the business world.
If I'm willing to risk being proved wrong, as I am, where's the problem?
"Blackhawks...All hail CEO Blackhawks.... Who are you to declare that a service is available when the company hasn't even made it available?'
Bluff Called:
It's a test, of your assumptions.
"I have always stated it is to be national across all area codes and not just for one area code. But all this is moot if Ike isn't going to come out and offer it."
If I set it up for all area codes, then what? Bluff Called
"Huh? You want my feedback? That's all you've got for the last few days on this topic. You won't need my feedback on the vanity service once Ike launches it because the proof will be overwhelmingly in favor of it."
All I've 'got' are unsupported assertions and now an unwillingness on your part to test their validity. Bluff Called
"If/when Ike offers them and I get one, I don't give a hoot who knows about it or calls. I just want to have it to make whatever statement I want."
My trial accomplishes exactly that for YOU. What we want to learn is if your low bar for spending money would be shared by people you informed of the service, which is another reason for a 'trial'. Bluff Called
"He then erects all sorts of barriers to the clear and simple examples given by others and even gets to the point of pretending to be CEO of a company making company decisions in some grand scheme all designed to support your incorrect assertion that something so easy to understand and something so sure to work can't possibly be understood or successful at all.
The market is there but you deny it."
What 'barriers' and what clear and simple examples from either your OR others? You've just erected the heretofore non existint barrier of "Ike's offering this". Ambassadors have discretion on offering 'trials and their lengths. Bluff Called
"to get me to plunk down some money allegedly "to test" the service. Heck, I donate way more than 15 bucks to significant causes without having to fill your ego so please spare me the "better than thou" positioning."
I asked for a donation of an amount that was at or near your price/mo. Your inferences about motivations are as unsupported as anything else you've claimed
"You are the one that is never satisfied."
Yeah specious reasoning and an absence of evidence does that to me!
"You say give me reasons. I give you reasons."
Unsupported assertions and assumptions of other peoples' behavior are all that you've provided.
"You say make an elevator speech/pitch, I made one"
I missed it. Anyone else have it and want to post it, or create one?
"You say take a board vote, I did."
I haven't seen anyone post any better arguments, if any at all, than you have. At least the 'nays' stated their reasons.
"I did all those things in order to help you out. All of them of course shot down your position and yet you still can't come to grips. Oh well.'
W. Churchill: "There is nothing more exhilarating than to be shot at without result."
Bluff Called
OK, Unique here's my "vanity keyword trial" proposal:
1.) Send me your vanity keyword choice and the phone # you wish it to be assigned to: dhippe@msn.com
2.) Your cost is $15.00, to be donated to the MDA: text helpmda to Go800. Pease let them know how you contacted them for the donation.
3.) After you've provided me the confirmation # for your donation I will reserve your keyword and email you to confirm that it is ready for your 30 day 'test drive'. It will of course be textable only for cell phones that have the same area code as reserved for you. As per your own statement this will not be a drawback or an issue for you:
""I've stated plenty of times, mainly for your indulgence/edification, that the owner of the word could or couldn't be contacted by those he knows of (or doesn't know of either). It doesn't matter one way or the other. All that matters, listen carefully one last time, is that a person buys the vanity word. Who gives a crap why? Who cares what for? Who cares what they do with it?"
"Making a statement is all that is required. If someone wants to make the statement, it doesn't matter if any other uses it, notices it, or cares about it. All that matters is that someone bought the word and that's all."
4.) The vanity keyword will reside within both Go800's data base and your head. For those who require more, that the vanity key word actually be used, you will need to provide feedback.
5.) At least once per week, over the next 30 days, you will post the responses of those you choose to make aware of your vanity keyword. Specifically, honestly whatever they respond. I'm on record as stating that most people who know you will ask "why, I've got your number in my speed dial/voice prompt, what's the deal?". I remain open to the possibility of being surprised. If people you inform actually choose to text to connect to you, rather than use their usual method, let us know what their reasons were.
Also ask those you've spoken with whether they would sign up for such a service for $10-$15/mo. Humor us, "mainly for your indulgence/edification", that perhaps other people have different criteria for spending money on this particular expression of vanity.
