Ok, I know I said some time ago that I would have a marketing post up and running by now re:domain marketing but, in the lengthy meantime, let me give you a brief guide as to how to market your names.
As with any form of marketing, at some point you will have to overcome your prospects objections. So before you set out, you have to ask yourself, what will be your barriers in successfully selling a domain through (in this instance) mass mailing to potential end users. I guess the problems are large and multiple and, in all fairness, probably too great to be worth the effort so, if you intend marketing a name in this way and if it is a particularly good name, you might be best advised to think again.
Anyway, lets go through the process of mass mailing regardless of what is basically my own negative personal point of view.
I guess your prospects likely objections could be read as such :
* you are not addressing your mail to the dm (decision maker) at the prospect organisation
* your mail is being opened by someone who opens dozens (if not hundreds) of spam mailings a day
* you are 'cold calling' and if (by chance) your message reaches its intended recipient he/she is reading cold and will need to be turned on FAST.
* your approach is cheesy and being sent from someone who your end user will perceive as being connected to an industry (because of all the neg media coverage) of cybersquatters and underhanded / shady deals.
* Your prospect does not (know they) want your name
* Your prospect is ill prepared for your letter and will know straight away why they do not want your letter but will not know why they do (unless you tell them)
these are your problems!
With all due respect to Coastal Guy his letter addresses a fraction of the likely key objections though does not address the one fundamental and most important factor - that being - that you must put yourself in the shoes of the person you are selling to before contacting that person.
Again, let me explain. If you regard yourself as an average type of guy (or girl) then the greatest yardstick you will ever have as to how successful your campaign is likely to be will be is in through asking yourself the rhetorical question, "If you approached yourself with whatever it was you were selling, would you buy from yourself??" If the answer is 'no' then go back to the beginning and start again.
As Ive said, marketing domains are many and varied. The approach we are discussing here is probably the least likely to be successful and can be costly - both in terms of money and time - and also in the fact that the organisations you are contacting are probably the largest potential cash cows available to your domain and if you reach the dm and he makes a conscience effort to say no to your name, the door might then be shut to you (and your name) forever more.
Ok so down to the letter. The objections Ive written above relate to the sale of a general domain and you should be prepared to amend, re-write and think up your own objections for each and every sale. Lets say in this instance you are attempting to sell an industry related name to a business connected to that industry.
1. First up introduce the name and a strap line i.e. - "RE: XXXX.com -- 400 visitors a day -- A one off rare sale of this unique web name" (do not use domain, to a non internet junkie 'domain' wont mean anything)
2. Next, a hard one, get past the gatekeeper. you might like to put something along the line of - "I am sorry this letter goes without a recipient but this is an important and rare opportunity for your business and you should pass this onto the person responsible for gaining new business for your organisation". Again, this sentence is very dependant upon the size of your prospect, nature of domain, industry, value of domain etc etc
3. Next is the hook, heres where you have that short period of time to tell them why they need your name. "I am sorry for this crude and impersonal approach, but I have recently acquired the rare and generic web name XXXX.com. This web address specifically receives 400 customers (again, do not use the words 'type ins' or 'hits') a day from people all looking for the kind of service your business provides. That equals 2000 potential new customers a week, 9000 a month".
4. Ok, they can now imagine the potential. Now you must now give them the benefits - though not too much as you dont know their business. Maybe a question like "What would you pay for a salesman who could generate that kind of business for you?"
5. Now you must take away their internet industry concerns and this is more important than you might think. You must give yourself status and cudos here, show that youre bonafide and not as a chancer looking to make a quick buck from an unsuspecting and naive company. As this will be your prospects fears. Something like, "I have been trading in web names for over 5 years now, I only trade in valuable and generic names and I target my marketing only to select organisations likely to be interested in acquiring such names".
6. Next, give them a bargain and be considerate and slightly self defecating. "This name has been independantly valued at $$$$$" or "names very similar to XXXX.com have been sold recently for $$$$$ (give examples)", "though, as I am sure you are aware, a name is only as valuable as what someone is prepared to pay for it"
7. The close. "I am taking offers for the lease of this name starting at $$$$ per annum or, if you would like to buy this name outright including all current and future rights, I will accept bids over $$$$$"
8. Where to next. "This name is actively being marketed to a limited number organisations elsewhere and I reserve the right to remove the offer to sell this name at any time. In the meantime, if you see value in owning or leasing this name and if you wish to discuss this offer further either by telephone or by email, my contact details are listed below".
9. The end "If for any reason this offer is not of interest to you, I thank you for your time, yours etc etc etc"
10. In the UK we are always urged to write "Without prejudice, no contract given or implied" at the bottom of such correspondences.
Good luck folks
Ian Collier
