discuss Hand reg is your friend, no matter what others say

[abstractdomainer]

Dear beginners,

Everyone here was a beginner when they started investing. Not everyone starts domain investing with $5,000. Especially for people who are from developing countries, $5,000 is like 2 years of groceries. In fact, that is one of the reasons why domain investing is one of the most attractive businesses. You can start off with literally $500 or maybe $100 even.


Especially for people starting off with less than $500
Trust me, no matter what people say, it makes sense that when you are starting off, you go for hand registration and control your sales rather than sit on a number of names in your first year, waiting for the buyer to come and press the BIN button. So, I would advise you to go for hand-registration names in the beginning and control your destiny by selling them via outbound, or active reach out.

As you start making some sales, and you have a spare $1,000 apart from some cash flow, you can start getting in more liquid names - 4L .COMs, experiment with .CO, .XYZ and so on. But start with something you can sell actively!

Do let me know if you have any questions about hand registration.

 

[Mohd Wal]

This is exactly what many newbies don't know in the domain industry. You don't just hand register names anyhow and expect them to sell, learning for few months isn't enough but at least, a year.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

First of all, what is the definition of hand reg?

This is a more complex question than might first seem.

I think the most accepted definition would be a domain name that you can obtain at registration cost. In some cases it will be a name that no one has previously registered, while other times it will be a name that has been allowed to expire so that its creation clock on Whois has been reset to the date you registered the name.

Is a name that carries a premium registration fee still a hand registration?

I check the expired list regular in a few specific categories. When I register one of those names, in most cases that expired that day or day before, is it a hand registration? Technically yes. But not in the sense I was the first to create it.

Even many names that we think we create, a check of HosterStats will show that they were thought of by others before.

So the various things asked in your later questions, yes they could be hand registrations or you could obtain a name of that type in an expiring or user auction, or by buying from another domainer, in which case they are not technically hand registration.

Bob

 

[Bob Hawkes]

It would be nice to see a checklist to go through when buying a domain.

This may be a helpful start with 18 things to consider before any acquisition. While it has hand registration in title, the items apply whether doing hand registration, closeouts, expiry auctions, or buying a name from another investor.

https://www.namepros.com/blog/hand-registering-domain-names.1192637/

On the topic of the discussion in general, I think the question should not be whether to hand register, but what is the best way to obtain a quality name at good value. For sure people are selling hand registrations - just go through the completed sales thread here at NamePros for countless examples. Overall, though, on average I suspect that names that are not hand registration have a higher probability of sale at retail prices.

As a learning experience, I think starting early with doing some acquisitions by hand-registration and also some from closeouts/expiry auctions/investor sales or auctions, is better than to do only one of them. In my first couple of years I mainly hand registered, and doing a mix of ways to acquire, which I now follow, would have been better.

Certain types of names are more suited to hand registration, such as new technologies or emerging social trends, newly released extensions, some types of brandable if you analyze the brandable marketplaces and have a creative mind, and in certain extensions that are lightly enough registered that there are still opportunities to get solid names in hand registration.

Bob

 

[domainsnamer]

After 5 months as newbie I would say this is not good advice at all. I have wasted a lot of money on Hand_reg, even after reading a lot, listening to every podcast (Kickstart Commerce, DomainSherpa, DigitalFortune (Josh), DNW) for hundreds of hours. I am an educated professional, English my first language. I lucked out and sold one hand_reg for just under $4k (via Brandpa) which netted me about $2.8k. My portfolio is not great from the hand_reg names and I wish I had not done it. Expired, SAV auctions, etc. significantly better. Best advice, buy nothing for 6 months!

 

[ThatNameGuy]

I think it would be really difficult to sell hand regged domains via outbound or active reach out. Success rate would be one in thousand maybe?

