Getting started
The very first thing you should know about being a nomadic domainer is that it's not for everyone. Most nomads travel alone because it's easier to only have to worry about themselves when times get rough. Naturally, there are also families that live a nomadic lifestyle, each pulling their own weight in order to keep everyone safe. For now, though, I'm just going to focus on the single nomad domainer 101 essentials.
Once you decide to travel as a nomadic domainer, you'll need a few basic things set up and supplies.
Your first hop
Now that you have all of your supplies, it's time to make your first Wi-Fi hop. This is the time when you'll decide where you want to go, while deciding at least two optimal navigational routes that have hotspot access points along the way. Before continuing, chart various means of travel on your way to your final destination as a precautionary measure; you never know when a route may be diverted.
No matter your means of travel, it's important that you always get to another hotspot before your money runs out for the essentials: water, food, gas and possibly a nest egg to get you back home safely.
Thankfully in today's world, there are free Wi-Fi spots in just about every single town in America.
Domaining and Freelancing on the Road
Now that you have made your first successful hop and re-established Internet connection again, it's time to get started on some domaining or freelance sites to generate additional traveling cash. Again, I can never stress this too much, you never want to run out of emergency travel funds. Always try and sell at least a few of your lower-valued domains per week (NamePros Marketplace is a good place to liquidate for quick cash) or participate in a few freelance projects every time you establish a connection, even if you don't think you need to. You do.
The Budget
That's right, even nomadic domainers need to set budgets, pinch pennies, and become bargain hunters. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re budgeting. If you have the funds to go from hotel to hotel, these aren’t necessarily bad tips to follow as you may still be susceptible to some of the problems faced.
Thank goodness for $1 menus. When you're traveling and money gets tight, fast food $1 menus hit the spot every time. Thankfully you can pretty much find $1 menus all across America now, even in small towns.
If you are looking for a bigger meal and a good bang for your buck, stop into a casino; they normally have really cheap food to try and lure in people to gamble. Be smart though: never gamble at a casino. Remember, you are already a winner by getting a great deal on your food and getting out before they milk you on the games. Nomadic domainers can't afford to gamble more than they already are each day out on the road. Not saying to avoid playing if that’s your thing. Simply budget money for it as entertainment and walk once you’ve reached your limit.
Don't rule out shopping for food at $1 stores either just to have an emergency supply on hand. You will also want to check the local classifieds in the areas you'll be visiting, as there are some events that provide free food and refreshments to anyone that participates. I even crashed an AA meeting one time for the free donuts and coffee while traveling. That's a story all on its own.
Believe it or not, truck stops don't have very good combo meal deals. Most of the big corporate-chain truck stops, such as Loves, TA, and Petro have high prices targeted at the tourism industry. Your best bet to find great deals at a truck stop are the smaller, independently owned ones, which most are easy to identify because they look rundown and poorly maintained.
Your First Sale, Service, or Product on the Road
Congrats on your first nomadic domain sale or freelance job!
Always ensure that the client sends you the money before you release any domains or master files. Releasing domains or master files before payment confirmation may be setting yourself up for failure. Most Internet users these days that use 3rd party marketplaces or freelance sites are familiar with PayPal and Skrill. Once payment has been confirmed, transfer the domain or render the files to the buyer. Always have an open line of communication or prior agreement with the buyer so you know where they would like their domain pushed or transferred, or where they want their files uploaded.
Make sure to always be as polite and helpful as possible with your clients and provide superior after-sales support for potential retention.
That means if a client contacts you a few days after the sale with questions about the domain or asks if you can make a very minor change to a project that you completed for them, do it and then remind them that you have a 10% referral program if they refer someone else to you that makes a purchase.
Remember, your repeat and referral business will be your bread and butter. You want to focus on building a repeat client base and not just doing halfcocked work on freelance sites all the time. As your repeat customers and referrals build, you'll notice the less time you'll have for freelance sites.
That's when you know you're off to a good start.
Funds: Transfers and Withdrawals
It's important to have a little bit of money in PayPal or Skrill (Moneybookers) at all times that you can use for renewals, promotions, subscriptions, or other online business purchases. However, you never want to keep too much in there, or any one place for that matter, especially when you are traveling. If one source has technical difficulties, you need a source of backup funds to survive.
