Endusers still don't get it!!!

[Robbie]

Is anyone finding it easier or harder selling to endusers?

Im still finding that they just dont get it!

Especially Sales and Marketing VP etc.

Whats everyone elses thoughts?

Regards,

Rob

 

[JoshuaPz]

this all reminds me of a recent event in my life. I wake up one saturday morning to find a cold call email wanting one of my domain names. Not a generic name but one that is brandable. Personally I think the name sucks, I bought it in a package and will let it drop next time round...

In his email he states he has a use for the name and wants to know my price. I look up his email address and I find the company he works for. Sure enough that are rolling out a product with the EXACT name. now this company looks like it might have 200 employees and I am sure they make a good amount of money every year. So I email him back $900 and its yours. He replies a few days later saying its to high. So I email him back that the name gets over 300 visitors a month which it does and tell im her can have the name for a mere $250... he emails back that that is also to much and they decided to buy the same domain in the .net for $10..... I mean the product of this domain costs over $1000 a piece so I figured 900$ was a for sure sale... nope.

I dont get it....

This is almost exactly what I would do if I were in that enduser's position. Witnessing the domainer drop from $950 to $250 just by virtue of my saying "too high" is a clear indication the domainer is either desperate to sell or has virtually zero attachment to the domain. So then I'd reply "too high / we'll take the .net" again, hoping he'd slash the price to, say, $50. If he didn't, I'd hold off about 3 weeks and fire over an e-mail saying "We've changed our mind -- we'll take it for $250."

Of course, I could be wrong, but I have a very strong feeling your enduser wants + can afford the domain but is exercising business tactics to save him/herself money. Wouldn't you do the same?

Next time, I'd recommend starting out with something along the lines of, we had a business intent for XYZ.com but may be willing to give it up for the right price; what's your best offer? Then negotiate up from there.

 

[tristanperry]

This is almost exactly what I would do if I were in that enduser's position. Witnessing the domainer drop from $950 to $250 just by virtue of my saying "too high" is a clear indication the domainer is either desperate to sell or has virtually zero attachment to the domain. So then I'd reply "too high / we'll take the .net" again, hoping he'd slash the price to, say, $50. If he didn't, I'd hold off about 3 weeks and fire over an e-mail saying "We've changed our mind -- we'll take it for $250."

Of course, I could be wrong, but I have a very strong feeling your enduser wants + can afford the domain but is exercising business tactics to save him/herself money. Wouldn't you do the same?

Next time, I'd recommend starting out with something along the lines of, we had a business intent for XYZ.com but may be willing to give it up for the right price; what's your best offer? Then negotiate up from there.

Agreed - it does sound like that end user was just trying it on. An interested buyer of a company with probably $100,000s turnover contacts you out of the blue, and then says that $250 is too much? Seems to be that he was just trying it on a bit and trying to lower the price.

Some end users "don't get it" - others like to play the game too, though.

 

[snoop]

Either that or domainers are living in a convoluted bubble

If a company owns keyword-keyword.com, many end users will be happy to have keywordkeyword without the hypen but for $100 or under. On the other hand, I see domainers with too much money and not enough brains throw thousands of dollars on completely speculative domains. Take mouthguards.com for instance. Sure it's a great keyword domain but it sold for $10,000 on Namejet. I highly doubt that there are end users willing to fork over $10,000 for that name. Hence, not long after it is now in Moniker extended auction. Alas, a platform for more domainers to see if they themselves can come out ahead with this name.

I don't really see the logic in the above, you think the buyer of mouthguards.com bought it then suddenly realised an enduser won't pay any more than that so decided to sell?

I more realistic reason is that they bought it because they thought they could flip it for more.

Owning towing.com probably won't drive one single customer to Joe's Car Towing of rural Wisconsin. So if he won't pay big money for it, does he not "get it"?

Very true.

 

[h2o]

I don't really see the logic in the above, you think the buyer of mouthguards.com bought it then suddenly realised an enduser won't pay any more than that so decided to sell?

I more realistic reason is that they bought it because they thought they could flip it for more.

Yes, Snoop. That's what I truly believe. Bids on extended auctions are far and between especially at a $58k reserve. Domainers usually don't have huge development plains in mind to justify that price. Also, a large percentage of NJ auctions never finish through because the winner thinks they can make an easy flip in a 5 day time period but fail.

 

[RLW]

This is almost exactly what I would do if I were in that enduser's position. Witnessing the domainer drop from $950 to $250 just by virtue of my saying "too high" is a clear indication the domainer is either desperate to sell or has virtually zero attachment to the domain. So then I'd reply "too high / we'll take the .net" again, hoping he'd slash the price to, say, $50. If he didn't, I'd hold off about 3 weeks and fire over an e-mail saying "We've changed our mind -- we'll take it for $250."

Of course, I could be wrong, but I have a very strong feeling your enduser wants + can afford the domain but is exercising business tactics to save him/herself money. Wouldn't you do the same?

