Introducing yourself to end users...

[tomcarl]

I'm conducting an experiment whether it would be more productive to introduce yourself to an end user via email or phone as the owner of a business which is the proprietor of domain names or to simply introducing yourself as the owner of the domain.

I believe there's strengths and weaknesses in both models.

Introducing yourself simply as the owner of a domain is more personable and you can come across as simply passing on a domain that can be useful to a business at a cost, and they can believe they're getting a bargain.

Introducing yourself as a domain investor with links back to your portfolio can help end users see you as more credible and help them to feel more secure doing business with you since more info about you is out in the open. The drawback to this is that they can believe your prices are inflated or claim 'squatter' but that can be offset by offering legitimately good domains as good prices.

I use both models depending on the domain but haven't leaned toward one model more than the other to notice a difference in feedback. I'm doing this now though.

Thoughts?

 

[Sorror]

I've tried negotiating as a business entity for a while, but I have given that model up rather qucikly. What works for me is being somewhat recognized as a private domain investor (someone does one quick search on Google and have solid info on me from credible sources) - it's a safe position between the two options you've mentioned.

But there might be cultural differences between various geographical areas, so I'm very interested what others have to say about this.

 

[Eric Lyon]

Don't forget that most times, all calls / emails are forwarded to and screened by a gatekeeper (secretary / assistant / etc.) prior to making it to the actual decision maker you need to have your domain in front of. It's common for the excitement and motivation to act NOW to be lost in translation when such a gatekeeper passes the message along. And that's "IF" they even pass it (Depending on their pre-screening instructions). Many decision makers now days instruct their gatekeepers to never bother them with things that deviate from a per-screening list of important topics.

I think that before you start working too hard on your 2 decision maker approaches, you must first nail down some techniques to get past gate keepers. This will help maximize your potential and cost you less time in your contact campaign. Not to mention, you wont lose your voice having to repeat yourself to gatekeepers so much each day, just to get blown off.. lol

Remember: End User = Decision Maker / Gate Keeper = Time Waster

 

[alien51]

Don't forget that most times, all calls / emails are forwarded to and screened by a gatekeeper (secretary / assistant / etc.)

Seriously, most secretaries/assistants don't know anything much about internet domains. If by some sad fate you end up facing one, most likely you will be treated just like any George Foreman barbecue grill salesman or the Tupperware guy. Your opening lines will be just sales talk mumbo jumbos to them.

In my experience, the "need" for a domain name gets hatched in a board/business meeting among the business proprietors. What they are usually looking for is a "brand name". An identity.

If they already have an identity, the reason they would need a domain, is because they still do not have an internet presence. They are running a brick-and-mortar business. And if they do have an internet presence, most likely they are running off on some Facebook page. And this Facebook page is most likely the one being run by the secretary or an admin assistant.

Just because you can operate a Facebook page, it doesn't mean you can run an online website. What's the use of a domain name, if you do not have a web server ?

I know many legit businesses who run fine on just a Facebook page alone. They enjoy the thousands of "likes" they are getting, and the real-time interaction with customers. You would need more than a Tupperware guy salesman to convince them to take a domain name and teach their secretary/admin assistant how to operate in Cpanel and all the Joomla stuffs, when they are already doing fine with just Facebook.

Once you break first base and your "solution" proposal gets past the front door, you will most likely get introduced to their "I.T." or their "computer guy". This computer guy already knows all your mumbo jumbo domainer sales talk, so no need for fancy opening lines. He just needs to see the "list". Your list of domain names. If your portfolio sucks, then you're tough luck. You may end up buying off from Andrew's prison hostages. But at this point, you are no longer trying to make money from just selling a domain. Your potential revenue is now based on trying to help them out getting online, help them with the infrastructure setup. You are no longer just a domainer.

In my view, pure domainers will have a hard time penetrating end-users. Because pure domainers are just selling merchandise. Pure domainers are not selling solutions on how to solve someone's problems. That is why you end up bombarding the entire internet with "solicitation spam emails" and "unwanted phone calls".

What is the statistical probability, that when you call up someone out of the blue, they will say: "Oh my god, you're a Domainer? Great! I was waiting for someone like you to call me!!!!"

Probably, you have more chance getting hit by a space rock.