One Way I Evaluate a Domain Name to Buy

Elliot Silver
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10

One of the things I look at when evaluating domain names to acquire is how many other TLDs are registered for that keyword. Obviously, the more domain names that are registered, the better. In addition, I also look at very similar keyword domain names, including those that use the same keywords with additional words (ie DogWalker.com and BostonDogWalker.com).

Taking this a step further, I also have a look to see who owns the other extensions and when they were registered. It’s always good to see that Name Administration or another successful domain investor owns a keyword name in an alternative extension because that is  indicative  of a good name.

Even better, though, is when a company or person in that particular field owns one of the other extensions. If multiple companies own different extensions in the keyword, it’s even better, especially if the registrations are aged (5 years+).

First off, those are great sales prospects should you want to sell. Secondly, it shows the keyword has value to companies in the field, so you might either be able to sell it quickly, build on it if you want to spend the time/money, or wait for the right offer to come around.

Finally, when you buy the .com and there are other developed extensions, you’re likely to receive traffic as a result. This traffic is fairly well targeted and can be monetized in a variety of ways. It can also be used to show potential buyers the value of buying the domain name from you.

Buying the .com domain name when there are many other TLDs registered will likely cost significantly more money. However, there is considerably more upside to these types of names.

Don’t Defend Errors, Fix Them

Elliot Silver
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6

When I notice something that looks like an error or a bug to me on a website I use, I will generally tell someone at the company with the hopes that they fix it or send it to the proper channel to have it fixed. Oftentimes, there are reasons for why the error happens, but more often than not, the error should be fixable. Sometimes it’s not a bug or an error, but the way something is done is annoying.

Whatever the case may be, I want to share some advice for companies who receive user feedback from customers and/or potential customers: listen to the complaints and address them.

Please don’t get defensive about your system, service, or platform, but instead, try and figure out how it can be improved to resolve the issue or at least explain why it has to be that way. Show that you actually care enough to address the issue rather than ignoring it and hoping nobody else has thought the same thing.

There are a number of services I don’t use anymore because I think something is broken and it hasn’t been addressed. If something annoys me, I will find something else to use that doesn’t. There aren’t many companies in this space offering something so totally unique that I can’t go elsewhere.

Companies might not think of some issues as problems, but if they listen to their customers they will be rewarded. Chances are good, if someone took the time to let the company know about the problem, it bugs someone else, too.

Not only does fixing a bug identified by a client make that client happy, but it will likely make the product or service more useful, and it will probably drive more revenue in the long run. There are a number of great companies in the domain space that listen to client complaints and requests, and I think it’s a wise move, especially in a small “industry” such as ours.

Tip To Find a Domain Buyer Contact Email

Elliot Silver
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16

I have personally found that it’s much easier to sell a domain name to a small to medium sized business than others (aside from other domain investors). SMBs may have a smaller budget and might not understand the value of domain names, but SMB owners generally make quick decisions and there’s less red tape.

It can be difficult to find a contact person at some companies though. Sometimes you’ll find the registrant email address is private or the domain name is registered in the name of the web developer or hosting company (a bad move). Other times, you won’t find a contact form for some reason, or the contact form on the site doesn’t function due to a faulty capatcha plugin. It seems that many don’t have email addresses on their contact forms either.

That said, it seems that most operational websites, especially those with an ecommerce component, have a privacy page. Many of these privacy pages are created by privacy policy page generators, which means many have one thing in common: a contact email address. This can be used to quickly and easily get in touch with the owner of the domain name.

Most websites with a contact page at least have a phone number if not an email address, but some domain investors are reluctant to use the phone to sell a domain name. I have never been a phone person when it comes to selling domain names because I think it’s more annoying to interrupt someone’s day by calling and I don’t believe a cold call to sell a $x-xx,xxx domain name is really effective. Emails generally work best.

The next time you have a great domain name for sale and want to contact a company that you think should have an interest, try the privacy policy page.

List of Companies That Own Keyword Domain Names

Elliot Silver
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12

In my opinion, much like sharing DN Journal’s sales chart to prospective buyers, sharing a list of companies that use or own keyword .com domain names is a good way to encourage prospects to purchase their own keyword domain names. If a company learns that larger companies are utilizing keyword domain names, they might want to acquire their own keyword domain names.

Dominic Mueller complied a list of large companies that own keyword domain names, and I believe a few others have done so as well. I was just sent a link to Domain Guardians’ website, where they have compiled an even larger list of “premium domain names owned by companies.” Their report contains nearly 400 keyword domain names owned by large companies and brands.

I listed a few others they didn’t note below:

  • Pacific Coast Feather Company – Featherbeds.com
  • Pacific Coast Feather Company – DownComforters.com
  • Dreyers – FrozenYogurt.com
  • Vail Resorts – SkiRentals.com
  • Vail Resorts – Snow.com
  • Landor – Branding.com
  • US Navy – Navy.com
  • IAC – Green.com
  • Orange – Orange.com

If you are approaching end user buyers with exact match keyword domain names, you might want to send them a link to Domain Guardians’ list to show them how other companies are using exact match domain names for their own businesses.

One tip if you do this. Make sure you actually have keyword domain names that you can compare apples to apples. Even if it’s a smaller niche industry, it’s likely important for the companies you will be pitching.

Seek Out Sellers to Find Buyers

Elliot Silver
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8

We’ve all seen domain sales before that are similar to domain names we own. We (you and me) think that the buyer would possibly want to purchase one of our similar domain names if we could only get in touch with them to let them know the availability and price.

The problem that I’ve encountered though is that many sales are done in private and the Whois information goes to privacy. This makes it difficult to find out who bought the name, especially if the buyer was a large company with many levels of red tape.

One of the best things you can do to find out the buyer’s contact information is to reach out to the seller to ask for the buyer’s contact information.  Since the Whois has changed, you can most likely find out the seller’s contact information using DomainTools’  historical Whois lookup tool.

You’ll most likely want the person’s name, email address, and phone number. You might even offer a commission to that person as an incentive to give you the buyer’s information. I would also let the seller know why you want it by mentioning your domain name.

Some sellers are reluctant to give out any information because they may have other names to sell that buyer and also because many people don’t like giving out the contact information of someone they know, especially if they don’t know you. However, if you let them know why you want it, perhaps they will be willing to share to help you close a deal, or maybe they would even be willing to contact the buyer on your behalf.

Why Staying Anonymous is a Good Idea When Buying a Domain Name

Elliot Silver
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10

When I receive inquiries on my domain names, the first thing I do is try to find out who the buyer is. I use a variety of means to try and determine who wants to buy my domain name. Although my price isn’t solely based on the buyer, that is a strong consideration that I make.

Based on how important I think it is to find out who my buyer is, I assume other domain owners do the same type of due diligence when I am trying to buy a domain name. Sometimes I think it helps when people know I am a domain investor because they don’t expect to get as much as they would if I were a large company like Google or Apple. On the other hand, many people don’t want to think they are leaving money on the table, assuming I am offering a low number.

For the most part, I do not hide or shield my identity because I don’t like it when others do that for me, and I only offer a number I am comfortable paying. When I do wish to remain anonymous, I use a company like Afternic, have someone I trust reach out on my behalf, or I use an anonymous email address. To complete a private acquisition, I use Escrow.com. I shared a way to remain anonymous on deals on Friday.

Although I don’t like the idea of being anonymous, I do think it can save money depending on the circumstances. this is why some of the biggest companies use private companies to buy domain names anonymously, and it might be a good idea for you and me.

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