> The reality is that we have a stigmatised industry, ...

Very good point, Ron.

The continuing need for auDA to issue "consumer alerts" of one form or another
since early 2001 - in the interests of consumer protection ..., and for the
media and the association network to communicate these alerts - has been
necessary, but has stigmatised the industry for both .au and gTLD domain names.
(The stigma also applies along the e-business supply chain of which the domain
name suppliers industry is the first link.)

auDA and, hopefully, ACCC are doing a lot to address industry conduct and, in so
doing, lessen the impact on consumers of domain name services.  The stigma is
something the industry also needs to address in the longer-term, possibly in
collaboration with industry and consumer associations - see my comments below.


> Put simply, I believe that the entire industry,
> auDA included, should adopt a strategy of
> promoting the notion that websites and email
> (the "car"), both of which need a domain name
> (the "number plate", are invaluable business tools
> and have enormous benefits when used appropriately.

I also agree.

In this regard, I understand that NOIE has committed most of the $3.25 million
the Federal Government allocated to raising the awareness and encouraging the
uptake of e-business by small business.

A key outcome of this program is www.e-businessguide.com.au.  This website
contains information and resources about e-business for small businesses in
Australia and for those who advise them.  It contains practical advice about
using the Internet as a business tool. There's a hard-copy, cut-done version of
the e-businessguide.

e-businessguide includes some references to domain names:

- Understanding - Getting started - getting email and a domain name
  www.e-businessguide.com.au/site/text_only.cfm?nav_id=801

- Building - Technical issues - Getting a website name
  www.e-businessguide.com.au/site/text_only.cfm?area_id=16&nav_id=632

- Managing - Promoting your website - Advertising your website
  www.e-businessguide.com.au/site/text_only.cfm?area_id=16&nav_id=644

(BTW, NOIE welcomes feedback and any suggestions for improving the
e-businessguide: email: mailto:e-businessguide§noie.gov.au or phone: (02) 6271
1666.  I see plenty of scope to improve the text in the guide as it relates to
domain names, but that's not my business.  I'd urge some leaders within the
industry to work with NOIE to improve it, and not just leave it to auDA.
Indeed, given the collective wisdom of the DNS list, this forum might begin to
do this.)


> At the risk of provoking a reaction from Ian and others,
> we as an industry also need to stop promoting the
> myth that businesses need e-commerce (popularly
> taken to mean on-line shopping). ...

I agree again, Ron.

Clearly many businesses don't need e-commerce / e-business, but there are many
out there that may benefit.

NOIE's e-businessguide program is about raising awareness of the opportunity,
and stepping people through the cycle - understanding > planning > building >
protecting > managing > improving - to help them decide what e-business might do
for them.

There's scope for the domain name suppliers industry (still better, an industry
association) to:

- advance their interests in the context of e-business / e-commerce (possibly,
beyond the role of auDA)

- help remove the industry's stigma

- work with NOIE to add value to the e-businessguide, as it relates to the
domain name supplier industry

- explore opportunities to work with the association network*

- seek Federal Government and/or auDA funding to pursue industry strategies**

I'm sure you and many others on the DNS list could add to these four points.


Ian Johnston


* Small Business Coalition (www.smallbusiness.org.au), SETEL (www.setel.com.au),
and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (www.acci.asn.au) which
convenes the SBC and chair's SETEL.

** Possibly in collaboration with and by accessing the association network (see
the invitation at www.setel.com.au/smeforum2002/fp/FP09.htm).


-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Stark [mailto:ronstark§snapsite.com.au]
Sent: 27 September 2003 9:17 PM
To: dns§lists.auda.org.au
Subject: RE: [DNS] New 2LDs and Associations (was [DNS] Nomination for
auDA board.)

Peter

The Internet (whatever that happens to mean to businesses) has been
stigmatised by it having been sold as a technology that was the wave of
the future.  Many were caught up in the feeding frenzy of simply getting
in on the act, because they felt that they had to.  Their expectations
were too high, they were sold unrealisable dreams, and were misled to
believe that being on the internet, in and of itself, would somehow
bring wondrous new business to fruition.

I remember that in one of the NOIE surveys, respondents were afraid of
having a website because they couldn't handle the huge volume of new
business they were led to believe would eventuate!

With the passage of time, cold hard reality has set in.  The Internet
"technology", in and of itself, has no intrinsic worth.  It's of no
value to businesses unless it actually adds some value to that business.
Many's the story I've heard from clients that say "I signed up with City
Search and it did nothing.  I tell my mates to forget having a website -
it's a complete waste of time and money"

Which brings me to answering your question - and my analogy.

The reality is that we have a stigmatised industry, and we need to send
out a new message which promotes the benefits, not the product.
Unfortunately to some extent we're still promoting the same message that
led to the stigma in the first place.

Put simply, I believe that the entire industry, auDA included, should
adopt a strategy of promoting the notion that websites and email (the
"car"), both of which need a domain name (the "number plate", are
invaluable business tools and have enormous benefits when used
appropriately.

You can argue the semantics of how this is done and what the benefits
are, but the underlying message must be consistent.

At the risk of provoking a reaction from Ian and others, we as an
industry also need to stop promoting the myth that businesses need
e-commerce (popularly taken to mean on-line shopping).  The vast
majority of businesses have no need whatever for it - instead they rely
on human contact with their clients for business to take place.  But
that's another story for another time and place.

Ron Stark


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Shilling [mailto:peter§tppinternet.com]
> Sent: Saturday, 27 September 2003 5:32 PM
> To: dns§lists.auda.org.au
> Subject: Re: [DNS] New 2LDs and Associations (was [DNS]
> Nomination for auDA board.)
>
>
> On Sat, Sep 27, 2003 at 04:09:21PM +1000, Ron Stark wrote: <snip>
>
> >
> > I've had (and continue to have) some experience with Associations and
> > my position is unchanged.  Put simply, give businesses a valid reason
> > to have a domain name, and they'll do it.  The existence of a new 2LD
> > certainly isn't that reason, and that holds true with or without the
> > participation of Associations.
> >
> > To repeat my oft-used analogy - A domain name is like a car number
> > plate.  Persuade consumers to buy a car, and the numberplate market
> > automatically follows.
> >
> > Ron Stark
> >
>
> Ron,
>
> Your analogy is one that I also subscribe to, the unfortunate
> reality though ( and we have seen this with recent activities
> by DNA etc..) is that consumers to tend to buy the number
> plate without the car to stick it on. Of course when it comes
> time to renew the domain name probably not many of these
> names will be renewed as they are not being used.
>
> Your analogy is the basis of a _sustainable_ domain industry
> as registrants who use them will keep them and perhaps get others.
>
> While there has been much debate on this list about the
> activities of AusRegistry and the mywebname.com.au marketing
> efforts, what they are trying to achieve is to market the use
> of the domain name (email addresses etc...) which if you like
> they way they are doing it or not is at least in the right direction.
>
> Since this current debate in in the context of auDA etc..
> What do you (or others) think that auDA should be doing to
> assist in making your analogy a reality?
>
> Peter Shilling
>
>
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