Never forget the URL suite

While dot com domains are the default for most businesses, the complete TLD suite of .org, .net, .info, etc. should always be acquired, if only for defensive reasons. And, they should be acquired BEFORE your cool name or campaign is leaked to the public.

Need an example to drive this home? How bout this from Ed Morrison at the EdPro Weblog:

Don't do this at home

Regular EDPro readers know that in November Ohio voters will decide a ballot issue concerning statewide gambling.

The Cleveland business community has been leading this effort to get casinos in Cleveland.

Meanwhile, The Columbus Partnership, the Ohio State regents, Senator Voinovich, Governor Taft, and a number of newspapers have all come out in opposition.

Needless to say, the campaign has generated controversy.

The proponents of the gambling resolution -- the "Learn and Earn" committee -- have posted their arguments for the amendment (with a lot of smiling children) on their web site: www.ohiolearnandearn.com.

At the same time, they did not also buy the URL www.ohiolearnandearn.org.

So, the opponents of the took the opportunity to put up their own clever site.

Ohio Learn and Earn will be spending millions to support their effort. But they forgot to spend about $10 to reserve a URL.