ST. LOUIS — Associated Cities sat down with Natalie Lambert, Vice-President of City Development for Castello Cities Internet Network (CCIN), to discuss her evolving role at the company, how it has flourished and what it's like working with the Castello brothers.

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Associated Cities: Tell us about your background and what prepared you to work with GeoDomains?
Natalie Lambert: I graduated from Northwood University (West Palm Beach) with a B.B.A. in Marketing & Management. Soon after, I became the Marketing Director for the North Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce. In addition, I've worked in various sales and marketing positions since my teens.

AC: How did you come to be employed by the Castello Cities Internet Network?
NL: In 2002, David met with the CEO of the North Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and they became the marketing agent for CCIN's WestPalmBeach.com. During the next six months, David and Michael became a familiar sight around the office and we would chat about the Internet and the marketing power of GeoDomains. I'd never heard of GeoDomains and from the start I was fascinated with the concept. I also was surprised to discover that my parents had previously lived next door to the Castello family after they relocated to Boynton Beach from Illinois in 1970.

Two years later, CCIN bought a home by the beach in Ocean Ridge to serve as WestPalmBeach.com's office. My father is the top real estate inspector in Palm Beach County and their mother (Victoria) called him to inspect the property. By this time, I'd left the Chamber and hadn't seen David in a while, but he called me and flew in from California to take me out to dinner. We discussed the possibility of me working for the network and in the summer of 2004 I was assigned to the WestPalmBeach.com account. I pounded the pavement and quickly signed 25 local businesses (including one restaurant boarding up for Hurricane Frances). Shortly after, I was promoted to Manager of WestPalmBeach.com and began working with Kate Buckley on PalmSprings.com and LagunaBeach.com. A year later I became the Vice-President of City Development for CCIN.

AC: You recently signed your 200th client. Describe your sales approach today versus when you first joined the Castello Cities Internet Network.
NL: It's basically the same. By far, the most important factor to communicate to a client is the tremendous intuitive marketing power of a GeoDomain. In 1998, David was the first to describe that there are only two kinds of sites: Search Engine Independent and Search Engine Dependent. The majority of a GeoDomain's traffic is type-in and that qualifies it as Search Engine Independent. The public is intuitively going straight to the GeoDomain and, for all intents and purposes, the GeoDomain owns the Internet brand for that city. There is no way a local newspaper, television, radio station, CVB, Tourism Bureau or Chamber of Commerce web site can overtake that kind of advantage. Make the client understand the difference and they're yours.

AC: What are you looking to learn and accomplish at the 2007 GeoDomain Expo this November in San Francisco?
NL: Over the years I've become familiar with a lot of the other GeoDomain owners and the Expo is a great opportunity to see everyone again like Dan Pulcrano, Sean Miller, Patrick Carleton, Jessica Bookstaff, Josh Metnick, etc. I also enjoy hearing about other people's experiences as they manage and build their city sites. There's always something new to learn.

AC: What are your day-to-day responsibilities?
NL: I continuously keep my clients informed about their revenue and traffic stats. In addition, CCIN has a policy of no client waiting more than twenty-four hours for updates and overseeing 200 clients keeps me busy. 50% of my time is spent keeping those accounts maintained and the other 50% is meeting with new prospects.

AC: How much of your energy is devoted to sales and marketing versus content and production?
NL: All of my energies are devoted to sales and marketing. After I signed my 50th client, David said, "Don't worry about content and production, just keep signing clients!"

AC: What are your websites' primary sources of revenue?
NL: It used to be mostly hotels, golf, real estate, shops and restaurants. Now there's a lot of attractions, events and professional services buying advertising.

AC: Please describe your relationship and/or competition with local Media web sites?
NL: That's pretty much David and Michael's arena. I see a lot of media people socially at CVB, Chamber and civic events, but my focus is strictly building our city sites' clientele. I steer clear of local media politics.

AC: What do you do for fun outside of your Internet work?
NL: I am a jewelry designer and specialize in fine Watermelon Tourmaline. My work will soon be available on-line at NatalieLambertDesigns.com. I also enjoy traveling (especially Europe), fine dining, wine, long distance running and a mischievous Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Annie).

AC: Describe what it is like working with the Castello brothers.
NL: With David and Michael there is never a dull moment! They are a rare combination of unique talents and strong personalities. I've learned so much from them and look forward to the creative challenges of building the CCIN network to the next level. We all share a strong entrepreneurial spirit and heritage.