services Telemarketing for Domains

[wakeh]

Hi All,

By day I am a successful telemarketer in the postal industry and by night I do domaining "stuff".

It's just dawned on me that perhaps I could be merging my skills with my interest and providing a service to domainers trying to sell their portfolio.

I suppose its a broker like service but from personal experience, others seem to have a real difficulty having a confident conversation with someone on the phone advertising their products.

I suppose this is market research if you drill down to it, but I would like to know if anyone would find this service useful, or even if you think it is something worthwhile doing? Perhaps I'm not re-inventing the wheel, but in the last couple of years I've not come across anything like it?

Thanks

Wakeh!

 

[paul79]

speaking for myself this would be something i would find valuable for one good reason that you have alluded too above - i HATE sales! i know its a neccessary part of this industry but for me, i prefer the researching & buying as find it fun to hunt out the names themselves. so in a nutshell - yes i would find it a good service (obv would depend on the finer details of how it would work, cost etc...)

 

[bigdomainer]

Yes, I would find such a service valuable.

 

[wakeh]

Ok that's interesting, is this not something a domain broker already offers as part of his service? Or do they tend to stick with email etc?

 

[S-B]

Telemarketing is the worst form of spam.

Just my opinion though.

 

[wakeh]

I hear that a lot, but I have think skin so it doesn't bother me.

What I have in mind is probably better suited to a sole trader, one man band trying to sell into existing companies.

I only thought about it today... the whole thing could stink as far as I'm aware, some things just aren't supposed to be sold on the phone.

 

[garptrader]

Challenges with this model...

-few businesses are interested in paying more than low $XXX for a domain name, many opt for $XX domains.
-most domain investors are looking for $xxxxx or higher sales
-most businesses are only willing to pay for a .COM while many investors' portfolios are heavy on other TLDs and for short .COMs they are not willing to sell them for low $XXX
-conversion rates are going to be so low that phone calls are going to be very expensive (telemarketers don't work for free)
-there are laws limiting unsolicited phone calls

 

[wakeh]

Challenges with this model...

-few businesses are interested in paying more than low $XXX for a domain name, many opt for $XX domains.
-most domain investors are looking for $xxxxx or higher sales
-most businesses are only willing to pay for a .COM while many investors' portfolios are heavy on other TLDs and for short .COMs they are not willing to sell them for low $XXX
-conversion rates are going to be so low that phone calls are going to be very expensive (telemarketers don't work for free)
-there are laws limiting unsolicited phone calls

I suppose the model would work for domainers who wish to sell, if the telemarketer worked on a commission only basis or a flat fee agreed before hand.

Generally speaking the role of a telemarketer would be to initiate the discussions and organise either a meet or conference call to discuss and negotiate price.

But I can certainly see where some of the difficulties would be.

As for the laws for unsolicited phone calls, are this limited to the US? I am from the UK and I believe as we speak the consensus is that if someone tells you not to ring again, you don't and if they are registered on the TPS (telephone preference service) it is indeed illegal to contact them by phone.

 

[paul79]

i was always under the impression domain brokers only wanted to deal with larger portfolios of premium names (i.e bigger sales/comission for them) so that prevents the smaller domain investor like me using them. so if you were to set up a service on a more individual, mid level basis that would be valuable i think to a lot of ppl. not sure if brokers email or phone sorry as have not had any dealings with them.

obviously the spam issue is worth taking into account but i guess , as with emailing end users, if you were carefully targetting who you contacted and could show a valid reason why you were/they might want your domain would be ok.

for me it would have to work on a comission basis - an agreed percentage of the sale for example, as that would work best for both parties. Am from the UK too so as far as the law goes what you say above is my understanding of it. I can't see it beng a problem as most businesses are not concerned enough to register on TPS as it would mean customers couldn't contact them.