discuss Artists/Designers /Creators / Branders who Domain

[ThatDomainGuy]

ALoha

Happy Monday all.

So. Im new here. Think my 1st handi was late August.lol,
But im about 7 months in. This forum has been radically informative. Stoked to be a part. Thanks to all who one way or another have helped or informed me on some extremely useful information. Cheers.

Curious to see "WhoIs" out here Domaining from an Artist or Designer Stand point. Basically creating current or future brands based off a current trend or specific niche you might all ready work in, or have had previous work in. Maybe yo just on top of yo shit from an Artist view, sitting back seat , mellow and kind of creating new brands you either want to develop personally or with intention to form and pitch to other creators ?

Thanks for your time and again , curious to see maybe some other individuals seeing other routes to the game.

 

[Eric Lyon]

Hello,

I'm a creative. Doing it digitally with domain names since 2005. Lots of trial and error, lots of fun too. I generally always have a brand/development idea prior to acquiring any specific domain name. I've always been a believer that a domain should be able to pay it's own renewal costs each year and bring in a profit to justify taking up space in my domain manager/portfolio.

Unfortunately, it takes time to build out/develop a sold interactive brand using a domain name. There are techniques/strategies to speed up the process, cut corners, ride a trend wave, mini-site it while remaining in compliance of search algorithms so you get listed better in organic search, etc..

I shifted from design, to domain quick flips, to domain parking, to branding domains, to developing lead generators on domains, developing service sites on domains, developing digital download product sites on domains, Single page lander/splash pages on domains, for sale landing pages on domains, Blogs on domains, journals on domains, and the list goes on, in various niches.

Most, were failures, but provided a great learning experience.

I'm slowly changing strategy again, making adjustments, and pushing forward.

We'll see what happens. So far so good. Things are starting to pick back up.

 

[ThatDomainGuy]

Hello,

I'm a creative. Doing it digitally with domain names since 2005. Lots of trial and error, lots of fun too. I generally always have a brand/development idea prior to acquiring any specific domain name. I've always been a believer that a domain should be able to pay it's own renewal costs each year and bring in a profit to justify taking up space in my domain manager/portfolio.

Unfortunately, it takes time to build out/develop a sold interactive brand using a domain name. There are techniques/strategies to speed up the process, cut corners, ride a trend wave, mini-site it while remaining in compliance of search algorithms so you get listed better in organic search, etc..

I shifted from design, to domain quick flips, to domain parking, to branding domains, to developing lead generators on domains, developing service sites on domains, developing digital download product sites on domains, Single page lander/splash pages on domains, for sale landing pages on domains, Blogs on domains, journals on domains, and the list goes on, in various niches.

Most, were failures, but provided a great learning experience.

I'm slowly changing strategy again, making adjustments, and pushing forward.

We'll see what happens. So far so good. Things are starting to pick back up.

Wow dude , epic response and I really appreciate it !

I lack the technical aspect to most all of what you mentioned computer wise. I understand Marketing and Branding from the creator stand point. I get what people want to wear , whats in style. Trends. Where trends go.

Pencil and Paper. Im not ashamed to admit that either. But keyboards and computers are just not me.
Im an Artist/Designer/Photographer by trade. I still draw most my stuff up by hand, then it gets past down to computer dudes to tweak.

Over my years doing so, I had early success with a clothing line. All started from our parents basement. Times were different then. But our company took off , and did very well for about 7 yrs. Then investors were brought on to feed the machine. 3 Brick and mortar Stores, Sponsored athletes , trade shows ,product shipped world wide. It was all very quick progression threw out the entire process. Kind of mind blowing. We were ahead of our time.
Ultimately the company had to shut doors as Investors really couldn't rap their heads around what it costs to stay current in the Surf Industry as a apparel line. And maybe some really shitty decisions by my older brother..... but we wount go there.

But it never shuts off in your head as a creator. Theres always new things to create. New Brands.

I have so much to learn here, but i dont think my approach is from the Domainers standpoint.

Brands dont need Keywords. Brands need to be put in front of the right minds. OR you just need big pockets to bring more creations to life. Thats the truth to it.

How to access that "list"
How to get your creations in front of the right minds.

I watched interviews from some top brokers , even saying. They have those lists. Now how the heck to get our lists to theirs is my big ?

 

[Eric Lyon]

Wow dude , epic response and I really appreciate it !

I lack the technical aspect to most all of what you mentioned computer wise. I understand Marketing and Branding from the creator stand point. I get what people want to wear , whats in style. Trends. Where trends go.

Pencil and Paper. Im not ashamed to admit that either. But keyboards and computers are just not me.
Im an Artist/Designer/Photographer by trade. I still draw most my stuff up by hand, then it gets past down to computer dudes to tweak.

Over my years doing so, I had early success with a clothing line. All started from our parents basement. Times were different then. But our company took off , and did very well for about 7 yrs. Then investors were brought on to feed the machine. 3 Brick and mortar Stores, Sponsored athletes , trade shows ,product shipped world wide. It was all very quick progression threw out the entire process. Kind of mind blowing. We were ahead of our time.
Ultimately the company had to shut doors as Investors really couldn't rap their heads around what it costs to stay current in the Surf Industry as a apparel line. And maybe some really sh*tty decisions by my older brother..... but we wount go there.

But it never shuts off in your head as a creator. Theres always new things to create. New Brands.

I have so much to learn here, but i dont think my approach is from the Domainers standpoint.

Brands dont need Keywords. Brands need to be put in front of the right minds. OR you just need big pockets to bring more creations to life. Thats the truth to it.

