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advice What is your advice to the newbie.

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Hello guys.
According to your experience in domaining, what is your best advice to the newbie.
Thanks.
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Honestly, here is my advice.

Unless, you have a big bankroll 20k plus, you cannot do this as a full time job starting out without plain luck. You need to go slow the first 3 to 6 months to study the market. Choose .coms only and really choose a niche inside the .com whether it be LLLL, Trending Tech or strictly two word brandables. Find your interest, Focus on one niche inside the .com realm. Learn, invest then flip or hold...rinse, repeat.

If you get stuck, read the namepros threads again and ask questions often.
 
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Learn before you spend. As Schwartz would say, "stay in the Black not in the red..."
 
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Or spend before you learn, and then drop everything and cry :) This way, it is hard way, but many people can learn only by hard way..
 
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Go slowly and listen to other people's opinions!
 
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It is highly probable you will lose money in your first two years of domaining.

Learn how to develop websites because one is more likely to make money with website development (worst case is working for a firm which offers such services) than buying and trying to resell domain names.
 
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Make a budget and stick to it (factor in renewal fees)
 
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what are the best places to flip without having to pay auction fees? I0r do you need to?
 
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Make a budget and stick to it (factor in renewal fees)

I second that...PLUS: your budget should include not just regs/purchases/renewals but everything that you're spending money on related to domaining. Businesses know their bottom line, when you don't you have a hobby...no one needs advice on a hobby, you just buy because you liek to.
 
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Learn from many experts in this forum then maybe you will find an answer :)
 
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Do something else ;)

Read NP until you are sick of reading NP and then read some more NP ;)

Don't spend a penny or a dime, until you have convinced yourself you can make money doing this ;)

Ask yourself how long you will give yourself trading domains in the Red before you give up ;)

Have a backup plan. In case domaining doesn't work out for you ;)

And one of my favourites. Dont borrow money you cannot afford to lose to play in this game ;)
 
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what are the best places to flip without having to pay auction fees? I0r do you need to?

Would have to say right here on NP if you have a decent name. You might want to spend a few $ and alternatively list on Flippa. All really depends on the name. Other options include Sedo (free to list / paid to auction), CAX (free to list), Godaddy, Bido (free to list if enough votes received otherwise paid), Ramped.com (first 3 listings free), Ebay (some people still do), Undeveloped (free to list only) , etc.

For me, Flippa and Sedo has proven most viable.
 
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One secret is to grow your portfolio with the right speed, to keep up with your increasing knowledge and experience: not too fast, not too slow.
 
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Honestly, here is my advice.

Unless, you have a big bankroll 20k plus, you cannot do this as a full time job starting out without plain luck. You need to go slow the first 3 to 6 months to study the market. Choose .coms only and really choose a niche inside the .com whether it be LLLL, Trending Tech or strictly two word brandables. Find your interest, Focus on one niche inside the .com realm. Learn, invest then flip or hold...rinse, repeat.

If you get stuck, read the namepros threads again and ask questions often.

Bang on. The only thing I would add is you preferably could do with a $100k budget to really make a good go of it with the competition now seen on the aftermarkets which is unlike anything we've seen before. It is a very expensive business to compete in right now and with China and India continuing to pile in I only see that increasing.
 
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Don't rush into regging domains names that YOU think are worth something. Always research, and ALWAYS ask yourself who the end user(s) would be. I have made some mistakes along the way for sure, regging domains that I ended up being stuck with, or sold for pennies, but luckily 2016 turned out to be a very good year. Always have a focus too, and be sensible.

NP is packed full of info that any newbie or even experienced domainer can learn from, so take the time to read up.
 
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Watch all of the most active auction sites
Write down what you think are the top ten and final sales price
keep doing this till you get 8 out of 10 within 20% of price
Buy a few. put them on the market(s) w/buy now price
Query Co's that would benefit from your picks
Watch the markets more.
Study Namebio stats/reports from 2012 forward
Read UDRP decisions, Trademark quides
Get to know ICANN, Registrars
Go to NamesCon Conference
Watch the markets more.
Don't buy more till you sell the first ones
Give yourself 2+ years
Cheers
 
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1) buy only . Com
2) buy expired domains from auctions
3) buy one better one rather few low quality
4) don't sell to cheapskates in this forum, wait to end users
5) park domains in sedo etcc.. always price your domains. But buy now price
 
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Don't think that because you have strung two great dictionary words together, that you have created a great keyphrase. Keyphrases need to be sensible, in common usage, capable of generating profitable views, and the words need to be in the correct order. Take note of the use of singular and plural words as well.
 
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In auctions don't overspend! Don't get attached to a domain. If you think max $300, stick with that. You have limited budget anyway, wait for better auction!
 
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I don't believe that it's a good idea for newcomers to buy at auction. They are pitting themselves against (possibly) more experienced buyers, and they may not have sufficient knowledge to optimise a sale.

I think it is better to look through the deleted domain lists, and have a look at the names that people have allowed to drop. Check the sales report threads on name pros, and get a feel for names that people buy. Also, don't get sucked into the "gold rush" name chasing contests. A recent one was the euphoria about RMG names. When you feel ready to dip your toe in the water, then hunt for half a dozen names you can pick up for reg fee. Have a go at selling them. Just one sale out of the six could recoup all of your investment.
 
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I don't believe that it's a good idea for newcomers to buy at auction. They are pitting themselves against (possibly) more experienced buyers, and they may not have sufficient knowledge to optimise a sale.

I think it is better to look through the deleted domain lists, and have a look at the names that people have allowed to drop. Check the sales report threads on name pros, and get a feel for names that people buy. Also, don't get sucked into the "gold rush" name chasing contests. A recent one was the euphoria about RMG names. When you feel ready to dip your toe in the water, then hunt for half a dozen names you can pick up for reg fee. Have a go at selling them. Just one sale out of the six could recoup all of your investment.

I don`t agree with you.
Don`t register anythin manually. Thats the start of the end. If domain is available in 2017, its value is probably zero.

I have followed this advice since 2001 or so. Maybe 1-2 exeptions.
 
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I don`t agree with you.
Don`t register anythin manually. Thats the start of the end. If domain is available in 2017, its value is probably zero.

I have followed this advice since 2001 or so. Maybe 1-2 exeptions.

So are the name pros members who report profits from selling hand regs telling lies?

I really believe that it is better to learn about the domain industry with a few diverse hand regs, that over-paying at an auction for one domain that is difficult to sell.
 
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