question Poll: Emails to End Users - Long or Short

[tomcarl]

Experienced/pro-active domainers:

What do you find works better for you when emailing potential end users for your domain names? (which style of email do you find you get greater responses/sales)

• Longer, more detailed emails?
• Shorter, straight to the point emails?

Feel free to share some examples, stories, or reasons as to why you believe which is more effective.

 

[discobull]

If you want to be complete honest about things this thread should be renamed:

Spam to Random Business Users - More or Less Annoying

Although many people consider all unsolicited emails to be spam, there is a legal distinction between the two. Unsolicited business to business emails are legal and not considered spam if they comply with canspam act regulations.

 

[AEProgram]

I don't think I would open an email that only has a couple words in it. I think most would think it's some form of spam. Have you had luck using this strategy?

With domain name email marketing when you send an email, if you get no replies within 48 hours you can be rest assured you wont get replies after that. So why not email the same list a week later with a different kind of email?

So you can do a short email first for example and a week later a longer email.

Some people cold call to sell emails, accoring to one large domain broker between cold calling and email marketing they generated 10 million bucks last quarter.

 

[Banezer]

I don't think it's spam if you are offering something to a company that they could possibly want. If you have a rare gold coin and you email a coin collector I wouldn't consider that spam. Last week I emailed a company that uses the name MyXXXXBrand.com and I have the XXXXBrand.com domain. They were ecstatic that I was offering the name to them for sale at a reasonable price. The sale is now in Escrow.

I don't think when they opened the email that they considered it spam but were very happy that I approached them about it. The name dropped a couple weeks ago. The name had been registered for the last 8 years and they had sent numerous emails to the previous owner without ever a reply from them.

mind sharing what you mean by a reasonable price? U can give a range if u dnt want to disclose d amnt or kindly shot me a pm. Thanks

 

[tomcarl]

OK, I believe I've located the real matter at hand about why I prefer longer emails vs short and most don't.

First of all, I'll clear this up...

Although most of my emails may be longer, they contain valid and useful information, numbers and specific examples of practical ways the name is going to benefit this specific end user.

And no two emails are ever the same.

People must think I meant writing up some long-ass pitch of fluff describing search volume, seo, the value of domains, and the same canned selling points that have been abused and devalued for years. No, no, no.

While I may go on in posts, I have rules in emails:

1. I write in half-paragraphs of 2-3 sentences, it keeps everything flowing without coming across as a chore to read.
2. I proof-read my emails 2 or 3 times and remove or re-word anything I feel conveys any sense of eagerness to sell the domain.
3. I explain benefits of the domain extremely passively, this is key.
4. The benefits I highlight are almost always outlined in numbered lists like what you're reading right now, I seemed to have kept your attention so far, haven't I?
5. I always try to make it an informative yet entertaining read... I give certain statistics about the related industry that I doubt even the end user knows but would find interesting. People love dealing with gurus.
6. I outline the sales process from beginning to end from the name being with GoDaddy, to how quickly it takes to transfer between accounts, to how the transaction runs no risks and is backed by either PayPal/escrow, all in a passive manner summed up in no more than a couple sentences.

There are plenty of people out there that would be interested in a domain if it was right in front of them and all they had to do was put up the money and be done with it.

I believe a lot of impulse-sales are lost on short emails.

Maybe I'll post an email of a domain I sold in a bit...

 

[AEProgram]

OK, I believe I've located the real matter at hand about why I prefer longer emails vs short and most don't.

First of all, I'll clear this up...

Although most of my emails may be longer, they contain valid and useful information, numbers and specific examples of practical ways the name is going to benefit this specific end user.

And no two emails are ever the same.

People must think I meant writing up some long-ass pitch of fluff describing search volume, seo, the value of domains, and the same canned selling points that have been abused and devalued for years. No, no, no.

While I may go on in posts, I have rules in emails:

1. I write in half-paragraphs of 2-3 sentences, it keeps everything flowing without coming across as a chore to read.
2. I proof-read my emails 2 or 3 times and remove or re-word anything I feel conveys any sense of eagerness to sell the domain.
3. I explain benefits of the domain extremely passively, this is key.
4. The benefits I highlight are always outlined in numbered lists like what you're reading right now, I seemed to have kept your attention so far, haven't I?
5. I always try to make it an informative yet entertaining read... I give certain statistics about the related industry that I doubt even the end user knows know but would find interesting. People love dealing with gurus.
6. I outline the sales process from beginning to end from the name being with GoDaddy, to how quickly it takes to transfer between accounts, to how the transaction runs no risks and is backed by either PayPal/escrow, all in a passive manner summed up in no more than a couple sentences.

