Last year, I had a bit of a curt exchange with someone who wanted to buy one of my one word .com domain names. His offer was very low, and I think I told him he would need a time machine to buy this domain name for his 3 figure offer. He didn’t love that reply and told me I should provide more information about my expectations on the landing page if I don’t want to waste time.
As much as I think prospective buyers should do their research before buying a great domain name in the same way real estate buyers should know the market, this guy was probably more right than wrong. My landing page did not include any information about the value of the domain name nor did it link to a good resource to educate visitors about its value. You can visit Uppercut.com to see a landing page I use that has not been modified.
To that end, I made a change on some of my most valuable domain names that utilize their own landing pages. I added some additional commentary to help prospective buyers understand the value of the domain name. In actuality, it is helping them understand what I value the domain name at, but it helps set the expectations before a discussion is had. You can have a look at this screenshot from SelfCare.com to see how I have informed people of its value:
Since implementing that language a couple of weeks ago, I have not received a single inquiry/offer for the domain name and others where I made the change. This is good. While I may lose out on prospects willing to pay $25k or $50k or whatever, I don’t really care. It saves me time and it saves the effort of having to explain why it is so valuable particularly when I received dozens – maybe even 3 digits worth of offers below $1,000.
There is one downside to this type of language. Someone with a big vision and a $50k budget may not make themselves known to me and look for an alternative domain name. However, without that language they may have inquired and I could have mentioned a lease to own or other type of creative deal. I am okay with this.
Impressive looking landers, Elliot
Also super domains
Thanks. I created them with the help of Carrd.
simple, just put on the lander willing to lease to own, creative deals or equity considered, for big visions or big start up potential, etc
No idea why you are wasting time with lowballers.
Those lowballers most probably are someone that know you well and stabbing your back
Elliot, I always include a sentence in my reply to perspective buyers about offers I have turned down in the past. And that figure a can be adjusted up or down depending on the name and how I feel about it at the time. It saves time when the buyer has no clue about the value of a good domain name.
Great advice Elliot. In fact, it was in part due to so many ridiculous offers on my available inventory (+ ever-decreasing PPC revenue) — including for my own related premium “Care” .com (Tempcare) — that I set up a standalone site with them all in one place.
This also enabled me to go into great detail explaining why memorable, no-hyphens, .com only domains are worth (and therefore sell for) as much as they are. Once and only once.
With the result that I’m able to quickly and easily (no more long-winded value explanations or “arguments” ; over and over and over again) refer all inquires to my site.
If they thereafter get back to me with a reasonable offer, great. If not, no problem; as I’ve saved both time and aggravation with a party with whom I was never going to do a deal with anyway.
Pricing seems too high.