Verisign Tool Can Help Identify an Inquiry

Elliot Silver
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9

Verisign has a tool called DomainView which can be used to see what types of .com and .net domain names are being registered. You can use the tool to search daily registrations as well as registrations for a set period of time of your choosing. In addition to the novelty of seeing domain registration trends, the tool can also be used to help identify an inbound inquiry.

Oftentimes, people who are interested in buying a domain name in the aftermarket will hand register other, similar domain names that are unregistered. They do this because they want to protect the brand they are planning to create. If you are able to see other domain names they recently registered, you may gain valuable intelligence that can help you respond to their inquiry. This is especially the case if you don’t know the identity of who is inquiring (ie a Sedo inquiry or broker inquiry).

Let’s say someone inquires about

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Domain Investor Words to Live By

Elliot Silver
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26

Frank Schilling posted this gem on Today: “Take risks, and don’t be afraid. You’ve got to speculate to accumulate”

As a domain investor, I live by this quote. I am always taking risks on purchases with the hope that they pay off. With each acquisition and sale I make, I increase my knowledge to help guide me on future deals.

If you invest in domain names, you need to continue to buy domain names that you believe you can either monetize or sell for more than you paid. There is a lot of risk when it comes to buying domain names, especially when you are paying more than the annual registration fee. Being fearful is harmful to your business. Taking calculated risks is essential in making deals.

Every day, I am taking risks when I make offers, bid on auctions, and negotiate deals. You can’t be afraid to pull the trigger on a big deal, even if it is out of your comfort zone. This is great words of wisdom from someone whose big risks have been greatly rewarded.

Be Cautious of “Common” Words That are Trademarks

Elliot Silver
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20

Registering or purchasing a domain name that contains a commonly used word is a bad idea. It can lead to litigation or a UDRP, and it would severely limit a person’s ability to use the domain name.

The io9.com website had an interesting article about common English words that are actually trademarks, and I think it’s something domain investors should read. Some of these words are likely obvious trademarks to some people, but they may come as a surprise to others.

The aforementioned article had 15 common trademarks, but there are many others as well. Some trademarked terms that I frequently see in domain names that are listed for sale or sent to me for sale include the following:

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Don’t Tell Me You Have a Small Budget

Elliot Silver
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19

“I am interested in buying your domain name but have a small budget”

One of my big pet peeves when dealing with a prospective buyer is when they open an inquiry by telling me they have a small budget. I understand that they are at least trying to set my expectations at a low level, but I find this quite annoying and sometimes won’t even reply when this is one of the first things mentioned.

I have read various articles advising domain buyers to tell domain owners that they are students, working for a non-profit, looking to start a small business…etc. in an effort to get a better price. When I receive an inquiry with that type of language, I almost immediately write it off.

I understand that

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Creative Domain Deal: Lease with Purchase Option

Elliot Silver
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9

Earlier today, I wrote an article sharing some thoughts about Zalmi Duchman’s Forbes article. In my opinion, the biggest takeaway was Duchman’s advice about being creative to find a deal that works for both parties. Creativity can go a long way in making a mutually beneficial deal happen.

I want to discuss a type of deal that could benefit a startup that needs a particular domain name and a domain name owner: a lease with a purchase option. Essentially this allows a company to pay a monthly fee to use a domain name, and at any point in time, they could purchase the domain name for an agreed upon price. I want to share some advantages of this type of deal for both parties:

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Not Owning the EMD Could Be a “Liability”

Elliot Silver
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4

I wish every startup founder, brand manager, and other people responsible for buying company domain names could read an article published by Zalmi Duchman on Forbes.com today. The article is entitled, “How I Blew 50 Grand On My Journey For The Perfect Domain Name,” and it offers some valuable insight to people considering a domain name that isn’t the exact .com match (EMD) to their brand.

Duchman discusses his startup called Fresh Diet. Instead of buying the FreshDiet.com EMD from the owner of the domain name, Duchman hand registered TheFreshDiet.com. Duchman explained that the owner of FreshDiet.com was asking $20,000 for the domain name, and he opted to not spend the money. Long (but interesting) story short, Fresh Diet became a big thing, and Ducman wrote that “our continued growth fueled my concerns that not owing FreshDiet.com would become a liability over time.”

The company ended up buying FreshDiet.com for much more than the original asking price, and they were able to get a deal done using a payment plan. Interestingly, based on the Whois information, it looks like Duchman’s deal was with Michael Berkens, whose company, Most Wanted Domains, owns some exceptional domain names.

The article offers excellent advice to others who might be in the same position as Duchman when it comes to buying the right domain name for their business instead of settling on something that may hurt the business:

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