Experiments In Domain Selling

I've been experimenting with a select few of my domain names that I consider non-core to my business this weekend.

Though it's not the best time to sell domain names (when is?) at the moment, I felt compelled to do at least the bare minimum to get the domains noticed.

What most domainers do, is go onto various domain boards and promote the sale to other domainers.

Why would they do that? The prices are always subdued at most forums, simply because the audience is educated in the way of domains and they are not the ultimate end users. Therefore, they will always only pay what they consider to be a "trade" or "wholesale" price.

Everyone selling a domain name therefore, must do what they can to try and add some value to the name they are selling.

Of course, as a seller wishing to reach an end user, the most obvious thing to do would be to call, mail or email companies in the market place relevant to the domain name.

As a sales person with many years experience, the approach wouldn't be at all alien to me, but I don't have time for such things. I have a business to run.

Therefore, I intend to sell those few domain names I would let go in the most passive way possible.

That means throwing up a two or three page web site where potential buyers are likely to stop by.

Let's face it, as domainers, we have all typed in the occasional domain name to see where it goes and how it's being used.

Well business owners do this too. They will type in names, naively believing that they might just be able to catch one on a free registration. (Free as in available, not as in free financially).

Occasionally, they will find a site that says "For Sale", or perhaps is a PPC lander with a for sale notice on it. They might even be interested enough to enquire about the name.

But let's be truthful here.

Most such visitors won't have pockets full of cash that they are intending to splash out on a domain name.

Quite the opposite is true actually. Most are what car dealers would call, "tyre kickers" - people who would enquire about the price and then fall off their chairs at the suggestion that a domain name should be worth anything more than three figures - low end three figures if my experience with some are anything to go by.

So, I've started launching the occasional mini site designed to capture search engine traffic as well as type-ins.

The strategy might not work. I don't know.

But, I see a top search engine position as infinitely more valuable to the uninformed business owner, than a natural type-in - simply because most business owners don't understand the concept of the type-in name. I'm not 100% sure I do at times!

Therefore, I intend to get a few names well placed with unique content and then add a nice sales page for the domain name.

The prospect (I hope), finding my new domain in a well placed position in Google, will begin to understand the value in the domain name - and at the same time, be blind-sided by the good search engine position enough to get his wallet out.

I've added sales pages to the sites to try and help convince visitors that the names represent good value.

On some, I've put an asking price. Others I have not. The prospect's valuation might be higher than mine. His need for the domain greater perhaps.

As I said, it's an experiment. One that is also being tried by my friend Owen Frager, with the imminent launch of his site, GrandNames.com, where he's going a stage further and employing his superb SEO skills to promote names other than his own to a wider audience in a very similar fashion.

If I was going to recommend an SEO expert other than myself of course, Owen would be the only name on my list.

I bet at this stage, you're dying to know what names I'm promoting in this way?

Well, ok, here's one I did earlier and that's all I'm showing: this one id related to UK Tax Rebates - I think it's pretty good.