How to access that "list"
How to get your creations in front of the right minds.

I watched interviews from some top brokers , even saying. They have those lists. Now how the heck to get our lists to theirs is my big ?

Trends can be fun, but you have to move fast, hold on tight, and it's a limited window of opportunity. If you don't get out in time, you're stuck trying to milk it on it's way down, which just sucks more time and money in added marketing that's converting at lower rates until it hits red. It can be fun though while they last.

As for lists, many brokers are constantly networking, partnering, and building relationships at some of the big domain industry events, on namePros, and through social media while pushing good repeat and referral ethics. In short, their list is different than the average domain investors list. Domain investors hunt through targeted searches, directory listings, whois, company contact pages, etc.. whilst a broker tends to leverage buyers and domain investors to contact them first, building their list with inbound inquiries rather than outbound. An inbound inquiry is generally a much stronger lead than a cold outbound one.

It's hands down easier to focus on a specific niche to build out and form relationships than it is to try and encompass everything and build a list. Specializing is a viable element for authority and trust.

 

[creataweb]

I was 50/50 years ago. Starting to get back into it for fun more than anything. Teaming up with 1 or 2 people on some design work as a hobby.

 

[ThatDomainGuy]

Trends can be fun, but you have to move fast, hold on tight, and it's a limited window of opportunity. If you don't get out in time, you're stuck trying to milk it on it's way down, which just sucks more time and money in added marketing that's converting at lower rates until it hits red. It can be fun though while they last.

As for lists, many brokers are constantly networking, partnering, and building relationships at some of the big domain industry events, on namePros, and through social media while pushing good repeat and referral ethics. In short, their list is different than the average domain investors list. Domain investors hunt through targeted searches, directory listings, whois, company contact pages, etc.. whilst a broker tends to leverage buyers and domain investors to contact them first, building their list with inbound inquiries rather than outbound. An inbound inquiry is generally a much stronger lead than a cold outbound one.

It's hands down easier to focus on a specific niche to build out and form relationships than it is to try and encompass everything and build a list. Specializing is a viable element for authority and trust.

Eric i really appreciate your thought out responses. Im still dissecting your 1st reply , taking it to paper then to the GoggleGod.

Yes attending one of the events would be cool , and something id look into if they come to NY.

While running our Apparel LIne, would would regularly have random artists and designers send concept to us. Just other creators looking for answers and we didnt know what to tell them. So many of us out there. From every walk of life and every medium there is.
You have to play the game and its tuff as a creative person to put yourself threw the ringers in order to get to the main hoop. For all sorts of reasons. Its why Artist are NOT suppose to sell their own work.

It's like grabbing a Daymond John off the street and handing him a list of names. (dude from the shark tank) And I might do that one day. Just find him , and approach him. Its worked in the past.

I had a moment like that at one of the SurfExpos. Kelly Slater was signing shit. I brought him a visor to sign. Out of the thousands of people he was dealing with , he stopped , looked up and said "what is this"
Its my brothers company. He just went silent. He was really digging the name and then after he signed the hat , i gave it to him. Threw him off even more so. Yeah Kelly !

There has to be some people on here who can identify with this on this level. There are members who know the right person to start the name game with.

Its all great learning but as you mentioned , time absorption will at some point slow the process down.
BUT. Thats not true with a Brand. If your shit is good. Its not going to fade with a "trend"
It fades for other reasons, mainly capital.

 

[Eric Lyon]

Eric i really appreciate your thought out responses. Im still dissecting your 1st reply , taking it to paper then to the GoggleGod.

Yes attending one of the events would be cool , and something id look into if they come to NY.

While running our Apparel LIne, would would regularly have random artists and designers send concept to us. Just other creators looking for answers and we didnt know what to tell them. So many of us out there. From every walk of life and every medium there is.
You have to play the game and its tuff as a creative person to put yourself threw the ringers in order to get to the main hoop. For all sorts of reasons. Its why Artist are NOT suppose to sell their own work.

It's like grabbing a Daymond John off the street and handing him a list of names. (dude from the shark tank) And I might do that one day. Just find him , and approach him. Its worked in the past.

I had a moment like that at one of the SurfExpos. Kelly Slater was signing sh*t. I brought him a visor to sign. Out of the thousands of people he was dealing with , he stopped , looked up and said "what is this"
Its my brothers company. He just went silent. He was really digging the name and then after he signed the hat , i gave it to him. Threw him off even more so. Yeah Kelly !

There has to be some people on here who can identify with this on this level. There are members who know the right person to start the name game with.

Its all great learning but as you mentioned , time absorption will at some point slow the process down.
BUT. Thats not true with a Brand. If your sh*t is good. Its not going to fade with a "trend"
It fades for other reasons, mainly capital.

Ya, random opportunities can be found everywhere if one looks. Closed an unexpected sale at Denny's.

I used to and occasionally still do send concept ideas to companies and or design contests when time permits. For me, it's added brand exposure through a public presentation of skill, diversity, flexibility, scope, and creativity. Occasionally, ones selected by someone that envisioned what I presented, but couldn't translate it into digital form themselves.

I like to sketch still too. Many times, I digitize those sketches into viable brands. As you said though, some of our best ideas start with pencil and paper or even a pen and a napkin while out and about.

 

[Eric Lyon]

I was 50/50 years ago. Starting to get back into it for fun more than anything. Teaming up with 1 or 2 people on some design work as a hobby.

The wife and I ( @Amanda ) found that the ones we have fun with the most, thrive the most. I agree, that's a great way to approach it.