01 June, 2009    

Hello Friends, old and new.

Today the team is temporarily back in the States after extended time way from the internet Domain name business. With two exceptions, the entire administration has been away. Two heroes and the entire agent group held down the fort!

There is so much to say as I review the least revenue-producing year in the last six years of operation of CubaDomainsForSale.com. Measured in sales and services performed, it has been grim through March 31 2009! Having said that, Domain name portfolio quantity has, due to purchases, has exceeded every projection. More importantly, as measured in new friends made, the last twenty months are unforgettable.

Every year we add to the list of good friends. This past year we met and spoke with several outstanding and inspiring individuals and families from around the world. Some of these relationships are now flourishing as profitable and fun businesses.

As to the Cuba Domain name business, we have gained new and important perspective on Cuban business, political timing and the way the island-nation actually works. We have been fortunate to 'meet' a couple of individuals with intuitive and practical knowledge on the subject. As regards the business of our business, here too we have made good contacts with far thinking and experienced business minded people who have an educated desire to know the unique science which is the investment in, and the marketing and sales of, Cuba related Domain names.

Following are a few of my musings on the year to come and what it may bring.

COMING THIS YEAR
More business partnerships with new friends. Our internet property portfolio has opened some interesting doors, all of which we look forward to entering.

Advertising, page by page. In the past year, we have teased ad space on some select pages. As the calls and e-mails have come in, un-answered on our end, policies have been codified and decisions have been made. You will see tasteful managed ads, soon.

More joint ventures utilizing our Domain properties. In the fourth quarter of this year, we will increase Domain name leasing and management of some Domain names in existing and new commercial ventures.

By year's end, we will begin accepting online payment, both by wire transfer and as we have always done, by certified funds, in € - Euros as well as in £ - Pounds Sterling and in ¥ - Yuan. The currency of standard at CubaDomainsForSale.com will continue to be the $ - United States Dollar.

We are still trying to figure out how to do our job better. Help us, CONTACT US.

GOING THIS YEAR
The brokerage part of our business. Our business plan is to always increase service and brokerage has been a valuable building block of this business. However, due to market realities, in 2009 and beyond, we will act only upon our own internet properties. There will be exceptions; though this is the rule. ALL existing Domain brokerage relationships will be honored, spirit and letter, to the satisfaction of our brokerage associates.

NOT CHANGING THIS YEAR
Your account executive has not and probably will not change. Every agent has signed a new contract through June 2010. All day-to-day sales will be handled as always. To a lesser extent and in certain special cases I will still be involved. I plan to go to an all-electronic, on-line system, of some sort, in the first half of next year.

Our service will not change in 2009, except as we determine how to make it better.

We now retain a top, full-time Domain name Attorney. No more waiting for legal opinions!

THE CUBAN DOMAIN NAME MARKET
Having been in the land and development disciplines for most of my business life, I easily apply lessons learned there to the Domain name business. Market realities reveal a finite number of good Cuban Domain names remaining. The cost of Domain names that we purchase to hold for resale is up, the world economy notwithstanding, by over 400% in the last 16 months. Needless to say, our November 15th minimum price increase from $1,100.00 US to $2,150.00 US, therefore, is not realistic, long term as we see it.

DOMAIN NAME PRICING - PRICE REQUEST
In July of 2010, there will be a blanket price increase in the minimum priced Domain names, now $2,150.00 US Premium Domain names and 'Suites' of Domain names, a market that we invented and dominate, will also increase proportionately. It is almost impossible to acquire the four Domain names comprising a Suite. Our theory of the value of owning all four Domain names, both Cuba and Cuban along with their plural counterparts, when the cost of search engine placement is so high, and squatting is so prevalent, has been proven to be correct and to be a prudent business strategy. We presently catalog over 400 Suite Domain name sets.

POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND THE DOMAIN NAME BUSINESS
In this category, we have views both public and private..... business and emotional. As regards CubaDomainsForSale.com, we accept the views of the current United States political administration and live by the ever-changing spirit and letter of those views. We also bow to the realities of the sovereign Government of Cuba and are grateful for the consistency and transparencies of their policies and the evolution of their oversight.

Our guess is that we see Cuba cracking open to an American market in 2010. Yes, we are just simple enough to display our naiveté for all to see (a burden of leadership you know!) That is our best guesstimate. We see the U. S. Presidential election as having bearing on this. It is obvious that others agree, as our 2009 Cuba Domain name business picks up. We are planning more changes to our acquisition and sales strategies against that day.

THE KEY TO CUBAN COMMERCE - I have some personal concerns about merchantable land title in a new Cuba. This directly affects the speed with which all value in the re-emerging Cuban business culture will be established. I personally have done a great deal of research on the subject. Frankly, it is a mess that promises to be even worse than it was in the emerging Eastern Europe after Soviet release. All final controlling decisions will be political. The Cuban people, as a culture, are among the most politically astute in the world. My trust, confidence and investment is in those strengths. I plan to issue a White Paper on the subject of Land Titles in the New Cuba later this year and will request qualified input for publication here and at CubaLandTitle.com, to come.

On a further personal note, there are other business interests that I must personally service. I can only wish that CubaDomainsForSale.com were the only call on my productive business time. I have come too many miles down the business road to allow the soft spot in my heart to guide the softer spots in my head!

Well my friend, I am about to run down here. I am grateful for your business and for your friendship. This past year, 17.1% of our business was with repeat clients, many just like yourself. Of that fact I am most proud. I am told by the staff that I could comfortably live and eat for a year in Cuba, if I were to accept every sincere offer of hospitality. The warmth of that thought, I hold dear. I wish all the best to you and all that you hold dear.    Dan.

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