I’ll preface this article by saying that this suggestion probably won’t work. That being said, even if there is a very small chance it works, it’s worth using it as a last ditch effort to acquire a domain name. Let me explain further.
For the majority of my domain acquisition efforts, I try to purchase domain names that have been registered for many years. Oftentimes, I contact the owners of domain names that are either underutilized or the websites haven’t been updated for a long time. I figure that a neglected website may mean the owner has thrown in the towel, and if I can strike a good deal, I can re-sell the domain name to someone who may not have bothered to inquire because of the existing website.
The trouble I have found is that many people and companies are reluctant to sell the domain name attached to their business, even if the offer is reasonable. Some people are concerned about finding an alternative domain name if they sell their current domain name because they will still need a home online, even if their website is behind the times. If you suggest an alternative exact match domain name, such as a relevant new gTLD, perhaps you will allay their fears and they will trade their great domain name for $xx,xxx and a new gTLD domain name.
I’ll give you an example using one of my own domain names to not offend someone else. Let’s hypothetically say someone else owns a dog walking company called Dog Walker Ventures, and for years, that company has been using DogWalker.com as its primary url for the business. Let’s say the company isn’t all that active or doesn’t appear to be making as much money as the url is worth (perhaps using it as a photo album or neglected blog). If the owner’s main concern is not having a website, you might suggest registering DogWalker.Ventures for just $20, giving the owner a means to keep his business active and cashing out on the domain name.
The likelihood of this working is slim. However, there have been many times that I’ve tried to buy a domain name and the main concern is the business domain name going forward. If you give the owner of the domain name a viable alternative, perhaps your offer will be considered more strongly.
You can also recommend a longer tail .com name, but if you are inquiring about exceptional one or two word .com domain names, it’s likely those longer tail names have been gone for a while, too. In my opinion, it can’t hurt to make a suggestion like this, especially if it’s the last ditch effort to make a deal work.
Good idea Elliot, Thx for sharing. Not yet but soon pressures from high supply of domains will be reason to increase creativity when engaging domain name buyers or sellers. No shortage of alternatative domains as new GTLD extensions launch daily. Just might work. Certainly woth consideration or a try.