strategy How to Find Potential End Users?

[shilmy]

Hi,

Do any of you has regularly sell your domain to end users? If so, do you mind share with me in this thread on how find potential end users for your domain?

Regards,
Sjarief

 

[Archangel]

This is where my deafness limits me :p But this, still, is a great idea. Thanks for posting it. It doesn't help me personally but I know it'll benefit many others

Ok here is probably something new and i am pretty sure maybe only a handful of domainers did this worldwide, if any. It will cost you some money and time and hours of walking. Plus, you need to be quite self-confident face2face. i.e. act like a real businessman. You can't do this with a pyjama and laptop from your bedroom.

Put on a suit, print some businesscards and attend big Fairs / Exhibitions of a specific industry, if you have a lot of domains related to that industry (or few premium category defining domains related to that industry).

In each exhibition stand you will find the important people of that specific company (i.e. managing director, marketing manager, etc.).
No Phone needed. No emails needed. No search needed. You have them all collected in one single place and you have the right and decision making person there to talk to. And you have companies with money. Such stands are not cheap.

I did this once in Germany back in 2008 and sold 3 domains in the x.xxx range. One directly in the fair (we signed the contract which i had prepared already in advance incl. NDA, etc.). And two later after i talked to the Marketing Managers there and we agreed to talk about this later. Note that many serious business don't want details of such sales to be published and specially not in a forum, etc. So prepare your sales contracts in a professional way and include NDA paragraphs, etc. This will make it more professional.

And my names were not one word premium names, etc. I had bought them all for reg fee and/or in the xx - low xxx range from snapservices.

In total i had about 400 dollars costs and made 5k win in two days.

Note: it will help if you know details about the specific industry (Hobby, jobs in the past, etc.), that way you can talk more about that industry, once you are having a conversation there with someone.

You will need to prepare yourself, practice such discussions, write down all possible question which could be asked and prepare your answers, practice in front of a mirror and/or with a relative/friend, etc.

Another great thing about such Exhibitions is that you collect hundreds of business cards from Marketing Managers, Managing Directors with exact details (direct phone, email. etc.), so later when you have other names or even later with the same names you had in the fair, you can contact them again via email.

Most of the people there are surprised about your offer, since probably they never experienced such an offer in any fair they attended (they probably only experienced a lot of email spam though!). So many (not all) are interested to sit down and listen to you.

 

[Domain Divestments]

You must brand yourself.

 

[mwzd]

Doesn't 'get dressed up in a suit and go to a business conference' sound like too much work to sell domains?

I only consider offers when I'm sitting in my boxers! :D

Send email, if that doesn't work, call them, if it still doesn't work, contact someone else... there are just too many fish in the sea to bother with just the one.

And if there is just the one possible end user for the domain you're marketing, you're doing it wrong, buy better domains.

With the wealth of information available just on NamePros, posts / sales threads going back years... there's no excuse for not knowing what should be easy to sell and why.

 

[alien51]

Send email, if that doesn't work, call them, if it still doesn't work, contact someone else...

And all this, while you're on your undies, sipping coffee, while munching on cold pizza.

Total bliss. :D

 

[Archangel]

mwzd is living a pipedream lol Not everyone can survive on emailing or calls alone. Just because you own a LLL.com doesn't mean you're guaranteed a sale via email or even phone.

 

[mwzd]

mwzd is living a pipedream lol Not everyone can survive on emailing or calls alone.

Mmmmm.... works for most people, just ask Federer.

Just because you own a LLL.com doesn't mean you're guaranteed a sale via email or even phone.

It does.

Quality of the domain is the main thing imo.

 

[Archangel]

It works for a small percentage of ppl, not the billions you're implying. Emails are easy to crew up on. Not everyone knows how to do it. See here http://www.namepros.com/domain-name-discussion/742232-emails-from-domainers-selling-crap-names.html

And no, a LLL.cm and a 'great name' isn't guaranteed to sell. Quality isn't the main thing: it's getting people to take notice of a quality domain that matters. Sure, some ppl might do a whois on a domain they're interested in but it's unrealistic to think that's the case wit ALL domains of quality. Have you even read this thread? Only domainers & so-called SEO guys even understand what makes a domain 'quality.' You'd be shocked that some ppl would say "I have usedshinycars.biz & I see no point in cars.com" but these things exist.

Point: Not every quality domain is guaranteed to sell. Some ppl actually need to bust their ass to get a sale, even of a true quality domain. (Yes, even LLL.com's) The idea that a great domain ALWAYS sells itself is purely fiction. Most likely do but not all of them.

Mmmmm.... works for most people, just ask Federer.


It does.

Quality of the domain is the main thing imo.

 

[alien51]

It works for a small percentage of ppl, not the billions you're implying.