There are plenty of people out there that would be interested in a domain if it was right in front of them and all they had to do was put up the money and be done with it.

I believe a lot of impulse-sales are lost on short emails.

Maybe I'll post an email of a domain I sold in a bit...

1. Some
2. Amazing
3. Pointers
4. Their There.
5. Thank
6. You!

Just practicing

 

[matrigaldo]

What do you people mean exactly with "short" and "long" pitch?
In my mind a "short" email pitch is a very synthetic one, like "i have this domain for sale, interested?", and stop, while a long one is like "Hello, my name is Blabla, i'm contacting you because etc etc your business would be improved by this domain name etc etc there are few reasons it would happens and they are 1) etc. 2) etc. etc., etc. etc. boring stuff, etc." and so on.

I've tried both, but what brought me sales is in the middle.
Yes, be synthetic, go straight to the point: you have this domain and you're looking for a buyer. But draw the attention to the domain in some way, to some short facts and reasons why they should think about acquiring the domain. Don't be long-winded, and don't be too much synthetic.
Just like movie summaries, don't spoiler too much, but let the potential end-user understand what you're talking about.

 

[Bennett G.]

As the proposer I would keep it short but if I look at it as an end user for me too short or too long = spam. I would prefer to keep it somewhere in between and keep it as professional and to the point as possible. I would avoid adding price unless its very very low in my first mail.

 

[DU]

It's that place in the middle.

No, it's not in the middle. It's somewhere about half way between short and long, but it's not the middle.

Unsolicited, yes. But what usually goes with that is bulk. If you contact a few parties that might be interested, don't see anything wrong with that. I really don't see much difference if somebody visited some brick and mortar offering some type of goods or services to them. It's just business to business sales type stuff.

No point hedging with the term usually because in legal terms that's meaningless. Unsolicited mail is is unsolicited mail.

I don't see that there's much wrong with bashing a pedophile over the head with a 2x4. The law sees things differently.

Although many people consider all unsolicited emails to be spam, there is a legal distinction between the two. Unsolicited business to business emails are legal and not considered spam if they comply with canspam act regulations.

And what proportion of emails you've seen here fulfill those requirements? Most domainers are sending out bulk mail with subjective headings, with little consideration for the end user because they've got this belief that their name has merit. Most people are using templates with {name} and {domain name} and {price} to be filled in.

All I said was that we could rename this thread. The sample information I stated would be about 80% of the way to getting you compliant. I felt that was valuable information - more useful than just random guesses of long/short or measured success rates with loose definitions of long/short.

Some people cold call to sell emails, accoring to one large domain broker between cold calling and email marketing they generated 10 million bucks last quarter.

Cold calling is worse than spam unless you check the do-not-call registry in the US.

Spam is successful. Nigerian princes prove this. Domainers prove this.

 

[AEProgram]

Anyone ever tried linking them to an auction thats at 1 dollar? Say you start a flippa auction, its at one buck, you email say 200 prospects that the domain was just listed for $1 starting bid at ....

anyone ever tried this? I might try it

 

[Sukhvir Singh]

Short mails are always catchy and attract the buyer to read and act and rest depends upon the script or you can say wording that impress the buyer to PAY for it!!

 

[JB Lions]

No, it's not in the middle. It's somewhere about half way between short and long, but it's not the middle.

Are you serious?
define:medium
"about halfway between two extremes of size or another quality; average."

Unsolicited mail is is unsolicited mail.

Basically what I said. But you missed what came after that.

 

[kroc]

Keep it short. First email should only be a few sentences and straight to the point. Send a longer email only if you get a reply. Use your best judgment when tailoring each message. Try to avoid wasting any of their valuable time. Be quick and concise.

 

[Joseph Green]

Would love to read @Federer's opinion on this, as well.

 

[DU]

Are you serious?
define:medium
"about halfway between two extremes of size or another quality; average."

Well I messed up what I was trying to say because I was on my phone. There is a difference between medium and middle - one is an adjective being between two extremes, the other a noun/adjective for a point equidistant from the extremes.

Given there is no basis for what I thought was short or long, I thought it appropriate to define medium (which is somewhere in between but may not be remotely near the middle - which it isn't). For some reason you think there is no use for rhetorical question marks and think that they are always actual questions.

Why do people not understand that a rhetorical question isn't really a question?

Basically what I said. But you missed what came after that.

I didn't miss it - I thought what came after it was irrelevant. It's unsolicited whether it's with bulk or not. It's unsolicited whether it is a few parties or hundreds. You don't see anything wrong with that.... it doesn't matter what the sender thinks does it? It's what the receiver thinks. (That question mark is to make a point not seeking an answer)
No idea what you're even getting at with your brick and mortar... and even less with your "it's just business to business sales type stuff". That's called unsolicited and unless handled with care it's spam. Business to business implies a prior relationship which most people don't have.

