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question Why are hundreds of thousands of Quality Domain's not sold?

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ThatNameGuy

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I've been at the domain game now about two years, and while that's given me time to accumulate about a thousand quality domains (told by NP brothers and sisters), the sell through rate is absolutely deplorable.

A lot of domainers like to compare the domain industry to the real estate industry, but there's no comparison imho. Why do you think the real estate industry, the insurance industry, the automobile industry, the financial services industry spend Billions (not millions) of dollars every year to sell their products/services?

It's pretty obvious that even quality domains don't sell themselves, thus if you're going to make it in this business you better learn how to market/sell your own domains or find someone who can.

The days of only "inbound" marketing doesn't work for most domainers, and it never will. Not having an "outbound" strategy is a lot like not having an offensive strategy in team sports. Can you imagine relying on your defense to score all your goals/points?

The point of this thread......there has to be a better way? and just like I know I have a portfolio consisting of quality domains, I know there's a better way to sell domains. I started a thread a few day ago based on the following Podcast; https://domainnamewire.com/2020/01/13/saw-com-dnw-podcast-268/ but few NP members noticed it:xf.frown: However, one key and influential member Rob Monster of Epik noticed it immediately. The thread had everything to do with "outbound" strategy recognized by the founders of Saw.com when they referred to "Smiling and Dialing" and "Dialing for Dollars" as keys for their success.

I've reached out to help the founders of Saw.com, but apparently they don't need my help, or somehow they feel threatened by me:xf.confused:...that's their choice. NP members, help me help them by sharing your thoughts(y) It's time we went on OFFENSE!
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Unfortunately people don't find forums like this before they start! I bought a lot of xyz, mobi domains on my start! Thanks God these are cheap and I found this forum early! You definitely should think who will be the owner of a domain you want to register. If it is a brandable I try to say this name many times and ask my family to say this brand and I hear how it sounds and have their opinion. I try to type it and imagine how it looks on the banner, building wall, delivery trucks, or if it more fit to any app then I try to imagine how it will looks in my phone new downloaded app.
 
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Acquiring a domain which could be turned into a business perhaps could be compared to finding a good gym. Launching and running a successful online business is like the work involved to become a professional athlete. How many professional athletes compete in multiple sports - tennis and cycling? Or football and golf? Or basketball and hockey?
Few businesses are actually "online" businesses. This may help you better understand the POTENTIONAL MARKET for domains; https://topdigital.agency/2019-smal...d-to-know-to-stay-ahead-of-the-digital-curve/
 
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I think it is very good point Rich @ThatNameGuy is constantly trying to remind us, and this is that we shoud just not sit and passively wait for miracles to happen.

There are 2 elements of sales:

1) Inbound (you have great names with large end user pool and with not much alternatives to your name which could be easily registered for reg fee), so offers are coming quite frequently while you just wait passively.

2) Outbound (you actively reach to end users and offer them your domain names)

Best to is to combine them both, imo. For example, I post everyday on LinkedIn 1 domain name which I offer for sale. It costs me exactly 1 minute of my time (I admitt, I am not getting as creative as I should be there, I just write "this unique name is for sale, bla bla bla" and attach a logo (which I have already created for each of my domain names).

In 2019, I made several nice sales on LinkedIn, just by this lazy posting, all to end users, and all were new gTLDs, which most people here thinks are still harder sales, compared to legacy extensions. It is probably because each daily post I do is seen by 250 - 1000 people (this is my average reach which I can measure - I do not know what affects success of each post, as usually it is something like 300 views, but I had posts which got many likes and got to approx. 5000 views).

Now consider this: you get 5000 views by VPs/CEOs (as this is a group of people you shoud be primarily trying to connect to), and it takes 1 minute to make posts, while it is completely for free. Not bad imo.

But it is kind of "blind shooting" this way, so it works only with very universal names with large end user pool. For example, yesterday I posted my fav name, enjoying.life - now you can imagine that there is as broad end user pool as it can be, as many people simply like the name. It also got many offers so far, while none was close enough to what I would like to see. The point is, it is very broad, very universal domain name, and I simply showcase it (although by "blind shooting") to lot of people, so they know it exists and is available.

Now, nice name like "ChicagoRoofRepairs.com" is a great name for specific end user, but you can not post it on LinkedIn like this and expect a success from it, unless you aim to Chicago and RoofRepars and manually find/filter those on LinkedIn so you can aim your post on them. The end user pool is simply not large enough here. You can maybe find 12 end users for it there, but how many end users names in category of enjoying.life have? Difficult to say, but it will be many many orders of magnitude higher.