You're right, especially the way we're led to believe how this industry is suppose to work. Having started and named dozens of businesses since 1970, i know for a fact I'm pretty good at it. Since discovering the domain industry over four years ago i've hand regged thousands of otherwise great names, some of which are .coms and others new gTLD's. All that's needed is to educate the "end user" world how utterly stupid this industry truly is

To show you or anyone reading this, simply key into your address bar; PraiseGod.com and you'll see what I mean. btw, this is just one of thousands of examples i'm able to show a potential "end user".

Stupidity equates to OPPORTUNITY

 

[zomainhacks]

You're right, especially the way we're led to believe how this industry is suppose to work. Having started and named dozens of businesses since 1970, i know for a fact I'm pretty good at it. Since discovering the domain industry over four years ago i've hand regged thousands of otherwise great names, some of which are .coms and others new gTLD's. All that's needed is to educate the "end user" world how utterly stupid this industry truly is

To show you or anyone reading this, simply key into your address bar; PraiseGod.com and you'll see what I mean. btw, this is just one of thousands of examples i'm able to show a potential "end user".

Stupidity equates to OPPORTUNITY

What sales are you willing to share in order to back your claim that you are really good at it?

That would be very educational for all the newbies that are starting now...

 

[hawkeye]

What sales are you willing to share in order to back your claim that you are really good at it?

The only thing he is good at is bragging about how good he is at picking names. As for him selling them, or they being 'sellable'...HAA!!!

 

[Laguna]

You're right, especially the way we're led to believe how this industry is suppose to work. Having started and named dozens of businesses since 1970, i know for a fact I'm pretty good at it. Since discovering the domain industry over four years ago i've hand regged thousands of otherwise great names, some of which are .coms and others new gTLD's. All that's needed is to educate the "end user" world how utterly stupid this industry truly is

To show you or anyone reading this, simply key into your address bar; PraiseGod.com and you'll see what I mean. btw, this is just one of thousands of examples i'm able to show a potential "end user".

Stupidity equates to OPPORTUNITY

Naming businesses since 1970 ? That puts you at probably 70+ right ? Maybe it's time for you to chill out with a pair of slippers and a mug of ovaltine

 

[ThatNameGuy]

Naming businesses since 1970 ? That puts you at probably 70+ right ? Maybe it's time for you to chill out with a pair of slippers and a mug of ovaltine

Lol....one of the first business i started and yes NAMED was Credit Control Corporation in 1973. I sold that business for $250,000 in 1990 and it's still in business today trading as CreditContol.net. Then I started another business (a medical billing compay) originally known as Accounts Receivable Management Corporation in 1978 and i later changed the name to AcSel. The very same company is trading as AcSel.org and it too is still in business today. I sold my interest in AcSel in 1995 for $500,000.

Moving on to other businesses I've named, sold and closed;

ContactUSA.com - i originally started Contact USA around 1990 and later closed it, but not before registering the domain ContactUSA.com

InQuisitorInvestigations.com - this was a licensed private investigations company that did internet investigations. Great name where my interest was bought out, and it was named something else.

MakeSomethingHappen.com - i registered this domain September 1, 2001 and I've been offered 5 figures for it along with the business model i created behind it, but I turned it down.

Then I've sold about 20 straight domains to include both .com's and and new gTLD's. If anyone would care to contact me personally and identify yourself such that I could check you out, i'd be happy to share more information. And as for me being too old, my Dad lived to be 93 so I figure I have another 25 years to keep pushing domains and making holes in one much to the chagrin of many a jealous fool

 

[Zanok]

Let's be honest here. The vast majority of newcomers decide to jump into it because they think (and hope) it's a fast and easy way to pretty much turn a $10 investment (4 bus tickets) into a 4 figures (monthly rent) sale. Is it realistic?

The truth is...

Selling domains you just registered is easy. A sale is a sale, no matter if there's profit or not...

Selling domains you just registered on a consistent basis in order to make your practice profitable is hard.

 

[ThatNameGuy]

Let's be honest here. The vast majority of newcomers decide to jump into it because they think (and hope) it's a fast and easy way to pretty much turn a $10 investment (4 bus tickets) into a 4 figures (monthly rent) sale. Is it realistic?