That number would include all the Chinese domainers.

 

[Archangel]

It was also said in hyperbole but ya know, I think you're right lol

That number would include all the Chinese domainers.

 

[mwzd]

It works for a small percentage of ppl

Ever stop to wonder why? Re-read my previous post.

not the billions you're implying.

I am? That's news to me!

Emails are easy to crew up on. Not everyone knows how to do it. See here http://www.namepros.com/domain-name-discussion/742232-emails-from-domainers-selling-crap-names.html

Spammers selling crap to resellers is probably not the best example to use.

And no, a LLL.cm and a 'great name' isn't guaranteed to sell. Quality isn't the main thing: it's getting people to take notice of a quality domain that matters. Sure, some ppl might do a whois on a domain they're interested in but it's unrealistic to think that's the case wit ALL domains of quality.

If the price is right there is no reason a quality domain won't sell. Granted domains aren't as liquid as gold, but to say they aren't guaranteed a sale is presumptive.

Have you even read this thread?

Have you?

Only domainers & so-called SEO guys even understand what makes a domain 'quality.' You'd be shocked that some ppl would say "I have usedshinycars.biz & I see no point in cars.com" but these things exist.

Ummm, no, 90% of the sales I see are to end users, so a lot of them do 'get it'.

Trying to convince a guy who owns usedshinycars.biz to buy cars.com is pointless, it's like offering the latest Mayback to someone who can only afford a 2001 jalopy.

They couldn't afford it even if they wanted it, which is why 'they're happy' with their crappy domain.

On the other hand, I'm sure if you have a quality domain like that, you can easily get a seven figure sale, maybe even eight.

Point: Not every quality domain is guaranteed to sell. Some ppl actually need to bust their ass to get a sale, even of a true quality domain. (Yes, even LLL.com's) The idea that a great domain ALWAYS sells itself is purely fiction. Most likely do but not all of them.

For people with NO selling skills, or inclination to contact end users, brokers exist. If you have an lll.com which is priced right, I'll sell it for you within 10 days.

 

[mitok]

How much time you spend on finding potential endusers for one domain?

I need at least few hours per domain, just for finding them. And another 1-3 hours for emailing them if I found a lot of them.

But I like domaining! Real and profitable business from bed!:lala:

 

[infmoney]

Probably about 1 hour tops to find the possible endusers and another hour or 2 emailing them all 1 by 1.

How much time you spend on finding potential endusers for one domain?

I need at least few hours per domain, just for finding them. And another 1-3 hours for emailing them if I found a lot of them.

But I like domaining! Real and profitable business from bed!:lala:

 

[mitok]

Probably about 1 hour tops to find the possible endusers and another hour or 2 emailing them all 1 by 1.

Yes, 1 on 1 is essential. I use template but need to replace few words in each one.

Often I am too lazy to search for all possible endusers when I find decent number of them. But that is mistake and I am aware of that!

If you find 30 potential endusers, why not go for 50 or more? You never know who will send you best offer, maybe would just that one that you have not contacted.

 

[Archangel]

A few hours if it's a good domain. An hour if it's decent

How much time you spend on finding potential endusers for one domain?

 

[GiftedDomains]

Doesn't 'get dressed up in a suit and go to a business conference' sound like too much work to sell domains?

I only consider offers when I'm sitting in my boxers! :D

This is not something you would do each week.
There are a limited number of exhibitions anyway, and they are not always in your area. And as i mentioned, i did this only once and that was because i was active in that market (not only domaining) anyway, but just wanted to tell you that i had success, although at that time i was a total domain noob (still am). Now imagine some of those so called "domain kings" would do that with their premium one word .com names. They would probably sell millions within one week instead of waiting 10 years and hope for the "right enduser" to knock at their door.

I think this biz will be more and more difficult in the future and thinking outside the box will be necessary anyway if you want to keep making money.

I also think its a good way if you want to specialize in a specific niche too. Knowing all the big players in that specific market/industry (and meet them) will help a lot - also long term, once you have all the contacts, its much easier.

 

[mwzd]

Now imagine some of those so called "domain kings" would do that with their premium one word .com names. They would probably sell millions within one week instead of waiting 10 years and hope for the "right enduser" to knock at their door.

They have legal issues to consider as well. And if someone is sitting on a portfolio of prime one word generic .coms - they're really not desperate for a sale, people like Rick can afford to sell 7 domains in 15 years, because they clear six/seven figures in PROFIT on each sale, unlike the masses, or me for that matter.

I think this biz will be more and more difficult in the future and thinking outside the box will be necessary anyway if you want to keep making money.

It already is if you compare to 2007, some of the domains I bought and sold back then on the forum would probably end up with a $x bid now.