As an example, as everyone has a budget, set your amount for your PayPal balance to be a minimum of $100.00 or $200.00 and then every time the balance hits $500.00, shift funds to a backup source. The same with your bank account: set a minimum balance of $1,000.00 to $1,500.00 and use your ATM card for additional cash. Always keep in mind that money doesn’t move as quickly as you would like; in some instances with PayPal, it can take up to 5 business days.
In Conclusion
Being a nomad isn't for everyone. I've come across some that have been doing it for 30 or more years, way before domaining or digital freelance on the road was an option. I've also seen people that got out there, fell flat on their faces, couldn't sell, and practically starved to death before. They either called a family member to rescue them or found a homeless shelter to take them in.
It's important that everyone knows that being a nomadic domainer isn't easy; it truly takes a special kind of person that doesn't get home sick, has discipline, survival skills, a passion for traveling, a good domain investing sense, and creative talent for freelancing. It's a very dangerous world out there for people that have been sheltered most their life and oblivious to what really goes on. So before you make the decision to travel, be sure it's the right move for you or that you are truly out of any other options.
I hope this information is helpful to anyone considering the lifestyle.
The very first thing you should know about being a nomadic domainer is that it's not for everyone. Most nomads travel alone because it's easier to only have to worry about themselves when times get rough. Naturally, there are also families that live a nomadic lifestyle, each pulling their own weight in order to keep everyone safe. For now, though, I'm just going to focus on the single nomad domainer 101 essentials.
Once you decide to travel as a nomadic domainer, you'll need a few basic things set up and supplies.
- You need to have a bank account somewhere for your funds. It can even be an internet accessible bank like FirstIB or a PayPal account accompanied with a debit card. On top of a PayPal account, a Skrill (formerly Moneybookers) should also be looked into for payment processing and invoicing. Having a PayPal debit card makes it really easy to access the cash in your PayPal account the instant you receive it.
- In order to do your daily routine, and make money as a nomad, you will need a laptop or tablet. Personally, I used a Toshiba laptop and an Android tablet.
- You need to have knowledge of the domain industry, an established portfolio, or other internet revenue sources coming from design and development services that you supplement your parking revenue. While that may be low at first, it’s a fine balance to achieve success by purchasing only what you need on the road and reinvesting the rest for continual growth.
- You need to have a wireless Wi-Fi adapter, unless you have a unit with it already built in.
- Even with Google Maps and navigation being on most smartphones, a road map is something that is essential for someone driving off into the middle of nowhere to help you find your way. Basic survival tips should also be studied as you may require reading a map, based on your now dying GPS device, if you find yourself in a ditch with your nose down rear axle up.
- It’s crucial to have a physical address. This is so that you can have checks mailed or other important documents mailed to you, have an address for online applications, and a place for your bank, Skrill, and PayPal debit cards to be sent. Make a deal with someone you trust to receive mail or packages on your behalf or get a post office box for a few dollars a year.
Your first hop
Now that you have all of your supplies, it's time to make your first Wi-Fi hop. This is the time when you'll decide where you want to go, while deciding at least two optimal navigational routes that have hotspot access points along the way. Before continuing, chart various means of travel on your way to your final destination as a precautionary measure; you never know when a route may be diverted.
No matter your means of travel, it's important that you always get to another hotspot before your money runs out for the essentials: water, food, gas and possibly a nest egg to get you back home safely.
Thankfully in today's world, there are free Wi-Fi spots in just about every single town in America.
Domaining and Freelancing on the Road
Now that you have made your first successful hop and re-established Internet connection again, it's time to get started on some domaining or freelance sites to generate additional traveling cash. Again, I can never stress this too much, you never want to run out of emergency travel funds. Always try and sell at least a few of your lower-valued domains per week (NamePros Marketplace is a good place to liquidate for quick cash) or participate in a few freelance projects every time you establish a connection, even if you don't think you need to. You do.
The Budget
That's right, even nomadic domainers need to set budgets, pinch pennies, and become bargain hunters. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re budgeting. If you have the funds to go from hotel to hotel, these aren’t necessarily bad tips to follow as you may still be susceptible to some of the problems faced.
- Always make sure you have enough for fuel to get to your next hotspot. It doesn’t need to be scientifically planned, but ensure that a tank of gas will still get you to a pump in route.