The truth is...

Selling domains you just registered is easy. A sale is a sale, no matter if there's profit or not...

Selling domains you just registered on a consistent basis in order to make your practice profitable is hard.

I never said it's a fast and easy way to make a buck....far from it. Like making two holes in one in one year when you're a 20 handicap golfer....much of that was luck, but if you're not in the game you have no chance at all. I've been at this domain game for four years now and I've learned a lot, especially the fact that some so called domainers don't believe like I do there has to be a better way. You might say the deck (aftermarket) is stacked against most beginners, but I have way to much practical business experience to fall for their crap. Let me provide an example, I've recently been registering about 500 .link domains over the last few weeks. Why so? Because the majority of the .link domains I've been registering have a corresponding exact match .com that's either way overpriced for the average "end user", or it's in use for a website that's neither trademarked or being used for a sole purpose. And therein lies a huge opportunity as i see it.

Moving on, i happened to register "in good faith" "5" .link domains (unbeknown to me) that had "Spam" issues associated with them. I purchased these domains from Namecheap, and their legal office demanded they be returned with no refund coming back to me. WTF??? That's the equivalent of a legitimate car dealer selling you a stolen car, demanding that you return it, and refusing to give you your money back. In their defense the .link domains originate from the owners of the .link registry so maybe that's who I should go after for my money, but they too are denying responsibility....WTF??? DeJa Vu all over again as Yogi Berra would say. All I know is that I'm owed money from someone and I can promise that someone will pay or there will be hell to pay.

Finally, i see opportunity in all this mess. I've yet to hear a reasonable explanation as to how the domain aftermarket works to the benefit of anyone other than greedy domainers......beginners Beware

 

[bmugford]

Buying domains is easy. Selling domains is hard.

Brad

 

[Mkt Sales Leads]

Lol....one of the first business i started and yes NAMED was Credit Control Corporation in 1973. I sold that business for $250,000 in 1990 and it's still in business today trading as CreditContol.net. Then I started another business (a medical billing compay) originally known as Accounts Receivable Management Corporation in 1978 and i later changed the name to AcSel. The very same company is trading as AcSel.org and it too is still in business today. I sold my interest in AcSel in 1995 for $500,000.

Moving on to other businesses I've named, sold and closed;

ContactUSA.com - i originally started Contact USA around 1990 and later closed it, but not before registering the domain ContactUSA.com

InQuisitorInvestigations.com - this was a licensed private investigations company that did internet investigations. Great name where my interest was bought out, and it was named something else.

MakeSomethingHappen.com - i registered this domain September 1, 2001 and I've been offered 5 figures for it along with the business model i created behind it, but I turned it down.

Then I've sold about 20 straight domains to include both .com's and and new gTLD's. If anyone would care to contact me personally and identify yourself such that I could check you out, i'd be happy to share more information. And as for me being too old, my Dad lived to be 93 so I figure I have another 25 years to keep pushing domains and making holes in one much to the chagrin of many a jealous fool

MakeSomethingHappen.com doesn't resolve. Why don't you have a lander for it?

 

[ThatNameGuy]

MakeSomethingHappen.com doesn't resolve. Why don't you have a lander for it?

Mostly because it's my personal mantra, and I never intended to sell it. That said however, i recently registered another domain "iLuvEveryone".com that this septuagenarian will claim as his new mantra. And while I don't have a tattoo, I'm planning and designing one for the fact that i truly do love everyone

Finally, while i don't disagree with statements like; "Buying domains is easy. Selling domains is hard", I've also learned this beast is tamable, and I'm currently in the process of taming it

 

[ThatNameGuy]

Buying domains is easy. Selling domains is hard.

Brad

Brad.....ever hear of Linkedin ? While Linkedin doesn't own the extension .link, i couldn't help but notice the close association. Would you care to discuss how I plan to use that association to help sell .link domains to end users? It might make for a meaningful discussion. What do you say?

