Does your family understand domaining?

[infosec3]

During the rare occasions I have explained domaining to some friends or family, the reactions I get are mixed, but in most cases, it is hard for them to fully understand why domain names can have so much value.

Sometimes domain investors take it for granted that everyone knows what a domain name is and how it works, but the reality is a huge number of people (probably most people) have no idea of how this work. Is that your experience?

 

[Pattern]

I've had it go many ways.

Me: "I trade .coms online"
Them: "So you're a cyber squatter?"

OR

Me: "I trade .coms online"
Them: "how much money do you make?"
Me: "I'd rather not disclose that"
Them: "Teach me how to do it!!!"

OR

Me: "I trade .coms online"
Them: "What the hell do you mean?"
Me: "[explaining the value of domains]
Them: "Same clueless face: But how are domains valuable?"

 

[Krisss]

Average persons reaction to a domainer explaining what they do for a living...

https://www.namepros.com/threads/domainers-in-action.828417/

 

[tomcarl]

And a word of advice:

If you're a single guy, you're better off telling women you develop porn sites rather than you sell domain names.

 

[nomen]

Pretty much all of my friends are developers so they understand to an extent. Family not so much.

 

[tomcarl]

My GF recently admitted to me that when I told her about domaining she thought it was all BS until she actually seen/heard what I did over the phone.

Now she's all like "How many did you get today???"

 

[N-A]

A domain investor walks into a bar and sits next to a stranger after a hard works day of talking someone up from $5 to $2000. They strike up a conversation about what they do. One is a welder, no questions need be asked what a welder is. The other, obviously a domain ...what?

That's how I live my life.

I had a run in and noticed here, a local business, is using a .xyz because the .com was too expensive. I said something along the lines, "because someone like me probably already owns it".

I'm just going to start telling people that I'm an insurance claims adjuster.

Hey, not too far off, right? I examine offers and adjust a counter accordingly. It's more boring, so people won't ask dumb questions where you just want to smack your head: such as, "what's a dot new, what did you call it, Tot Light Domain?"

 

[Archangel]

I'm fortunate to have family who knows the concept. I live with small-time businessmen, so it's easy for me to talk about domains without family/friends giving me a blank stare

 

[Archangel]

These days, you'd do better saying you're a crack dealer.It's a more respected niche than domaining

A domain investor walks into a bar and sits next to a stranger after a hard works day of talking someone up from $5 to $2000. They strike up a conversation about what they do. One is a welder, no questions need be asked what a welder is. The other, obviously a domain ...what?

That's how I live my life.

I had a run in and noticed here, a local business, is using a .xyz because the .com was too expensive. I said something along the lines, "because someone like me probably already owns it".

I'm just going to start telling people that I'm an insurance claims adjuster.

Hey, not too far off, right? I examine offers and adjust a counter accordingly. It's more boring, so people won't ask dumb questions where you just want to smack your head: such as, "what's a dot new, what did you call it, Tot Light Domain?"

 

[N-A]

These days, you'd do better saying you're a crack dealer.It's a more respected niche than domaining

Not as lucrative, well, I should say to some. Though, to the ones who do make a living from dealing crack have a walk-in closet full of Jordan's. I have gold bullion.

Plus, you have to watch your words in America. Saying something like that to the wrong person can get you a quick stop-and-frisk.

 

[NPer]

These days, you'd do better saying you're a crack dealer.It's a more respected niche than domaining

Probably because they don't use bin prices, that's why they make more.

When you go to a crack dealer's home and open up their fridge, you see Cristal.

When you go to a domainer's home and open up their fridge, you see Kumquats.

 

[UltraNames.com]

Actually i am very lucky about my family they belive in domains too and i am investing directly my fathers money in here... He also give me a limit for buying domains and even it was x5 then i was planning. But i am buying as i planned and not that much he said

And even my gf tries to act like she is interesting in domains sometimes.

And if someone really try to understand how domaining works;

I ask him that if there were a website with same name but different dots, dotcom, dotnet and dotorg which would he choose to get in.

Answer is always same dotcom...

 

[slimjim270]

Hi All,

I primarily say "I own a variety of internet properties".

