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Those of us at Vox Populi Registry have long said there is value in criticism. It can’t be dismissed as marketing-speak. One need not look any further than at the new companies and initiatives that have emerged on the dotSucks platform. Criticism also has helped make us – Vox Populi Registry — smarter and better positioned today than we were at launch because we have paid attention to the feedback. Yet some days, promoting the value in criticism can feel a lonely exercise. Even when, at a time when the cost of acquiring a new customer is a lot higher than keeping a current one, any company not listening is deaf. Not only can cultivating criticism keep companies one step ahead of unhappy customers, it can lead to new products and services. It is becoming even clearer that to ignore criticism is like leaving money on the table. Just as marketing executives are warming to “sucks” not as a pejorative, but a call-to-action (just ask Taco Bell and Jolly Rancher), so too is the broader business world now moving to embrace it not just as a way to promote a product from an angle that cuts through the noise, but to design the products themselves. You don’t have to take our word for it. In the Harvard Business Review, Roberto Verganti, a professor of leadership and innovation at Politecnico di Milano, put it this way: “The business world is awash in ideas for new products, services, and business models…Yet many organizations still struggle to identify and capture big opportunities.” The essential missing element is “The Innovative Power of Criticism.” Here are the important bits First: “If companies don’t change the lens through which they assess ideas, they won’t be able to identify the outsiders they should seek, know what questions to ask them, and recognize their most valuable input.” Second: “’Criticism’ comes from the Greek word krino, which means ‘able to judge, value, interpret.’ Criticism need not be negative; in this context it involves surfacing different perspectives, highlighting their contrasts, and synthesizing them into a bold new vision. This is a significant departure from the ideation processes of the past decade, which treat criticism as undesirable—something that stifles creativity.” Third: “Properly applied in discovering new problems and redefining value, criticism is an engine of innovation.” The internet is no stranger to criticism. Just about every company, public official, institution and celebrity hear it daily. The distributed nature of the internet can sometimes make it hard to know exactly what is being said and who is saying it. And trying to run to ground a misrepresentation or unfounded rumor, well, good luck. Some companies have built businesses to ease that problem. Sites like Yelp and Glassdoor and TripAdvisor have proved the concept of the economic value in criticism. Vox Populi Registry gives every company and advocate the opportunity to cultivate, collaborate and engage directly with customers, supporters and critics. Our goal is to make even shorter the distance between business today and innovation tomorrow.

This week marks the first birthday of the general availability of dotSucks domain names. It has been a year notable for both heat and light, adding up to a set of insights relevant for any new gTLD. A successful gTLD either meets a market need or creates an opportunity Be clear about who you serve and use their vocabulary (not domain name industry jargon) to tell them about it. Engage in marketing Have a story to tell Emotional resonance is more effective than even overwhelming facts-and-figures. The right story helps people see themselves in you. Let your customers speak for you People are trained to deflect commercial messages (remember when banner ads ruled the internet?), so let your customers take center stage. Peer-to-peer communication the most effective form of communication. Partner wherever possible, go it alone when you have to Domain names are a small and new industry; often without broad awareness and hard to explain. This is mitigated by participating in larger groups (like an association) to make sure the basic story is told om the same way by many voices. At the same time, each new gTLD likely has its own qualities that may not be relevant to all but can be better heard because of the work of larger groups. Rome wasn’t built in a day Most overnight success is years in the making. Most. It is best not to get too high or too low in the face of daily sales. Focus on building long term value. Make that part of the story, too. Celebrate milestones Much like the birthday of Vox Populi Registry, when meaningful metrics are met or logical mileposts are reached, let people know about it, especially your customers! Be available Answer questions as they arise. Be timely in delivering customer service. Participate in both domain name industry gatherings and those of the market you target. Visibility leads to awareness which leads to sales. Value leads to renewal which leads to long-term success.