 

[branding]

Lol....one of the first business i started and yes NAMED was Credit Control Corporation in 1973. I sold that business for $250,000 in 1990 and it's still in business today trading as CreditContol.net. Then I started another business (a medical billing compay) originally known as Accounts Receivable Management Corporation in 1978 and i later changed the name to AcSel. The very same company is trading as AcSel.org and it too is still in business today. I sold my interest in AcSel in 1995 for $500,000.

Moving on to other businesses I've named, sold and closed;

ContactUSA.com - i originally started Contact USA around 1990 and later closed it, but not before registering the domain ContactUSA.com

InQuisitorInvestigations.com - this was a licensed private investigations company that did internet investigations. Great name where my interest was bought out, and it was named something else.

MakeSomethingHappen.com - i registered this domain September 1, 2001 and I've been offered 5 figures for it along with the business model i created behind it, but I turned it down.

Then I've sold about 20 straight domains to include both .com's and and new gTLD's. If anyone would care to contact me personally and identify yourself such that I could check you out, i'd be happy to share more information. And as for me being too old, my Dad lived to be 93 so I figure I have another 25 years to keep pushing domains and making holes in one much to the chagrin of many a jealous fool

The moment you finally decide to reg your username in .com will be the moment I will start taking your naming skills seriously. It's been sitting there available for ages.

 

[Ariff BD]

I started with handregister

 

[ThatNameGuy]

The moment you finally decide to reg your username in .com will be the moment I will start taking your naming skills seriously. It's been sitting there available for ages.

are you talking about ThatNameGuy.com or Bulloney.com? No, don't own either one of those. However I'm still binging on .LINK domains where a good friend and registrar owner said to me, ".LINK is no worse than .XYZ"

I'm out to make .LINK famous like some of my other claims to fame Linkedin was also an inspiration, but I'm sure you don't understand

 

[Bigfish2020]

Dear beginners,

Everyone here was a beginner when they started investing. Not everyone starts domain investing with $5,000. Especially for people who are from developing countries, $5,000 is like 2 years of groceries. In fact, that is one of the reasons why domain investing is one of the most attractive businesses. You can start off with literally $500 or maybe $100 even.


Especially for people starting off with less than $500
Trust me, no matter what people say, it makes sense that when you are starting off, you go for hand registration and control your sales rather than sit on a number of names in your first year, waiting for the buyer to come and press the BIN button. So, I would advise you to go for hand-registration names in the beginning and control your destiny by selling them via outbound, or active reach out.

As you start making some sales, and you have a spare $1,000 apart from some cash flow, you can start getting in more liquid names - 4L .COMs, experiment with .CO, .XYZ and so on. But start with something you can sell actively!

Do let me know if you have any questions about hand registration.

Please how do one hand register a domain?

 

[VeriName]

I hand registered couple of domains and they are earning decent cents in parking.

 

[MediaCode]

Me as a beginner hand regging names:
Low quality names, no sales, hundreds of thousands of dollars lost, negative ROI

Me as a pro 13 years later hand regging names:
High quality, many sales, hundreds of thousands of dollars made, positive ROI

The issue isn't hand registration. This issue is WHO is doing the hand registration.

If you are new to domain investing, you simply do not know enough about which domain names end users want to buy. You may egotistically think you do, but you do not. Stay humble.

If you have been investing in domains for at least three to five years, you likely know much more about which domain names end users want to buy. You have taken the time to observe and learn from the market and from other pros. Stay humble.

The difference in hand registration success is time, knowledge, insight and the application of the same.

Thus, it is generally a bad idea for newbies to start off handing registering domain names, especially newbies without money that they can afford to lose.

 

[Charybdis]

I hand registered couple of domains and they are earning decent cents in parking.

Just cents?
You need to spend about 10 USD / domain / year (domain registration and renewal fees). Is your ROI positive?