If all of that sounds too onerous for you, consider that you have been cocksure of the viability of the
concept while providing no salable benefits either in the form of a 'pitch' or as a list of benefits that would
need to be posted on the Go800 web site as well as in sales materials. 'Self-evident' just doesn't cut it
in any business environment that I'm familiar with. Neither do your assertions that I and others who offer counter arguments to yours aren't 'grasping' your premises.
If you think any such service would be launched without the kind of trial I've outlined for you, or without establishing any consumer benefits beyond "making a statement", then the burden of proof is on you.
I'd say that it's put up or shut up time were it not for the fact that I WANT your feedback. Plus, the MDA benefits. Anyone else who would like to donate, go right ahead!
"That's right, because there's no need to go beyond that in such a simple concept. Do yo finally understand now?'
Yes, I understand that even the seemingly most simple business concept needs a pricing, marketing and provisioning plan with attendant costs estimated. Your inability to come up with those, or place them before the board, suggests that you've got nothing.
"The point is that you wanted a board poll and now that you find it's in favor of vanity words that you have to then try to figure out some other way to bolster your points that it isn't a concept worth doing."
I consider my points bolstered as they stand. If you can't come up with either the person to person pitch, or the list of benefits that will need to be listed on the "self-provisioning vanity keyword" portion of the Go800 website, then consider your concept unsupported by the minimal requirements of logic and practicality.
And please do address the costs of 'policing' the 'vanity keyword businesses' who you've pointed out will be testing the system.
"Fors" and "not sures", this is not going to happen through the efforts of Unique. You're each going to have to ask yourselves the hard questions that Unique refuses to pose let alone answer.
Why it's not for you, but rather for a 'sub-group' of people more easily 'hooked' is both a business and a moral question, whether you like it or not. Many businesses do reconcile those questions. The point is they do ask them and formulate answers that are persuasive to them and to their customers.
Unique doesn't give a fig about the questions, which is why you have not a single, succinct sales statement from him to help you decide to buy vanity keywords for yourself or help you to enthusiastically present vanity keywords to the people in your mobile phone address books, or whomever else you feel will buy them or at least employ yours.
Unique would have you believe that it's not important that anyone use your vanity keyword, it's your 'statement' that counts. You're then left asking just what IS your 'statement' and just what are you paying for? Cutting though it all, I'm just suggesting that you ask yourself these questions before you're asked them by your friends and family.
"before you know it thousnds of follow the fad teenagers would have a vanity keyword."
Many of them have that vanity key word, AKA nickname, stored in each others mobile phone address book and will ask you, as will their parents "what's the deal? I text when I want to text, call when I want to call."
Unique doesn't want to go beyond "it's a statement". How about you?
For Vanity keywords:
JJBoy
yoyomama
pinchnpennies
the dolphin
captain canada
goldpennies
gstockz
3 the intimidator
ronwy
mikedeatworld
artio97
bullshiz
Against Vanity Keywords
Stepping stone
collegbound
moneyracer
teddyroosevelt
mickeybritt
Not sure about Vanity keywords
Oil9911
If all of you are satisfied that this 'count' is accurate as to both numbers and sentiment, then those of you who are counted as 'for' have at it. (Not sure how such an obvious opponent of vanity keywords as doone didn't make the cut.)
Unique claims to have made a pitch to Ike which apparently is not worthy of being shared on this board. All we know with certainty is that Ike was not persuaded.
I suggest that those who are interested in seeing Go800 vanity keywords make it to market first ask yourselves if they would buy, or if any of your friends would buy, and what would be a fair price. Then, by all means come up with what you would actually say to your friends to persuade them to sign up and what list of benefits you would like to see on the G0800 vanity keyword 'self-provisioning' page of the web site. I think one of the toughest questions you will face from your friends is "are you signed up?"
Keep in mind that if this is to provide revenue it will need to have a price point that will attract and keep new customers, month after month. Unique sugested that the $10-$15 price should function, area code wise, as a brand does. If so, then be preapared for business owners deciding this is a good deal for them and for the onslaught of fraudulent vanity keyword/business names. This will of course require a "keywords cop" to monitor and cancel keyword rule violators and an attendant cost.
