If you don't have your own domain name, it's time you made a name for yourself. The Internet Crusade, a technology and training company devoted to helping agents migrate to the Web, is introducing a new program called the Digital Deal to help you market yourself more effectively and inexpensively.

The Digital Deal is simply the easiest registration to obtain the lowest price on domain names anywhere - $59.95, which includes the two-year registration fee. This low price is available until the end of September.

Why do you need a domain name? Because it allows other people and computers to locate information about you quickly and easily on the Internet. Like a car with a personalized license plate, you are easily recognized and found.

Domain names are recognized as the foundation of your Internet identity, and good names are being snapped up quickly. With over 175,000 domain names being registered per month, it is obvious that domain names are critical to Internet positioning. If your name is registered, even if you don't use it right away, you'll at least be assured that no one else will take it.

Also, when you have a user name at your Internet Service Provider, such as Terri@aol.com, you are promoting AOL.com, not yourself or your company. If you are going to spend the money to compete on the Web, doesn't it make sense to promote your own Internet identity rather than your ISP's?

Research is already proving that more buyers and sellers are using the Web to search for home buying services and agents, so you don't have time to lose. Go to www.Internetcrusade.com where you can check on the availability of the names you are considering and then apply immediately with point and click speed. The Internet Crusade staff will process the registration with you as the owner and "park" your domain on the company's servers until you are ready to use it. After you register, you can take advantage of the Web hosting services offered by Internet Crusade, including email forwarding, so you don't have to give up that AOL account after all.

According to John Reilly, an owner and developer of the Internet Crusade, "There's a rush on to grab Domain Names, especially those with the .com 'top level domain' (gTLD). Take a look at how many ads on TV and in the paper include the web address for the product, and note how many end in ".com."

But before you rush in, take a moment to consider what kind of domain name would be in your best interest, because you can't grab just any old name.

"Even if you were first to register the domain name "Xerox.org," all Xerox has to do to convince the Internic Registry to cancel your ownership is to produce a copy of their previously filed Federal trademark registration certificate," cautions Reilly. "The lesson here is that if your name is your brand and you want to protect it, then it makes sense for you to file for Federal trademark protection (the Patent Office fee is about $250). You might also consider registering your brand in some of the other gTLDs, like .net or .org. Some businesses also register common misspellings of their name and make sure each is pointed to their true Web site."

Reilly suggests that while you may change companies and professions, the one constant that helps to identify you is your name. "We recommend you first try to register your last name (Murphy.com); if that is taken, then your first and last name (TerriMurphy.com); and, if that is taken, then perhaps insert a hyphen between the first and last name (Terri-Murphy.com" offers Reilly. "Or, you might try something like AlaskaBob.com; or CallJohn.com; or SellKona.com. Be creative!"

Special note: A domain name may be up to 26 characters long including the four characters to identify the Top Level Domain (.COM, .NET, .ORG). The only valid characters for a domain name are letters, numbers and a dash. Other special characters like an exclamation mark are not permitted; nor are blank spaces between characters. Domain names are not case sensitive, so mixing lower and upper case may give your domain name a better appearance. Also, beware of trademarked words, especially the word REALTOR®. The National Association of REALTORS® does not allow the use of the word REALTOR® in domain name marketing.

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Published: September 9, 1999

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. For more articles by Blanche, click here.