 

[NameOmnia]

I think the point here is NOT hand registering but how good you are at choosing the domains and usually Skills and expertise don't belong to the same sentence with beginner or newbie.

My advice, coming from someone who has sold many hand registered domains, is to learn A LOT before spending your money, whether you hand register or not.

Starting with $100 or with $100.000 is not what determines if your business will be profitable or not; a good eye, knowledge, data and intuition will.

PLUS the ability and the willingness to hold on to a domain for many years at times, because domaining, opposite to what sensationalistic headlined would want you to believe, is, more often than not, a long term game.

You want to flip? You have to buy liquid.

But liquid domains, like LLLLs, never drop. And there is a reason for that.

I have been absent from here for years ( and maybe will disappear soon again lol ) but I see the same things happening.

New domainers trying to unload their rubbish domains on even newer domainers to cover costs or cutting losses.

THAT is not a successful business model.

I understand that we all need to start somewhere but I understand even more that we also need to learn and perform better.

Not everyone starts domain investing with $5,000

And even those who do end up flushing that money down the toilet in more cases than not.

 

[enterscope]

Hand regs for beginners lol.

Hand registering domains for beginners is a great way to lose thousands of dollars while learning some very basic domaining lessons that you could have learned for free just browsing around the forum.

 

[Lox]

I will make it simple:

The idea is to invest in a domain name and hold until it reaches a sufficient and necessary condition (GROWTH) for credibility (TRUST) so that it can be sold to a corp or VC backed company for $X0.000+

10s of 1000s of micro enterprises have started up across a number of sectors. VCs & Bankers invest directly into companies, large companies acquire small companies etc.

Monitor and Analyze Micro & Series A. But- Series B rounds are all about taking businesses to the next level; - Let's upgrade company marketing game & brand/domain name. Improve (& sell) or use something more memorable / imaginable (to create long-term value).

At its fundamental core, domain investing is really just about 2 things: Research & Timing.

Naming? Your job is to pinpoint a problem & sell solution - exact match, exact need.


Entrepreneur with an startup idea or a new tech-up often has no other choice (lack of cash) but confusing.com or .co, .io, .ai, nGTLD.

If the market needs are unknown, there's no cash. Any company moves on cash, not profits. No cash, no EMD.

VCs are in the business of putting money into Growing businesses. The critical factors are how much money has been raised (A-B-C ...rounds), what the board/partners/ceo structure is & Who's who (* mentality - overall track record, how they spend their time: extravert vs introvert, behavior, habit).

Gathering and analyzing multiple data points in order to find/acquire/register the best domain name that meets their needs -- is extremely important. (f.e. Crunchbase.com, Chamber of Commerce data etc. - Choose sources with a history).

Thus the critical challenge for the domain investor is to identify "competent" name that can execute: (future) Growth. You'll need to carefully examine competitors in the market and what they offer versus them, branding/motto. Competitor analysis can provide you with a insight: Who, What, Why, Where, When (+ when to sell DN).

By investing in sectors (= domain names) with high growth rates, investment are likely to have exit opportunities, because companies are continually looking for a highly memorable (most common words = performance) and functional name to bring to market.

Monitoring

Even with the best idea - solving problem/s, the odds of failure for any startup/entrepreneur who need funding are high. But, the odds of failure for any cash loaded company are low. The more money they manage, the less time they have to acquire the Exact Match/Need Growth-able domain name. Not surprisingly, in the beginning, the companies are usually far less knowledgeable about how much domain name is sensitive - more specifically, contributes to optimizing customers' behavior / buying process.

Many DIs make the mistake of thinking that companies are looking for something cheap when, in fact, they are looking for the best & expensive domains (dreaming 24/7). Often, they (sidekick, hired or brand agency) are also waiting (for years) for the price to drop to the right point before finally making a big decision. All trick shots/inquires/LB included, even hit & run UDRPs.


Plenty of research & monitoring.


Stop waisting money on DroneBee. Get HoneyBee


Regards