Vague enough to draw their interest, but not detailed enough to draw that pause stare or "gas-x" squint for a response.

What I found in a public setting is when someone asks me "So what do you do for a living?", they are not looking for an answer, they are looking to talk... and talk... and talk... (they want an audience, not a conversation)

A family gathering is the same way... if someone asks "How are you doing?" or "How have you been?"... it's normally they who want to tell you how they are doing... or what they have been doing... (they want an audience, your ears happen to be the victim)

-Jim

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

My girlfriend hates domaining, hates when i talk about it. Even a 2500$ sale doesnt help. She has no interest, said she doesnt want to hear about it, so I will never mention it or ask her for her advice.
ps. she owns 2 domain names about animals lol
No other family so..

 

[N-A]

To be honest, my mother never understood how I earned money online since 13 years old (which came in her name sometimes). She can't SMS or use email. She hand writes her letters, which I cannot read, because her cursive is so "bad" (that's a terrible thing to say, but everyone her age can read it perfectly fine).

My wife doesn't understand the concept of investing or a long term investment for that matter. She's happier renting than buying 2 homes, one of which could pay for the other, in Japan of course. She just started using a computer about a year ago and getting quite well. I taught her WordPress and other such stuff.

However, my 3 year old is a brainiac. She got her first tablet (because I never used it) at about 1 1/2-2 1/2 and knows how to call me on Skype, find her favorite YouTube videos and play games already.

She's definitely the contender to understand the 'family business' and take over one day.

 

[slimjim270]

My folks owned a real-estate brokerage for the past 3 decades on the East Coast of the U.S.

I explain to them that owning (virtual) online properties is much simpler than selling real-estate.

Real-Estate vs Online Properties

1. You need a state license to sell Real-Estate, you don't to sell domains.
2. You need to pay an annual fee to renew your Real-Estate license, you don't to sell domains.
3. You need to listen to annoying dogs barking while listing a local Real-Estate property, you don't when buying a domain.
4. You need to watch out for skunks / moose poop while walking a potential buyer around a Real-Estate property you are trying to sell them, you don't have to clean moose turd off your shoes when selling a domain.
5. You need to walk a potential buyer through all the faults of a property when selling a Real-Estate property, you don't when selling a domain.
6. You need to walk past kids in their living room (knowing they will soon be torn away from their friends) when selling a Real-Estate property, you don't when selling a domain.
7. You need to buy E&O (Errors & Omissions) insurance when selling Real-Estate, you don't when selling domains.
8. You need to wear pants when selling Real-Estate, you don't when selling domains.
9. You need to hold office hours when selling Real-Estate, you don't when selling domains.

And let's not forget the all important...

#10 - You need to attend the local zoning board member's birthday party and avoid doing his wife in the closet when she hits on you, you don't need to be so discrete when selling domains.

-Jim

 

[Mr.Natwarlal]

Interesting thread..!!

Teach me how to do it!!!

Exactly..

 

[Rado_Ch]

Welcome to my world I have given up long ago telling people I work in web hosting, I am going with the much safer "I work with computers". Though there is 1 valuable thing I learned. Years ago people were much less educated about hosting and domains and I had to explain the difference between the two on a daily basis (just like my colleagues). So, at times, we needed to get more and more creative with the examples for people who refused to grasp the basic idea. Some of these examples I use to this day and they do seem to work for people who have even just a slight interest learning about it. Shockingly it even worked for my parents (kinda...sorta...) provided the best achievement of my Mum is sending/opening emails and Dad goes as far as playing Solitaire on the PC

 

[onebrand.co]

Yes, agreed. I too have given up telling people about which industry we are in. Mention domain trading or brokering and almost anyone not abreast with the internet will scratch their heads.

 

[matrigaldo]

I tend to say "i do stuff on Internet" too, but sometimes when my family or my friends see me with a brand new laptop or a brand new smartphone and wonder how i can afford to change it so often with my daily job, i try to explain them something about domaining, but i end up with "well, stuff on internet, you know".

 

[mhdoc]

Reading these comments makes me think adoption/awareness of new tld's might take a lot longer than many of the proponents appreciate.