He also wants a 'waiver' on the .04 cent/min when it kicks in for businesses. I say it' a non-issue, because no one will be incurring vanity key word phone minutes, for all of the reasons I've repeatedly stated. But, yet again, be ready for the fraudulent sign-ups. Beginning to sound like a new job 'stimulus plan' for 'vanity keyord cops'!
I don't think that any of these are unreasonable questions or considerations. In any case, some of you need to begin thinking in concrete term about just what will prompt you to sign up for vanity key words, if not why not, and what you will tell friends and acquaintances if your choice is 'sign up' or 'not'.
Vanity key words are as clear a case of "eating your own dog food" as that marketing quip was ever designed to convey!
If your answer is 'not', and your reasons are economic or "that's simply not me", be prepared for the reactions from your like situated/minded friends.
And stop rationanlizing your own age group as not being as receptive to vanity keywords as the age group members younger than you. It's a condescending, patronizing and dishonest stance that will be sniffed out by those groups of people younger than you who will resent being sold as certain a 'pig in a poke' as THAT phrase was meant to convey. "It's a statement!" alright, just not the one that I bet most of you are willing to make for yourselves.
"All truth goes through through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it's violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident"
Schopenhauer
Can't argue with Schope. So let's take his statement at face value.
We're at step one in his three step progression, IF anyone accepted your take on vanity keywords as 'truth'. I see no evidence of violent opposition and little progress toward 'self-evident' acceptance, at least though any of the assertions that you've thus far made.
Bopper155,
Thanks for the thoughts. Trust me it's not a 'distraction'.
By 'colliding' with 'Unique...' on this board, over the lack of merit for Go800 vanity key words, I gain the benefit that John Stuart Mill described as "the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error."
"There are more on this board in favor of the idea of vanity words then aren't, or did you forget to address that one?
Are there? Board?
"Like I said, Ike commits to it and you'll have more pitches than he, or you, will know what to do with."
Maybe, sometimes business works this way, maybe he/they kicked around the idea and, like yourself, came up with NO PITCHES!. Or at least no 'product' that could be honestly marketed as representing value in exchange for money.
Your "who cares/gives a crap what they think or why they buy?" undercuts everything that has been painstakingly learned by marketing and advertising people over the last 80 years.
Posting on this board relieves you of the responsibility, discipline, thought and preparation that would prevail around a conference room table where you would be required to come up with the 'pitch' needed to ether proceed to market with an idea for a product or a service, or scuttle it. The baseless assertions you've made on this board about the market for vanity key words would insure a brief meeting around that conference table.
"IS THAT ENTICING THEM BECAUSE IKE'S CONCEPT HAS NO MERITS ON ITS OWN ? You are making ridiculous statements that aren't clearly thought out one bit."
It's a non issue with people I talk with, it hasn't persuaded them to sign, but who at least see the posibilites of Go800 as branding and marketing for their company.
It's not something you can even mention to people who are just looking to "make a statement', unless the statment is "I'd like to throw some money away for something nobody will know about, see or use."
Square this: "Utility?.... What the heck are you talking about? Where's the utility in smashing a bottle of Champagne?
Celebration?..... Wouldn't it be better to drink it than to break it?
Inebriation?...Not when it's getting smashed on the bow of a boat, so stop contradicting yourself."
With this: "All that matters, listen carefully one last time, is that a person buys the vanity word. Who gives a crap why? Who cares what for? Who cares what they do with it? Do you give one rat's ass what someone does with a bottle of Dom Perignon once they buy it? They can drink it or christen a ship. Who the heck cares what they do with it? All they want to do is make a statement and all we want to do is bring in money."
Sure it would be better to drink it than break the bottle, but as you asked "who cares what they do with it?" And why do you childishly think that because you mentioned breaking it on a ship, that the 'celebration' and 'inebreiation' would necessarily take place.... on a boat? Point is there are uses for champaign in general and Dom Perignon in particular that keep moving them off the shelves. You've presented no ideas as to how Vanity key words would do the same.
"We have the chance to actually control the market for vanity keywords by being the first to roll out the concept."
The existence of Vanity 800#'s undercuts your claim about 'first to roll out the concept" It works for BUSINESSES because they advertise it. It doesn't translate to personal vanity use, otherwise we would see the 'white pages' filled with vanity name toll numbers.