So at the end, large end user pool is most important in case you want to make good sales, without a large effort. It starts with the name itself - if it's usage is limited, you will need to put increased effort in order to identify end users, even when it is very fair domain name.

To conclude - have great names, but also build large presence on social networks, start posting there regularly, behave professionally so people love to work with you, and have some fun. GL :)
 
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I think it is very good point Rich @ThatNameGuy is constantly trying to remind us, and this is that we shoud just not sit and passively wait for miracles to happen.

There are 2 elements of sales:

1) Inbound (you have great names with large end user pool and with not much alternatives to your name which could be easily registered for reg fee), so offers are coming quite frequently while you just wait passively.

2) Outbound (you actively reach to end users and offer them your domain names)

Best to is to combine them both, imo. For example, I post everyday on LinkedIn 1 domain name which I offer for sale. It costs me exactly 1 minute of my time (I admitt, I am not getting as creative as I should be there, I just write "this unique name is for sale, bla bla bla" and attach a logo (which I have already created for each of my domain names).

In 2019, I made several nice sales on LinkedIn, just by this lazy posting, all to end users, and all were new gTLDs, which most people here thinks are still harder sales, compared to legacy extensions. It is probably because each daily post I do is seen by 250 - 1000 people (this is my average reach which I can measure - I do not know what affects success of each post, as usually it is something like 300 views, but I had posts which got many likes and got to approx. 5000 views).

Now consider this: you get 5000 views by VPs/CEOs (as this is a group of people you shoud be primarily trying to connect to), and it takes 1 minute to make posts, while it is completely for free. Not bad imo.

But it is kind of "blind shooting" this way, so it works only with very universal names with large end user pool. For example, yesterday I posted my fav name, enjoying.life - now you can imagine that there is as broad end user pool as it can be, as many people simply like the name. It also got many offers so far, while none was close enough to what I would like to see. The point is, it is very broad, very universal domain name, and I simply showcase it (although by "blind shooting") to lot of people, so they know it exists and is available.

Now, nice name like "ChicagoRoofRepairs.com" is a great name for specific end user, but you can not post it on LinkedIn like this and expect a success from it, unless you aim to Chicago and RoofRepars and manually find/filter those on LinkedIn so you can aim your post on them. The end user pool is simply not large enough here. You can maybe find 12 end users for it there, but how many end users names in category of enjoying.life have? Difficult to say, but it will be many many orders of magnitude higher.

So at the end, large end user pool is most important in case you want to make good sales, without a large effort. It starts with the name itself - if it's usage is limited, you will need to put increased effort in order to identify end users, even when it is very fair domain name.

To conclude - have great names, but also build large presence on social networks, start posting there regularly, behave professionally so people love to work with you, and have some fun. GL :)
All great stuff Marek......in bound is a no brainer, and you provided a perfect example for out bound marketing. I just reg'd MakeSmilesHappen.com, and guess my out bound strategy? For starters, I have a dental appointment for a check up and cleaning in a few hours, and while my dentist isn't an orthodontist, she and her staff will learn about my new find. My point also, how many dentists around the world might luv to own "Make Smiles Happen" for their practice:xf.wink: And to think, I just hand regg'd it at Epic for $8.49:xf.rolleyes:
 
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Acquiring a domain which could be turned into a business perhaps could be compared to finding a good gym. Launching and running a successful online business is like the work involved to become a professional athlete. How many professional athletes compete in multiple sports - tennis and cycling? Or football and golf? Or basketball and hockey?
Recommended reading; https://topdigital.agency/2019-smal...d-to-know-to-stay-ahead-of-the-digital-curve/

It doesn't appear we're going after the same markets?
 
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Great information!!! Thank you! But what do you think about brandable domains? If domain sounds nice and is catchy it means this domain also have a wide auditory because it can be used for any business or app!?
 
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Great information!!! Thank you! But what do you think about brandable domains? If domain sounds nice and is catchy it means this domain also have a wide auditory because it can be used for any business or app!?
Definitions for what is considered a "Brandable Domain" are all over the place. I choose to define brandable as any name that is eligible to be trademarked. If you were to buy or create a name, and there are obvious conflicts, consider it not brandable.

