Follow Up for Outbound Purchase Offers

The domain names I focus on acquiring privately aren’t usually for sale. To me, a great domain name that isn’t listed for sale and hasn’t been marketed has the greatest chance of reselling profitably.

There are many reasons for why a domain name may no longer be used but isn’t offered for sale. The registrant may not know about the domain name aftermarket. Selling an unused domain name is a very low priority for the owner. There may be no catalyst for a domain name sale. Nobody at the company may be responsible for selling an asset like a domain name. The domain name may have been bought at a low cost many years ago, and there is just a small holding cost that is insignificant.

More often than not, my first outreach to buy a domain name is rebuffed. Whether it is part of a strategy to get me to increase my offer or the domain name hasn’t been considered a sellable asset, I can’t remember a time when an offer was accepted off the bat. Most of the time when I hear back, I receive a message telling me the domain name isn’t for sale.

When I get one of these messages, I will usually respond by asking if an increased offer may be helpful. I leave room in the tank with an opening offer assuming someone will counteroffer. I will increase my offer a bit to see if that moved the needle or changed the response. Showing some flexibility can help begin a negotiation.

Depending on the domain name and responses, I like to follow up every so often. I might follow up in 3 months, 6 months, or even a year, depending on the other party and the response I get.

There are some domain names on my list I inquire about each year. This list has dwindled as these “not for sale” domain names have been sold to startups or other investors who must have made an offer that couldn’t be refused or contacted the right person with the right offer at the right time. I am sure I have been that guy on numerous occasions, too.

I have found the keys to a successful follow up on acquisitions are:

• Good timing.
• Regular communication – whether it’s a month or a year later.
• Contacting the right person at a company or the proper email address, which sometimes doesn’t align with the Whois record.
• Sensing if I need to increase my offer and by how much.
• Leaving a door open for a future discussion.