While there is of course total logic to seeking to complement our strengths, I think there also is wisdom to hands-on in early stages to understand nuances better. I think the best way to learn most things, including what does not work, is to first personally try them ourselves. It is also less expensive (except for the time). One reason why start slow and don't register too many domains is good advice to those starting in domaining is so that people will have the time to be involved in both buying and selling. I think someone I know wrote a (nice?
) post on
The advice that several have offered above to pick your most promising names and try it yourself is good advice, in my opinion. If you feel sure a different kind of outbound will work, try it to see.
I spent 35+ (mainly wonderful) years being part of organizations and having responsibilities to many others, and even continued my first few years of retirements with some ongoing ones. I like my independence too much. I am the classic Do-It-Yourselfer and like to keep it that way.
But the really good news is that the most important thing to do is not technically challenging and does not cost a cent: have a professional lander. With something like DAN you can in not much more than one minute per domain have a really nice presence for each of your domain names. If you need help on how to do it at DAN (I think you already had some there?) or set the DNS to point to them don't hesitate to ask.
Not really (but there are loads of things I know nothing about
). Well I suppose it could be argued that numerous new extension registries, and companies with $1 or $2 coupons for .com, have essentially always done it with losing initially hoping people stay around and pay retail, at least enough to make it worthwhile.
The idea of relating domain name to business success is a valid idea, in my opinion. High worth names often do this through partial ownership in company. Some sort of delayed payment plan method might work to achieve what you want. I know you said you were not considering registering at Epik, but they do have super flexible payment options you can offer clients and they do all of the management work. It only takes a minute to set one up.
Of course various companies offer free or near free trial periods. HugeDomains have a money back guarantee for a month or two, that is maybe related. NamesOfLondon also have a free trial period. I have toyed with the idea of some sort of try it for free for a little while model, but not to the degree of really trying it. Free at first works in many business areas of course. I think it would work best though for big companies who offer web hosting services so someone could get up and running a basic website, and then count on them seeing the value and staying once payments start. In a way payment plans offer a way to sample a domain name with limited up front cost. But short answer, no have not looked into idea. I did in one discussion with a potential end user throw out that I would redirect it to his site for a month for him to see how it worked (he had a website and was only interested in my domain for redirection). I would do that again.
I think the death of the sport of golf is over-stated in some press and feel more confident that golf will be around in 100 years than domain names as we know them now!
I think golf is ripe for change, though, and wish you well with the cheaper, simpler, more fun type of golf in your venture!
I would try to slow down on acquiring new domains, look at your portfolio and select the most promising ones, and invest the effort to make sure they have the chance to sell by being listed and with landers. It is totally fine to continue to work on grander ideas over a longer time frame, to, as you would say, MakeSomethingHappen.
Bob
ps In an earlier post you referred to me as an 'ally and friend'. Just to clarify, to me ally invokes us and them approaches that I do not like so I am not an ally to anyone. Whenever I speak I represent myself, no one else. But I try my hardest to be a friend to all on NamePros, and I enjoyed meeting you at NamesCon.
All well said and articulated Bob, and I understand your comment about us being friends and not allies. While I don't have the time to address everything you said, I thank you for every word.
Starting with the personalization aspect of posting on a message board, that's something I can't help
, however being referred to as a narcissist is almost as hurtful as someone calling me a racist. And that's happened to me btw, and I don't believe I'll ever get over it.
Moving on to "landing pages", I couldn't agree more. Before having someone in JoBerg S. Africa attempt to develop my Marketplace DomainGourmet.com, I thought GD had listed with Afternic about 700 of my domains. It wasn't until recently that I discovered they hadn't been listed, but later today I'll be talking to my rep about the spread sheet he sent, and hopefully I'll have about 500 more domains officially listed at Afternic by tomorrow. This is something I thought someone else might take of for me, for I neither had the desire or the time to do it myself. I think I mentioned that through this message board I met a young man yesterday who lives nearby, who has developed several of his own sites, has been a member of NP since 2015, is a Washington Deadskin football fan like me, is a Fireman by trade and is married, I believe? He's so busy, he initially said he couldn't do anything with me until after the first of the year, but I begged him to spend an hour with me over coffee, lunch or a beer, and I'm hoping we can meet sooner rather than later. He had shown an interest in
9Time, although he initially thought it was a video game, and not just a variation of golf. He's also a Marine Veteran, and my golf partner who I play with every Saturday with his service dog Tulip is a disabled Army Ranger and I think they will enjoy meeting each other. The theme of 9Time centers around the #9, thus I'm giving 9% equity to key individuals who help 9Time to succeed.
With regards to the "Free" domain game, I haven't totally fleshed it out yet, but for someone who shares with me their business plan/model and key information about themselves I'll be more than happy to work with them any they choose. Remember, I said I trust most everyone, and if I don't start getting paid in a year or so, we can always take the name back....nothing ventured, nothing gained. Note also that while shoveling snow for neighbors driveways and walkways when I was a kid, I invariably got paid more than I would have asked for after finishing the job.
Finally, and while this would make an interesting thread titled, "If a Domain could save lives, and in some cases many lives, should you buy it and develop it? Or should you pass? Here's the domain;
CoughCPR.com -Google "Cough CPR", and read all about it, but please read the following before you comment
1. Let's say it's 7:25 pm and you're going home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job.
2. You're really tired, upset and frustrated .
3. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five km from the hospital nearest your home .
4. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far .
5. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself .
6. HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE ?
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness .
7. However, these victims can help the themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest .
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again .
8. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it to regain a normal rhythm.
In this way, heart attack victims can get help or to a hospital.
9. Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives!
OK everyone...i reg'd CoughCPR.com and it deserves special treatment imo, especially because it saves lives. If this domain could be traced for the purpose of lives, who do you think should know about it?
Thanks Bob...etal