I don't know about the world of apps, but if there isn't a TM issue i think it's probably ok(y)
 
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All great stuff Marek......in bound is a no brainer, and you provided a perfect example for out bound marketing. I just reg'd MakeSmilesHappen.com, and guess my out bound strategy? For starters, I have a dental appointment for a check up and cleaning in a few hours, and while my dentist isn't an orthodontist, she and her staff will learn about my new find. My point also, how many dentists around the world might luv to own "Make Smiles Happen" for their practice:xf.wink: And to think, I just hand regg'd it at Epic for $8.49:xf.rolleyes:
Rich thank you, and I like MakeSmilesHappen as end user pool is very broad here - not only dentists, but many many other people and business as well! Nice name!

Now the second criterion I wrote about (not too many alternatives for reg fee) - a little worse domain name, makesmilehappen in .com is available at the time of writing - I like your domain name more, but as it comes, some tricky end users might opt to hand reg this one for reg fee, instead of paying some small premium for your better domain name.

But I hope your end users are not that cheap and tricky, and will appreciate the quality and go with a better one!
GL :)
 
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Definitions for what is considered a "Brandable Domain" are all over the place. I choose to define brandable as any name that is eligible to be trademarked. If you were to buy or create a name, and there are obvious conflicts, consider it not brandable.

I don't know about the world of apps, but if there isn't a TM issue i think it's probably ok(y)

I always check before registration! Thanks anyway!
 
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I just reg'd MakeSmilesHappen.com, and guess my out bound strategy? .......... how many dentists around the world might luv to own "Make Smiles Happen" for their practice:xf.wink: And to think, I just hand regg'd it at Epic for $8.49:xf.rolleyes:

I think there might be a Higher Calling for this domain, first you probably want to register the .org too if you haven't done so already and then you might want to make a website to bring attention to the many children that need corrective surgery for Cleft Lips, it is my understanding that charitable organizations that help these children have to turn away over 50 percent of them because of lack of funds.

If you can create more awareness around this issue perhaps then you can claim to be one of the good guys on NamePros. ;)

IMO
 
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Rich thank you, and I like MakeSmilesHappen as end user pool is very broad here - not only dentists, but many many other people and business as well! Nice name!

Now the second criterion I wrote about (not too many alternatives for reg fee) - a little worse domain name, makesmilehappen in .com is available at the time of writing - I like your domain name more, but as it comes, some tricky end users might opt to hand reg this one for reg fee, instead of paying some small premium for your better domain name.

But I hope your end users are not that cheap and tricky, and will appreciate the quality and go with a better one!
GL :)

Here's some great stuff Marek...i just got back from the dentist and NO CAVITIES:xf.wink:. Before I left the office, everyone in the office including other patients new about MakeSmilesHappen. I knew it was a pretty good name when I reg'd it, especially since I've owned MakeSomethingHappen for 20 years (but have never tried to sell it). Ironically, GD values MakeSomethingHappen at a little over 3K and Nameworth values it at $9,450. What do they value MakeSmilesHappen:xf.smile: at?....GD at $765 and NameWorth at < $500. How screwed up us that? Thank God I know better, and since getting home, I've reached out to two more dentist friends who I play golf with to get their thoughts. I'm at least smart enough to know the logo for MakeSmilesHappen is perfect for a smiley face:xf.smile:

This is one worth trademarking imho, and I plan to start the process immediately. Thanks for your valuable input Marek, and this is yet another example of just how screwed up the domain industry truly is:xf.rolleyes:, but therein lies the opportunity(y)
 
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Market is definitely saturated with a lot of competition and many bad names as everyone else mentioned. Regardless, if your domain is actually a good brand that makes sense, also reasonably priced for that market, you can make 500-2000%+ ROI fairly easily compared to other asset classes.
 
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I think there might be a Higher Calling for this domain, first you probably want to register the .org too if you haven't done so already and then you might want to make a website to bring attention to the many children that need corrective surgery for Cleft Lips, it is my understanding that charitable organizations that help these children have to turn away over 50 percent of them because of lack of funds.

If you can create more awareness around this issue perhaps then you can claim to be one of the good guys on NamePros. ;)

IMO
Thanks a million oldtimer...i just did pick up MakeSmilesHappen.org:xf.smile: based on your recommendation. Have you ever heard of Operation Smile? They just so happen to be right here in my hometown, Virginia Beach, Va. aka "757". I happen to know a lot of people including friends who have participated in OperationSmile.org for the last 30 years. If the .org of this domain can help them in anyway...my first thought is to gift it to them. Thanks again for your timely and thoughtful input(y)
 
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If the .org of this domain can help them in anyway...my first thought is to gift it to them. Thanks again for your timely and thoughtful input(y)

That's a great idea, it's always good to be able to use the power of domain names to do some good for the Humanity and the Environment.