I've never dismissed the 'vanity business', no matter how much you exaggerate the market value for it.
"You haven't? Doesn't seem like that from your posts."
Really, you haven't been able to understand that I've said that vanity licaense plates and the rest of the vanity 'industry' is distinct from, different from, what you're proposing with vanity key words? Because that's what I HAVE stated, no more no less.
I've never related the appeal of vanity items to expense. Neither vanity license plate, nor vanity nose rings.
"Oh boy, here we go again with you. I have stated in the past that there should be some free minutes to entice clients....."
How does 'entice' enter into it? They're "making a statement".
You try to have it both ways, people want it regardless of utility. But wait, we need to entice them because? Vanity statement by itself isn't sufficent?
"Do you give one rat's ass what someone does with a bottle of Dom Perignon once they buy it? They can drink it or christen a ship."
There is a market for Dom Perignon. There is utility, celebration, inebriation, ship launching, in exchange for money.
"I've stated plenty of times, mainly for your indulgence/edification, that the owner of the word could or couldn't be contacted by those he knows of (or doesn't know of either). It doesn't matter one way or the other. All that matters, listen carefully one last time, is that a person buys the vanity word. Who gives a crap why? Who cares what for? Who cares what they do with it?"
"Who gives a crap?" Let see, let me think. Anyone who wants to create a sustainable business model based upon customer satisfaction, repeat business and referrals?
Your honking disrespect for the intelligence and judgement of your would be customers locks in buyers remorse, and a very short half-life for your ill-thought out "build it and they will come" marketing 'strategy'.
Someone brought up the mid-schooler teenage market.....the ones doing all of the texting because...that's what they want to do. When they want to call each other, we also know what they want do... ....quickly and easily.
I've never dismissed the 'vanity business', no matter how much you exaggerate the market value for it. Vanity keywords are just not competitve in that market. I'm not sure why your susceptibility to being distracted by 'shiny objects', vanity keywords, is the barometer for everyone else's judgement in this matter.
I understand why you believe this concept of yours will sell itself. That's all your left with when you can't come up with value that you can explain in exchange for the money you're going to ask for. Wait, I forgot, the 'free minutes' to entice someone who you can't convince will actually have any minutes of usage.
Seriously, work out a 'pitch' and create that groundswell, on this board at least, before you drive yourself nuts.
"already made my "pitch" to Ike in an earlier post on this thread. That's the only pitch neccessary because without Ike's approval the project doesn't even get launched."
No, I meant the pitch to us board members who understand how G0800 works and not your pitch to Ike about the alleged money being left on the table.
"Those things are just there for THOSE THAT OWN THEM and provide a way to be reached, make a statement, conduct business, etc etc"
OK, please explain to me why I would use your vanity keyword as "a way to reach you" when the only people your're going to be embarrassing yourself in front of, aside fom the people on this board, are the people you'll try to persuade to indulge your vanity despite they're having your contact info already in their mobile devices. Be sure to add to you plea "C'mon, I'm paying $15.00/month for this."
And no, you're not getting a waiver on the .04/min on top of the genreously discounted keyword lease. Shouldn't be an issue for you though. Nobody will be texting to connect to you. Which is OK with you, but might not be acceptable to people more discerning than you with their 'vanity dollars'!
"Whatever the price is, I want one. Imagine if when I give out my business card to a prospective client that they see "Text FRANK to GO800" as a contact number."
"For personal use I don’t see a benefit, but for business and security I do."
I'm here to help! Provide your area code and I can quote you the generic pricing for that name for that area code. Now if your business encompasses more than one area code, or you want cell phone users from different area codes to be able to text your business, it's going to get pricier.
The 'security' issue is a puzzler to me. It's a 'busines' card. Wouldn't it have an address and a toll or toll free number for landline users? If 'frank' is availible as a generic, caveats above understood, then you can have what you want with two different business cards. You are going to place your keyword on your web site and in other marketing materials, right?
You see the complexities in trying to contort a 'vanity' purpose into a business application? It morphs into a vanity generic with all of the business requirements to implement/market it successfully, as with any generic or brand keyword.