Next time, I'd recommend starting out with something along the lines of, we had a business intent for XYZ.com but may be willing to give it up for the right price; what's your best offer? Then negotiate up from there.

I agree.

If you are trying to sell a domain, you need to be a sales person. I guarantee another domainer may have been able to sell that domain for $900 if they used the right sales skills.

Does the person at the car yard who doesn't sell any cars sit back and say to himself/herself "These car buyers just dont get it"? Nope. If he's not selling any cars then it's him/her who obviously 'doesn't get it', not the customer.

It's the sales persons job to make the customer find a reason to have a particular product at a particular price.

 

[gazzip]

In particular when it's a dead horse

:lol: So true, no sense in flogging a dead horse either !

Well the dead horse actually ponied up and paid $9 for the .com, maybe he's not just a one trick pony after all !

I bet if I had registered it for $9 and tried to sell it to him for $100 he would'nt have been interested.



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[Robbie]

Thanks to everyone for there comments

 

[Lithium]

Perhaps we should get a Namepros community development project going, and develop a campaign intended to educate end users. Or for our intents and purposes, educate dead horses. Because

Originally Posted by sdsinc
Keep in mind that end users are advised by webmasters, SEOers and media agencies etc. All these people are usually clueless when it comes to domains.

...and I'm willing to bet most of them won't sift through NP to educate themselves.

 

[Robbie]

@ Lithium

" Perhaps we should get a Namepros community development project going, and develop a campaign intended to educate end users. Or for our intents and purposes, educate dead horses. "

Sounds like a great idea

 

[biggie]

Is anyone finding it easier or harder selling to endusers?

Im still finding that they just dont get it!

Especially Sales and Marketing VP etc.

Whats everyone elses thoughts?

Regards,

Rob

:talk:



i think most domainers don't get it

they don't get that big sale to the almighty end-user because they don't have the right domain

or they don't have good communications skills

or they have poor negotiating skills

or they over-price their domains

....some domainers just don't get it!

 

[Robbie]

:talk:

i think most domainers don't get it

they don't get that big sale to the almighty end-user because they don't have the right domain

or they don't have good communications skills

or they have poor negotiating skills

or they over-price their domains

....some domainers just don't get it!

I agree some domainers dont get it either and we do often over price our assets but I have spoke to so many large companies not about my names but names Im brokering such as

Brazil.com - GreatBritain.com - Canadian.com - and others like this offering some great quality generics for only six figs and saying its not worth while for them.

You then explain a generic domain, the power, direct navigation etc etc and cost differance that they would save in buying one domain vs a multi million PPC campaign. and TV campaign etc etc.

Im not saying all endusers dont get it but most dont and I admit we dont alway help ourselves.

Regards,

Rob

 

[-REECE-]

Yep, good article on Domain Name Wire about this: Domain Name Wire » News » “They Don’t Get It” and The Emperor’s New Clothes - The Domain Industry's News Source

:talk:

i think most domainers don't get it

they don't get that big sale to the almighty end-user because they don't have the right domain

or they don't have good communications skills

or they have poor negotiating skills

or they over-price their domains

....some domainers just don't get it!

 

[gazzip]

I agree some domainers dont get it either and we do often over price our assets but I have spoke to so many large companies not about my names but names Im brokering such as

Brazil.com - GreatBritain.com - Canadian.com - and others like this offering some great quality generics for only six figs and saying its not worth while for them.

You then explain a generic domain, the power, direct navigation etc etc and cost differance that they would save in buying one domain vs a multi million PPC campaign. and TV campaign etc etc.

Im not saying all endusers dont get it but most dont and I admit we dont alway help ourselves.

Regards,

Rob

Amazing names :tu:

I was one the phone to one of the top dogs in the scot tish tourism industry, someone that supposedly was looking to attract a certain type of valuable customer to s cotland for a certain niche - I have a two word generic domain which represents 60 % of that market and gets type in vistors from the places they are trying to target tourist from.

He did'nt even bother to ask me the price, he was'nt remotely interested and his comment was : its too generic !

A domain that represents 60% of his target market & represents millions of pounds to the economy is too generic

Saying that, V isit S cotland spent over 100k on a "come home to s cotland" video that they were'nt even going to show abroad initially :tri:

...no wonder they're loosing millions and all the councils are bailing out


.

 

[h2o]

I agree some domainers dont get it either and we do often over price our assets but I have spoke to so many large companies not about my names but names Im brokering such as

Brazil.com - GreatBritain.com - Canadian.com - and others like this offering some great quality generics for only six figs and saying its not worth while for them.

Wow, Rob, I'd like to hear an audio recording of one of those negotiating pitches

 

[Domainace]

musicplace says: "It's the sales persons job to make the customer find a reason to have a particular product at a particular price." (Still haven't figured out how to quote)

This is a very useful thread, but I immediately thought it's a poor salesman who blames his customers for not getting it.

