Many of my end user acquisitions and sales are the result of unsolicited inquiries. I don’t know about you, but when I receive an interesting email from someone I don’t know and never heard of before, I have my guard up more than I would when dealing with people I know.
For many end user domain buyers, dealing with domain investors can be a disconcerting experience. Many domain investors keep a low profile, aren’t backed by a corporate entity, and some may use “interesting” negotiating tactics. There ia a bit of blind trust involved in securing a deal, and offering testimonials or references from business associates may help reassure a buyer or seller.
I’ve never actually needed to provide a business reference to a domain buyer or seller before, but there have been times where I’ve offered to provide one as a means to reassure someone that my business practices are sound and that I operate above board. I think my prominent web presence with this blog and other mentions online helps give assurance to buyers, but without it, I would certainly want to have references readily available.
That being said, I am going to reach out to a few buyers and colleagues with whom I’ve done business to ask for brief references to post on my (new) corporate website. If needed, I will send a potential buyer or seller to the page on my site so they can be assured that my business practices are sound and that I am going to follow through on a deal.
I recommend that you consider doing the same. If you don’t have a website to post these references, you may simply ask past buyers or sellers if they can be used as a reference contact if necessary. You may never need to ask that person for a reference, but if you do, it’s good to know you’ll get it.
References are good to have on a personal basis, but they become “testimonials” when dealing with a company.
Great article Elliot, thank you for sharing.
Greetings from Berlin