It's doable, as long as you're clear about what you actually want to accomplish.
"I'm in too...I have to see it advertised somewhere though."
Lemming. Get the nose ring thingie instead. Don't hide your vanity inside Go800's data base!
"The facts speak for themselves, facts that you do not want to acknowledge: BILLIONS OF DOLLARS are spent on superfluous material by vain people wanting to make whatever sort of statement they want to make for whatever reason they have. To not exploit such is a critical failure. We need a multipronged approach to this (business AND consumer) instead of a multi-country expansion of the concept that hasn't even garnered much at home. Checkmate."
Sorry, these are checker board arguments that you attempt to make in a game of chess. Bringing a knife to a gun fight is another metaphor that works.
You can talk about Billions spent on vanity items but you can't even make a convincing case for vanity keywords on a board where most people have a working knowledge of how Go800 functions.
"Obviously he will share the "news" of such with his contacts. Whether or not they want to contact him that way is irrelevant, yet again...the only relevant issue is that someone purchased the vanity word."
What IS relevant is that you can't be truthful to anyone you talk with when they ask if or how people will use what your vanity keyword 'mark' is being asked to buy. I'm thinking that 'vanity boy' takes a hit in his 'vanity' when his friends appropriately respond "WTF?!....WHY? I mean, I get the nose ring but....!"
Not sure why you continue to bring Ike's miscues into the posts. I don't defend them and I've made my statement about them. Nothing could strenghten your arguments, but going off 'topic' makes them appear even weaker than they are, if that's possible.
So, please post your elevator pitch on the vanity keywords so I and others can re-evaluate our positions on this subject. I'll withhold my own judgement on the pitch, you thus far haven't successfully made, and let the rest of the board chime in as to whether or not they would 'buy' from you.
""Hey, I got my own text word thingie."
Will be met with the same bemused stares elicited by
..."Hey I got my own nose ring thingie."
I know, I know I'm being very unfair.....to the 'nose ring thingie', which as least is a visible if not equally risible vanity 'statement'.
"Now, for the umpteenth time, stop thinking about "how is someone going to reach you." You need to drop the "groundhog day" hold on that thinking. It is NOT about someone reaching the owner of the vanity word, it is about the owner of the vanity word owning it and making whatever sort of statement he wants regardless of whether his contacts want to reach him using the vanity keyword. Man, how come you can't comprehend such a simple, oh so simple, concept?"
Please attach a price, one that will make it a 'national vanity keyword', and then present it to someone with the explanation that "no one will actually want to use this to contact you , but hey, $15-$20 a month to make a statement? What are you waiting for?"
That at least would be an honest presentation. But give me one that disguises the essential truth you've pointed out..."making whatever sort of statement he wants regardless of whether his contacts want to reach him using the vanity keyword."
It's no longer a question of "friends wanting to"...they have no reason to. That leaves you with the resposibility to explain why YOUR pitch to his vanity can't be satisfied in many competing ways that are at least visible. As soon as your prospect realizes that his vanity keyword will reside only in his mind and in G0800's data base, no sale!
"I said that soon enough one will be able to just say, "call walmart" etc and the phone will connect them. If you don't think that someone is already working on that concept, then your vision of the future is quite limited. It is a given that it will happen."
You assert a lot of things with nothing to support them but your conviction that they'e so. Your scenario will still require a central 'switch' to route the text/phone call. 46800 is that switch right now. Maybe it will be a Google 'smart cloud switch' down the road. For now, Vanity key words make no sense to anyone who can think or count.
Call any tech columnist at any publication and run your vanity keyword scenarios by them. You'll be faced with the same arguments I've stated. If G0800 announced vanity key words tomorrow, it would be met with the same analytical demolition that I've visited on you.
"for what it's worth. have to ask them."
Good luck with that. Worth about .0069.
"What makes sense isn't always what sells...sometimes it's that stupid thing that you don't really need that becomes the moneymaker.'
Thank you. I don't have the time nor the inclination to work on my 'elevator speech' for selling nonsensical, stupid things that people don't need. But I remain optimistic that we'll see one soon!
"Well then you've just killed off GOIG with such a ridiculous statement.'