If somebody doesn't want your domain, he either doesn't need it or hasn't had it explained to him in a way he can understand. It's the salesman's job to find something the customer needs/wants and convince him that he needs it.

The problem may be this:

A lot of domainers don't want to be salepeople.

Include me in that. I'd love to just buy, sell and trade in auctions, forums and wait for buyers to come to me. You can do that if you have super premium domains and a big pile of cash.

Since most of us don't, we have to sell. And selling is a whole different skill set - one that needs to be studied and honed as seriously as your domaining skills.

And in selling domains, you start with a disadvantage in that many people will immediately see what you are doing as a scam. So it's an uphill struggle. If it wasn't, everybody would be selling domains and then you'd have real competition problems.

So try to get into the mindset of those who may buy, accept that a bunch of them will never buy, and work on education through blogs, articles or anything else that is read by the public.

Remember, the day most customers do get it will be the day you are facing massive and tough competition. All said, things are much easier now.

 

[bamaboy]

I have been trying hard to find end users for my domains.
but i never got some offers from them.

Maybe they are not interested much in domains, some asked me to pay a valuable domain for a damn cheap price. Most probably, they dunno much about domain market.

 

[biggie]

imo


offering names like brazil or greatbritian to an end-user may be futile


best to wait until they come to you, then you will have the leverage

also, end-users don't think like domainers and domainers certainly don't think like end-users

within our own marketing department, i have had difficulty trying to persuade brand managers to acquire the domain names of the new products we are developing.

they don't see what i see and maybe i don't see what or how they plan to market the product.

many times end-users will reg the crappiest names from "our" point of view and that alone should confirm that we are miles apart in the thought process when it comes to domains and websites.

i'm sure many "geo region potential end-users" would prefer "visitbrazil com" over brazil com, exploremontreal com over montreal com, or seemiami com over miamiflorida com

these are some the popular usages of domains by end-users and resellers have to start thinking like an end-user before they can sell anything to them.

an end-user will stick a number or a hyphen in a domain in a minute, but domainers shun these types of names.

an end-user will reg a domain with 25 letters and use it in a commercial or print ad, while domainers think anything with more than 10 letters sucks.

some domainers just don't get it!

 

[Pred]

yeah, good post Big :tu:

 

[gazzip]

imo


offering names like brazil or greatbritian to an end-user may be futile


best to wait until they come to you, then you will have the leverage

also, end-users don't think like domainers and domainers certainly don't think like end-users

within our own marketing department, i have had difficulty trying to persuade brand managers to acquire the domain names of the new products we are developing.

they don't see what i see and maybe i don't see what or how they plan to market the product.

many times end-users will reg the crappiest names from "our" point of view and that alone should confirm that we are miles apart in the thought process when it comes to domains and websites.

i'm sure many "geo region potential end-users" would prefer "visitbrazil com" over brazil com, exploremontreal com over montreal com, or seemiami com over miamiflorida com

these are some the popular usages of domains by end-users and resellers have to start thinking like an end-user before they can sell anything to them.

an end-user will stick a number or a hyphen in a domain in a minute, but domainers shun these types of names.

an end-user will reg a domain with 25 letters and use it in a commercial or print ad, while domainers think anything with more than 10 letters sucks.

some domainers just don't get it!

All very good points, is it just a case of Brand or Bland ?, do the general marketing gurus see generic domains as just too bland ?

Even domainers seem to be developing brandables Bido being the last one that springs to mind.


I'm working on one of my Visit(City).com domains just now


.

 

[bgmv]

Endusers for the most part just arent interested if they already have a solid web presence. I just sold a 2 word .net that gets around 20k EXACT searches/mo to an enduser for $645 - not exactly a huge price but i acquired for reg fee. Enduser said he wouldnt pay more than $250 but I got him from $250 to $645 with this little response:

"Mr. Enduser,

By owning XYZ .net your company will not have to pay to place ads on Google or Yahoo for the term “XYZ” due to the specificity of the domain and the natural search potential of the keywords; this will ultimately save your company money in the long run, not to mention that domains as generic as this hold a significant value that will only increase with time. If you were to compare XYZ .net to a diamond then this would be an F color with VS clarity, the only flaw being that it is .net – but search engines do not give .net a lesser score when ranking relevant sites, .com and .net are seen as equals and the only defining criteria is unique content, which you already possess.

We feel that XYZ .net is worth at least $750 during a healthy economy but do to the current state of the economy we would be willing to revise our original price of $750 to $645.

We look forward to hearing back from you.

Speak to you soon, "

He responded with we will let you know within 24 hours - and he did, he bought it after saying he wouldnt spend more than $250. Endusers love to play games as much as we do - they are running a business and who wouldnt try to cut their costs? I drive a hard bargin and never settle for one of their offers, I ALWAYS counter closer to my initial price; it works out most of the time and I'm sure ive walked away with more money then ive lost.

Good Luck All.