The domainers are in the best position to come up with new domains that can be put to some good use in addition to the rest of their portfolio.

IMO
 
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premium names = sales

great names = sales

good names = sales

decent names = sales

half decent names = sales

bad names = no sales

if anyone is getting no sales then they have bad names. Period. End of story. Time to regroup, evaluate, drop, and start over.

Find someone here that you trust and run the names by them before you register them. If you give it a thumbs up and they give it a thumbs up then register it. I can almost guarantee you that 90% of the names you registered in the past would have never been registered if you stick to this process.

Sometimes we get so caught with domains that we believe we are better at this then we think we are. Better domaining comes in time with experience. Piggyback off of someone else's experience before you dig an even bigger hole.
 
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premium names = sales

great names = sales

good names = sales

decent names = sales

half decent names = sales

bad names = no sales

if anyone is getting no sales then they have bad names. Period. End of story. Time to regroup, evaluate, drop, and start over.

Find someone here that you trust and run the names by them before you register them. If you give it a thumbs up and they give it a thumbs up then register it. I can almost guarantee you that 90% of the names you registered in the past would have never been registered if you stick to this process.

Sometimes we get so caught with domains that we believe we are better at this then we think we are. Better domaining comes in time with experience. Piggyback off of someone else's experience before you dig an even bigger hole.
I hope you're not referring to me Amy? If you are, you have way more to learn about business and life than I can possibly teach you:xf.rolleyes:
 
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It is normal because of
  1. Unbalance between supply and demand by 9999 to 1 which translates to 99.99% not sold
  2. As @Bob Hawkes mentioned every domain is special and may or may not fit end user, similar to peace of art. Actually domains remind me about ready made logos (I had been in logo business before domaining), each logo can only be sold to one user, and many good logos get no buyer ever.
  3. I am confident that over 80% of domains registered by domainers fell in these categories: (shooting in the dark, speculations, junk domains, too many variations of same thing...etc). All of these inflate the number of total domains by 10x factor. While in reality only 1/10 of these domains are sellable!

I agree marketing is the main deficiency in domaining, it is very foggy with no clear rules or guidelines! the problem is that it is unlike other products that can be simply advertised by targeting SEO keywords. Some brandable marketplaces are doing good job in that such as SquadHelp, but the problem is that these marketplaces do not fit all kind of domains.

What should be done?

In my opinion the single most powerful marketing strategy is: buying top high quality domains. Which is passive marketing but is the #1 method to bring highest traffic to your domains.
If for example you buy short 1 word .com then end users will regularly search for the term in registrars and they will regularly see your "For Sale" label. Also end users will more frequently visit your domain to check it out and see.

If that is not enough to bring buyers then you will need do some active marketing such as: outbound emails, connecting with CEOs at LinkedIN & Facebook...etc
 
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It is normal because of
  1. Unbalance between supply and demand by 9999 to 1 which translates to 99.99% not sold
  2. As @Bob Hawkes mentioned every domain is special and may or may not fit end user, similar to peace of art. Actually domains remind me about ready made logos (I had been in logo business before domaining), each logo can only be sold to one user, and many good logos get no buyer ever.
  3. I am confident that over 80% of domains registered by domainers fell in these categories: (shooting in the dark, speculations, junk domains, too many variations of same thing...etc). All of these inflate the number of total domains by 10x factor. While in reality only 1/10 of these domains are sellable!

I agree marketing is the main deficiency in domaining, it is very foggy with no clear rules or guidelines! the problem is that it is unlike other products that can be simply advertised by targeting SEO keywords. Some brandable marketplaces are doing good job in that such as SquadHelp, but the problem is that these marketplaces do not fit all kind of domains.

What should be done?

In my opinion the single most powerful marketing strategy is: buying top high quality domains. Which is passive marketing but is the #1 method to bring highest traffic to your domains.
If for example you buy short 1 word .com then end users will regularly search for the term in registrars and they will regularly see your "For Sale" label. Also end users will more frequently visit your domain to check it out and see.