I also think its a good way if you want to specialize in a specific niche too. Knowing all the big players in that specific market/industry (and meet them) will help a lot - also long term, once you have all the contacts, its much easier.

Having knowledge of a niche and utilising that to profit from it is great, I had a customer hand register a .com that is well on its way to becoming a mid five figure revenue business and that's only from consulting.

 

[LungioMike]

Anyone ever call or leave voicemails ?

 

[fm1234]

Less relevant to the sales process than to general organisation, but one thing that occurred to me to be worth sharing is to keep good notes on your research.

I recently took a domain off the market when I wasn't able to get what I felt was a decent price for it, and put up a small site on the domain to get it ranking and pulling in traffic (the idea being to have some data to back up the value once I put it back on the market.) The site has been up for a little over two months, and has generated affiliate revenue equivalent to 20% of my original asking price for the domain. It is not inconceivable that by the time it's been up a year, it will have brought in at least 50% and perhaps as much as 100% or more of the price for which I was willing to sell the domain originally.

What does that have to do with keeping notes? Well, when I was sourcing my end users, I was making notes of top advertisers for the keyword, top organic search rankings, related search terms etc. all of which made generating the basic look, feel and initial content of a site very simple (by emulating what was working for others.) Very minimal work and essentially zero expense went into the site. If you have the data and don't have the buyers, that does not mean the data is worthless.


Frank

 

[infmoney]

Nice fm1234. Thanks for sharing. If I were you, I'd keep the domain unless you get a substantial offer.

Less relevant to the sales process than to general organisation, but one thing that occurred to me to be worth sharing is to keep good notes on your research.

I recently took a domain off the market when I wasn't able to get what I felt was a decent price for it, and put up a small site on the domain to get it ranking and pulling in traffic (the idea being to have some data to back up the value once I put it back on the market.) The site has been up for a little over two months, and has generated affiliate revenue equivalent to 20% of my original asking price for the domain. It is not inconceivable that by the time it's been up a year, it will have brought in at least 50% and perhaps as much as 100% or more of the price for which I was willing to sell the domain originally.

What does that have to do with keeping notes? Well, when I was sourcing my end users, I was making notes of top advertisers for the keyword, top organic search rankings, related search terms etc. all of which made generating the basic look, feel and initial content of a site very simple (by emulating what was working for others.) Very minimal work and essentially zero expense went into the site. If you have the data and don't have the buyers, that does not mean the data is worthless.


Frank

 

[GeoFan]

There are so many valuable tips in this thread, you could write a book! Well worth reading all the 2500 posts, or at least all of the posts that have Thanks and Likes, for sure!

I would also like to know more about which sites are the best to list domains for sale. I.E. Features comparison. Advantages/Disadvantages? If you are going to work to sell a bunch of valuable domains, simply putting a list on your own FSBO site seems not the way to go. Better exposure creates more interest and puts more pressure on buyers to decide NOW.

What are the tradeoffs between listing on GoDaddy, Ebay, Sedo, Afternic, etc, etc, etc.

What do you use and why?

For Emails, what is the soluton? Is using MailChimp or similar Email Marketing sites ok? Most of them require double-opt-in and will shut you down fast for more than one or two complaints.

 

[kevin smith 619]

A little more time intensive, but has worked for me is any forum that I'm a member of that is targeted to a topic, I put the domain names that match the topic in my sig with a "for sale" note.

 

[twomoon]

One thing that I discovered yesterday. Maybe it could be helpful.

I'm emailing Endusers sometimes offering them my domains. I use very simple emails and usually I used the word "domain" in these emails.
Well yesterday I sent one such email to myself (another mailbox).
I checked it in a Windows Live Mail. When I sent such email with a word "domain" in it this email went to the "junk email", but when I changed the word "domain" to "web address" it went to the normal "Inbox".

Just an expirience.

 

[mitok]

Thanks for sharing. It looks like the word domains in title activate some spam triggers.

Anyway, my opinion is that is much better NOT to include "domain" or "website" in your title. If you are selling WebDesignDallas.com I would say that best title would be Web Design.......it is connected with what they do so it is very likely that they would read that email.

 

[twomoon]

Thanks for sharing. It looks like the word domains in title activate some spam triggers.

Anyway, my opinion is that is much better NOT to include "domain" or "website" in your title. If you are selling WebDesignDallas.com I would say that best title would be Web Design.......it is connected with what they do so it is very likely that they would read that email.

Yes agree with you.
I was telling not about the title but about the body. For titles I use usually the domain name without the extension.

 

[mitok]

Yes agree with you.
I was telling not about the title but about the body. For titles I use usually the domain name without the extension.

Sorry, I thought you mean on title.

Well, I often mention the word "domain" in the body of my message and I never though it could be a problem:?