- Keep at least a three-day ration supply. Condensed emergency meals would serve this purpose and save space. Never hurts to have some granola or nutrition bars on hand in a pinch.
- Pack a separate Wi-Fi adapter, laptop, or tablet as a backup.
- Make sure that you have budgeted enough to have a few cups of coffee in case you have to be a paying customer in a coffee house in order to use their Wi-Fi. Don’t be too frivolous though, there are many other stops down the road.
- Always make sure you have enough for domain renewals and any other online expenses. Without these, your revenue stream may dwindle, and you will find yourself right back where you started much sooner than anticipated. It’s work on the road, not only a road trip.
Thank goodness for $1 menus. When you're traveling and money gets tight, fast food $1 menus hit the spot every time. Thankfully you can pretty much find $1 menus all across America now, even in small towns.
If you are looking for a bigger meal and a good bang for your buck, stop into a casino; they normally have really cheap food to try and lure in people to gamble. Be smart though: never gamble at a casino. Remember, you are already a winner by getting a great deal on your food and getting out before they milk you on the games. Nomadic domainers can't afford to gamble more than they already are each day out on the road. Not saying to avoid playing if that’s your thing. Simply budget money for it as entertainment and walk once you’ve reached your limit.
Don't rule out shopping for food at $1 stores either just to have an emergency supply on hand. You will also want to check the local classifieds in the areas you'll be visiting, as there are some events that provide free food and refreshments to anyone that participates. I even crashed an AA meeting one time for the free donuts and coffee while traveling. That's a story all on its own.
Believe it or not, truck stops don't have very good combo meal deals. Most of the big corporate-chain truck stops, such as Loves, TA, and Petro have high prices targeted at the tourism industry. Your best bet to find great deals at a truck stop are the smaller, independently owned ones, which most are easy to identify because they look rundown and poorly maintained.
Your First Sale, Service, or Product on the Road
Congrats on your first nomadic domain sale or freelance job!
Always ensure that the client sends you the money before you release any domains or master files. Releasing domains or master files before payment confirmation may be setting yourself up for failure. Most Internet users these days that use 3rd party marketplaces or freelance sites are familiar with PayPal and Skrill. Once payment has been confirmed, transfer the domain or render the files to the buyer. Always have an open line of communication or prior agreement with the buyer so you know where they would like their domain pushed or transferred, or where they want their files uploaded.
Make sure to always be as polite and helpful as possible with your clients and provide superior after-sales support for potential retention.
That means if a client contacts you a few days after the sale with questions about the domain or asks if you can make a very minor change to a project that you completed for them, do it and then remind them that you have a 10% referral program if they refer someone else to you that makes a purchase.
Remember, your repeat and referral business will be your bread and butter. You want to focus on building a repeat client base and not just doing halfcocked work on freelance sites all the time. As your repeat customers and referrals build, you'll notice the less time you'll have for freelance sites.
That's when you know you're off to a good start.
Funds: Transfers and Withdrawals
It's important to have a little bit of money in PayPal or Skrill (Moneybookers) at all times that you can use for renewals, promotions, subscriptions, or other online business purchases. However, you never want to keep too much in there, or any one place for that matter, especially when you are traveling. If one source has technical difficulties, you need a source of backup funds to survive.
As an example, as everyone has a budget, set your amount for your PayPal balance to be a minimum of $100.00 or $200.00 and then every time the balance hits $500.00, shift funds to a backup source. The same with your bank account: set a minimum balance of $1,000.00 to $1,500.00 and use your ATM card for additional cash. Always keep in mind that money doesn’t move as quickly as you would like; in some instances with PayPal, it can take up to 5 business days.
In Conclusion
Being a nomad isn't for everyone. I've come across some that have been doing it for 30 or more years, way before domaining or digital freelance on the road was an option. I've also seen people that got out there, fell flat on their faces, couldn't sell, and practically starved to death before. They either called a family member to rescue them or found a homeless shelter to take them in.
It's important that everyone knows that being a nomadic domainer isn't easy; it truly takes a special kind of person that doesn't get home sick, has discipline, survival skills, a passion for traveling, a good domain investing sense, and creative talent for freelancing. It's a very dangerous world out there for people that have been sheltered most their life and oblivious to what really goes on. So before you make the decision to travel, be sure it's the right move for you or that you are truly out of any other options.
I hope this information is helpful to anyone considering the lifestyle.
