Domain Sales

This is a popular request, so I will share an “end user” sales email that I’ve been sending lately. Keep in mind that I target potential buyers very carefully, and I strongly urge you to do the same. Sending mass emails may annoy people, and it could probably get you in trouble with your hosting company, email provider, or potentially worse, depending on your emails, targeting, and volume.

I would hope you are smart enough to make changes to this email to make it unique. I make changes often, depending on response rate. I recommend that you come up with your own pitch, and again, only send out emails if they are well targeted and the domain name is actually good enough that it doesn’t need to be explained.

There are a few things to notice:

• My email is succinct. I am not sending out emails regarding second tier or alternative extension domain names. The names I am pitching, in my opinion, don’t need any type of extra sales pitch.

• I include my business address and let the recipient know that it’s a one time email. I honor that promise by only emailing the recipient once.

• I do not list the price, as I would prefer to discuss once I have received replies in order to gauge the interest.

• I have a link to my website so people can learn more about my company. This is a way of showing that I am legitimate, and if they agree to a deal with me, I won’t flake. You might also add your phone number if you wish.

• I do my absolute best to find out the name of the recipient, so I address it “Hi Jim” or something like that to make it more personal.

• The subject is the keyword of the domain name, but not the .com. If you are targeting buyers as you should, the subject will be meaningful. If you are using some automated software to pick potential buyers, obviously that won’t work so well.

Here’s the email I’ve been using lately:

I always find it interesting when I come across a blog or other website on Tumblr, Blogspot, WordPress, and other platforms and the owner has decided to simply use the platform for its domain name. For instance, it would be like me using ElliotsBlog.Wordpress.com instead of ElliotsBlog.com.

My guess is that most of the blogs that do it either don’t know how to set their website up using their own domain name, they don’t want to spend the time or money setting up their domain name, or they don’t know that they could use their own domain name instead of the more laborious url.

That said, I think you can use these platforms to find a buyer

The Wall Street Journal posted a press release this morning announcing the private acquisition of the XM.com domain name. According to the article, “Internationally acknowledged financial Institution Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd has recently announced the successful acquisition of the prestigious two-letter domain name XM.COM as the short name for XEMarkets for an undisclosed amount.”

Although the purchase price for the domain name wasn’t announced by  the buyer or seller, past marketing of this domain name may shed some light on the acquisition cost for us.

In March and April, Frank Aiello, formerly of Domain Holdings, announced in his newsletter that XM.com was for sale with a price of