Try thinking things though for a change. You need to understand how Go800 works. No smart or semi-smart phone will connect you to Wal-Mart if both Wal-Mart and a PHONE NUMBER are not stored in the phone. Yes, the web based search oft described here is one way to find business's and the steps to do that have been described.
You do remember our 'app' announced a few weeks ago that will place Go8000 on the screen and enable a quicker access to the text function? We'll see how that plays out. So far we have one 'speech to text' phone feature from T-mobile. Expect the availibility of that feature to expand.
None of these capabilities beat speed dial, touch to connect or voice command linked to your stored #'s for contacting already KNOWN, presumably, friends and family.
With Go800 You're LOOKING to connect to a service or product for which you do NOT have a stored phone number.
"I've told you before, so let me 'splain it you again: Vanity keywords are not for those who would do the contacting but for the owner of the keyword itself.'
Hey, Ricky, you're the last one who should attempt 'splainin!
How exactly does the vain knucklehead get his friends to text to connect with him? Guess he's paying for their blank stares and ridicule!
"I'm NOT going to text to talk with you when I can just do this........
And hey, I checked the Go800 web site like you suggested. I don't have the same area code in my phone as you do in yours. Is there some kind of Vanity Brand pricing?"
Hard arguing with someone who can't see or at least reason out these important distinctions in functionality, convenience, economics and speed between calling known individuals and texting to connect to unknown numbers....or to massage the ego of a clueless friend.
So, no, I have not sold my GOIG shares nor do I share your hysterical take on Go800's future.
" You're slamming vanity keywords.... How come you're not slamming such claims by Ike of 300 keywords in June and 1,000 Ticker symbols by year's end? Double standard if there ever was. At least be balanced in your criticism. Don't be scared to be critical of a company in which you have a position...Those who aren't, are scary."
What's really scary are your straw man arguments about my being "opposed to making money" and your pointless analogies dealing with displays of vanity and vanity keywords. They don't hold up to anyone who thinks through the simple, fast process that kids AND adults, vain or otherwise, use to call each other on their increasingly smart phones.
I just received my new Sprint 'semi-smart' Sanyo phone that has 'voice command' capability courtesy of "Nuance". All of my contacts are now loaded with their mobile and landline #'s that are called with the simple command call: "call....(mobile) for cell phones....or "call....landline". I've seen friends with touch screen phones launch their calls with one or two quick swipes of the screen.
I'm optimistic that I will be able to voice command "text' and go to that menu where 46800 will be stored and then type my keyword search. Just haven't done it yet.
You keep saying that vanity key words will be a 'money maker' but you cannot come up with a credible 'work around' to convince anyone, never mind kids who would KNOW that you're hopelessly monomaniacal on this subject, to want to exchange the simplicity and speed of 'speed dial', 'swipe', 'voice command', described above, for the cumbersomeness of your "vanity text to call", never mind asking them to pay for it.
Unlike you I don't confuse the benefits for businesses, who are looking for more customers and better CRM for existing customers, with the nonexistent market for your ""Go800 More steps to Call my Family and Friends Plan" .
As for criticizing Ike? The 'division of labor' on this board permits me to leave that to many others while I focus on deconstructing bogus arguments such as yours.
That said, many of you may recall my post where in I criticized Ike for "over-promising and under-delivering". Most people would correctly interpret that to encompass his short falls in the timing of his announcements and the accuracy of his forecasts.
This email from Glenn Dooner, AKA 'Doone' may spare your further embarrassment should you actually follow though on your evangelizing on behalf of Vanity key words beyond this board and in front of any groups:
"My kid is a Junior in High School and a member of the marching band that has 190 kids in it. Very diverse group of kids, a few thing in common, band and the fact that they text with every free minute they have. I asked Band Director if I could talk to the kids for 5 minutes after he finished speaking with them. (190 kids, Freshman through Seniors, boys and girls). He said, "sure".
"Hi kids, hey real quick, if there was a way you could be connected in seconds to your friends phone to talk to them, by them texting a nickname, kinda like a Vanity License plate, to 46800, would you want to know about it?"
The room got real quiet, they were all listening, very interested and nodding their heads yes.