If that is not enough to bring buyers then you will need do some active marketing such as: outbound emails, connecting with CEOs at LinkedIN & Facebook...etc
Thanks Ostrados....like you I'm an entrepreneur, and many an entrepreneur are successful because they see a void, or an opportunity like I see in the domain industry. As you've seen, I'm a pretty determined guy who knows from experience there's a better way to market/sell quality domains. I just told you of a domain that I hand registered a few days ago; MakeSmilesHappen:xf.smile:.com, and just an hour ago I hand registered MakeSmilesHappen.org because another NP member "Oldtimer" recommended I do so. Since then, I've already been in touch with an old friend who use to go with OperationSmile.org to Africa and South America to help kids born with the cleft lip disability. I only give this as an example of the hundreds of quality domains I know are marketable to "end users", if only they know about them. It's because of my business experience in several industries that I'm able to hand register domains that are industry specific like for real estate, homes, restaurant and food service, financial services, healthcare etc. I get the feeling the auction and the drop add folks feel extremely threatened by my tenacity, my experience and my creativity. I'm confident I know what I'm doing, and I intend to affect change and win at the domain game. God Bless you my friend(y)
 
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I get the feeling the auction and the drop add folks feel extremely threatened by my tenacity, my experience and my creativity. I'm confident I know what I'm doing, and I intend to affect change and win at the domain game. God Bless you my friend(y)

Seriously?

No one is threatened by you registering domains that are not taken in 2020, with 140M+ .COM taken.

You can have all the theories and plans you want. Without actual tangible results who cares?

Make.Something.Happen

Brad
 
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Seriously?

No one is threatened by you registering domains that are not taken in 2020, with 140M+ .COM taken.

You can have all the theories and plans you want. Without actual tangible results who cares?

Make.Something.Happen

Brad
You don't care, yet you follow me like SOS:xf.eek: Like I told Amy...there's nothing here for you Brad:xf.smile:btw, SOS has a different meaning than you think, and if you send me a DM I'l share it with you:xf.wink:
 
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I hope you're not referring to me Amy? If you are, you have way more to learn about business and life than I can possibly teach you:xf.rolleyes:
I was going to reach out to you to see if I could possibly help you in some way but after this comment I would much rather watch you crash and burn. 😀
 
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I was going to reach out to you to see if I could possibly help you in some way but after this comment I would much rather watch you crash and burn. 😀
Honey...other than your name being Amy, there's really no information about you here on NP? I happen to be more transparent than most anyone on NP, but that's who I am. In business, I generally like to know who I'm working with, and who's offering free advice. My mother taught me to never, ever take free advice from a stranger. Why do you suppose that is Amy? You must think I was born yesterday:xf.confused:
 
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That's a great idea, it's always good to be able to use the power of domain names to do some good for the Humanity and the Environment.

The domainers are in the best position to come up with new domains that can be put to some good use in addition to the rest of their portfolio.

IMO
Again oldtimer, I appreciate your recommendation for MakeSmilesHappen.org. I don't know if you researched the .com version on HosterStats, but someone else had owned it 10 of the last 12 years just to drop it in July, 2019. Some of the better/quality domains I buy (not all) have been registered 10+ years, and it makes you wonder why they weren't able to sell them or develop them? Of course you can't know for sure, but this is just one of many examples I can share that I've picked up over the last 12 months. I've been told by professional domainers I'm pretty good at the domain/brand/name business, and even a few of my critics have accidentally noticed it:xf.rolleyes: Why do you think that is oldtimer? Why would they even care? I believe I know why, but that only adds to my determination(y)
 
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Again oldtimer, I appreciate your recommendation for MakeSmilesHappen.org. I don't know if you researched the .com version on HosterStats, but someone else had owned it 10 of the last 12 years just to drop it in July, 2019. Some of the better/quality domains I buy (not all) have been registered 10+ years, and it makes you wonder why they weren't able to sell them or develop them? Of course you can't know for sure, but this is just one of many examples I can share that I've picked up over the last 12 months. I've been told by professional domainers I'm pretty good at the domain/brand/name business, and even a few of my critics have accidentally noticed it:xf.rolleyes: Why do you think that is oldtimer? Why would they even care? I believe I know why, but that only adds to my determination(y)

This domain has a good sound to it and even though it's three words but all the words are needed to convey its message.

Did you see it on a drop list or somewhere or did you just think of it on your own. Even if it was registered before but if you thought of it on your own then it's a big achievement on your part specially if you make sure that it's put to some good use now either by yourself or through selling it (or donating it) to the proper end user.

More domainers should be thinking of domains to register that could be used to do some public good.

IMO
 
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In a few words, a huge over-supply with far lower end-user demand.

Over time it has become basically a numbers game combined with luck.

There's really no way to make it better with the market saturation and I predict it will continue declining (hope I am wrong) even with the current excellent economy.

I don't think it will be declining because branding is booming more and more every year, but what is happening is that more domainers enter domaining adventure every year and so the sell through rate for individuals will decrease, sell through rate globally will not be affected or it may even increase. In other words more eaters joining will lead to smaller pie portions for everyone.
 
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