I don't care what people think or want to believe - 95% of what people in this forum is spam. It's that simple. I'm just trying to encourage people to learn how to actually do things right. Cold call a no call number in the US that shouldn't be called? and in the UK? It's illegal. People's opinion on what they think is irrelevant. I called him because I thought he would want my domain makes no difference if the received is pissed off.

 

[DU]

Would love to read @Federer's opinion on this, as well.

Why? You want to be a front runner and learn how to sell names you don't own as well?

 

[Joseph Green]

Why? You want to be a front runner and learn how to sell names you don't own as well?

Of course not. I'm not sure why you'd infer that based on the context of this thread. I'm guessing someone has accused him of that in the past, but I've never seen it. I've only ever seen him help people on here and provide good advice on similar topics.

 

[Sukhvir Singh]

It entire depends upon buyer to buyer and script content quality!!

As for SHORT we can take example of any accessories that is ON SALE say 65% OFF.
And for LONG we can take an example of any interesting story reading that makes us curious to know more and complete.

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

www.pointofmail.com
7 day free trial.
Does not work with gmail accounts cause goo is to smart
Otherwise a great tool for $20 a month

 

[onedomain]

Shorter, straight to the point emails

 

[Sukhvir Singh]

Where's the option for medium.

Medium sales letter also works well but still they need to be convincing and pleased for the buyer to purchase the domain!!

 

[DomainVP]

So I tried the short pitch on a few names that I had on the back burner over some priority sale names.

Sent a short message, followed up with a longer sales eMail, and closed the deal within 4 days for $1k.

Looks like the short method works nicely.

I'm going to stick with that this month and see what happens.

 

[tomcarl]

I too recently closed a sale on a short email followed by a response with detailed information outlined but the domain name was highly relevant to their business, so I think I could've sent anything and they would've bought it.

By short, I mean about 4 sentences. The "Hello, would you be interested in domain, Thanks, name" I just see as spam unless your name is highly targeted and it is way obvious they should want it (un-hyphened version to their hyphened name, or a .COM and they're on a .NET) - I think in these cases a short email is the way to go because there is no need to sell on anything because they know off of the bat it's a name they want/need, anything more than presenting them the opportunity to acquire it will backfire or leave room for argument.

 

[DomainVP]

I too recently closed a sale on a short email followed by a response with detailed information outlined but the domain name was highly relevant to their business, so I think I could've sent anything and they would've bought it.

By short, I mean about 4 sentences. The "Hello, would you be interested in domain, Thanks, name" I just see as spam unless your name is highly targeted and it is way obvious they should want it (un-hyphened version to their hyphened name, or a .COM and they're on a .NET) - I think in these cases a short email is the way to go because there is no need to sell on anything because they know off of the bat it's a name they want/need, anything more than presenting them the opportunity to acquire it will backfire.

Nice!

I also spoke to the buyer on the phone; which is so very rare. Had a nice conversation, and they asked me to keep an eye out for other specific names to acquire for their interests as they are making a big launch this year with some new programs online.

Always be selling!

Its funny, because I actually hate sales; but I know online business and I believe in good domains. Doesn't hurt to be selling a good product that business owners want.

 

[tomcarl]

Did you call them or they called you?

I think in my whole "domaining career" I never received a single phone call even though I always list my number in the email. I think a phone-call in response to a cold email would be a dead-giveaway on the buyer's part that they're really interested in the name.

I think I'm going to give a shot at actually calling some end users over the phone Monday. I prefer not to but I own a major state+Attorney.com domain and I'm finding emails are practically useless in most cases with these end users because of the gatekeepers, forms, email privacy, etc.

I think actually hearing over the phone "Hello, this is Blah of StateAttorney.com" would instantly get their attention and be easier to be passed along to the right people.

 

[DomainVP]

I listed my number in the eMail and they called me because they wanted to make sure I was a legitimate person and would't just run off with their money.

Many sherpas swear by the phone... I'm just not that guy; I will end up talking someones ear off; which I did.

They did want the domain, because in the first response they made an offer for $500, I countered with some sales and a $1,000 number and they accepted. I probably could have asked for more, however I picked up $1k in generic names last week (6 names), so I wanted to cover those buys with a sale this week so I can head into this week with a strong negotiating position.

After all, this was a name I put on the back burner.

I hear you about legal/Attorney domains... those contact forms are just awful. I have to really dig on Google to find a direct decision maker.

state+Attorney.com is a great name you will have success with.