"Ok, this is how it would work. After you enter 46800 in you phone as a contact and give it the name Go800 you are ready. Now go to your contacts and bring up Go800, you just need to type in the first two letters, go, and that contact comes up, right? Now you simply type in the nickname, like STIX (a drummer). Now hit send, and in seconds your phone rings and is connected to STIX immediately. Pretty cool huh?"
It took a second to sink in, then you could here a low murmur in the room as heads were turning to each other talking. Then a junior girl, who plays the french horn said, "If I want to talk to STIX, I go to my contacts, type in ST and STIX appears, then I press send, and I call him."
After she said that, there was alot of shuffling in the room as the kids went back to talking to each other and texting, as I said "Thank you"
Well I thought Vanity Keywords was a great idea, but the kids all ready have the vanity names as contacts in their phone of the friends they want to talk to.
"The list can go on and on...no rhyme or reason other than that people like to express themselves in a way that's unique."
That desire for 'unique expression' does not extend to taking more steps to call someone and also having to pay for the indulgence of their 'uniqueness', nor to enduring the "WTF's?!" from their more astute, more mature and more emotionally secure, friends.
"You see, that's how POSITIVE I am on the concept of Go800 that I see the possiblity in EVERY ASPECT OF KEYWORDS, be they business or vanity. I'm not so sure why anyone would think otherwise."
Maybe it's because you haven't made a persuasive case for vanity keywords?
Anyway, I'm looking forward to your feedback from your HS and college keyword blitz. Make it as easy as possible for yourself and quote $5.00/month.
First student who responds to your vanity license plate analogy with "WTF?!", respond "good choice, I'm pretty sure that's available since you're the first person I've pitched!
Then send an email to me or Doone to check to see if that's not a reserved stock symbol.
Yes, just barely. lLook at the volume on the chart to the upper right
"You have nothing to lose by trying this...except for your company."
That was a long journey to arrive at a false choice.
You still can't explain to personal users why any of their friends or family would want to enter a second or third or fourth way to CALL you that has no advantages over the existing ways to call you.
"Drain on resources/attention/tight budgets? I have to strongly disagree with you on that."
And then you hand out some work assignments:
"Have someone screen the words".
"Write a few lines of code to implement some measure of security."
Brendan, you there?!
"Of course a little marketing...how about near high schools/colleges?"
Are you near any? How about a 'dry run'. You don't need an elevator speech, so wing it and let us know what kind of questions you receive. I'd be very surprised if you weren't
confronted with the very same questions I raised.
It may just come down to the following questions, so consider yourself 'prepared'.
"When I text my friends they text me back. When I want to talk to them I have their phone numbers with voice prompt or one or 2 step touch dialing. They have the same arrangement with my name in their mobile devices. What's in it for me to text to call you?
What's in it for me to subscribe to that service and have to answer the same questions from my friends?"
Lead your answer with "it's a vain way to make a statement."
I'm really interested in hearing the responses to that.
How exactly is a redundant entry in a mobile phone address book 'visibility in cyber-space'. It's YOUR vanity that you're asking your friends to indulge with a superfluous step.
"Trust me, there are plenty of people out there that want to make a statement and the proof already exists with vanity license plates etc"
It's not, nor can it be, a matter of trust. And extrapolating the use of vanity plates as 'proof' that vanity keywords will be as popular isn't convincing. Vanity 800 #'s would be a more apt comparison and most of those are for the ease of remembering them as opposed to making a statement. A memory problem that your friends do not likely have when it's time to call you.
Thus far you've asserted that "there are plenty of people.......
I'm not being totally facetious in challenging you to 'test drive' your assertion in exactly the places you've singled out. Introduce some kids to Ike's weekly update!
"The hard numbers will tell who's right and who's flinging monkey poop.'
Brilliant response to my point by point dismantling of your misunderstanding and weak arguments.
"The worst case scenario is that it will garner about the same attention/results as the current keywords/tickers have and the best case scenario has vanity keywords far outpacing them. Isn't it worth the risk? Cleary it is in my book."
The "worst case scenario" is a diversion of attention, personal resources and already tight budgets in pursuit of a service that you still can't give me an 'elevator speech' to convince me of its utility, let alone profitablility.