New web site with a FANTASTIC .com name

Contacted by huge internet company for name

[bartainer]

Hello;

I have a dilemma and I need expert advice.

I have a .com name that is very popular (eight letters in length) and it rolls off the tongue. This .com name describes a massive international and national market perfectly.

Two days after purchasing the name, another .com company phones me and would like to negotiate a price for the name. Reason: because the name that I choose will benefit their company enormously.

I know that if I hang onto this name and have my team design, market and bring traffic to this newly developed site it will be worth probably millions.

I wish I could give the site’s name, but I’m following protocol and will not list the name. However, just to say the domain is very good.

Thanks

[jdMorgan]

I'd tell them you're aware of what you have and its potential, fully intend to develop the domain, and that you'll entertain serious offers only.

While they stew on that, start putting up some real (good) pages. You don't want to be accused of being a domain squatter.

Jim

[bartainer]

Thanks Jim, your quick reply was appreciated.

In regards to the pages, I have already begun the design and our index page is up. I want to show this company that I do intend to implement a site for the name. Knowing the potential of the name, selling it for less than $10,000 (without a website) would be a mistake! The name is worth 10x with a web site. However, in years to come it will be worth more. I have spoken to my marketing guy and he tells me the name has a huge market potential. Next week I meet with investors to help further fund this project.

The name is right up there with top domains. I was VERY surprised to see it was not purchased prior my purchasing it.

<snip>

Bartainer

[edited by: trillianjedi at 3:26 pm (utc) on Feb. 13, 2006]
[edit reason] Cleaning up as per TOS [/edit]

[jdMorgan]

No, don't tell me. I can't be friends with people I'm jealous of... ;)

But best of luck with this!
Jim

[bartainer]

I'll keep you updated. And thank you for your advice, it was appreciated.

Bartainer

[alejandroulloa]

That happend to us, two years ago - we held on with the domain, for 6 months and then sold it to the same company that made a 1st offer on the 1st place - they paid 3 times what they offered the 1st time around - we built a good web page to give it an added value to the domain and it paid off.

[bartainer]

Alejandroulloa;

I may just hang onto the domain for my own use and development. I do own the .com and the .net to the domain. As I stated before, I have other developers (including myself) that are willing to put the time into this project. Furthermore, I have spoken to an investor and he wants me to write a business plan before he gives me money. He loves the name and knows the potential is very good. Also, I have a marketing guy who is well established and he tells me the name is huge.

[edited by: engine at 12:06 pm (utc) on Feb. 13, 2006]

[bartainer]

Krakrazor;

Thank you for you input, your response is appreciated.

The last four letters are what add the uniqueness to the name. Moreover, the letters help the name roll of the tongue. Furthermore, the name is easy to remember and defines the market perfectly. The Rookie is correct; the name can be used in many ways.

<snip>

Bartainer

[edited by: trillianjedi at 3:28 pm (utc) on Feb. 13, 2006]

[stu2]

Forgive me for my scepticism bartainer, but newly registered domains just don't sell for tens of thousands of dollars the next day. It's an urban myth. Brandable names like yours require a whole lot of work to make them valuable. Oftentimes YEARS of work. <snip>

[edited by: trillianjedi at 3:29 pm (utc) on Feb. 13, 2006]
[edit reason] General thread cleanup... [/edit]

[jomaxx]

I cretainly think there's still virtually unlimited room for successful online businesses, assuming you're smart and aim high and have a great idea and are willing to work hard and have a certain amount of luck. Seems like you meet most of these criteria anyway, so good luck with your project.

I was just trying to damp down the giddiness, because it sounded like you were saying that all one needs is a good name in order to be a big success.

[jomaxx]

Oops, that should read "certainly" in sentence one. I'll leave it as is, as an editorial comment from my subconscious mind.

[trillianjedi]

The name in itself will make no difference to your overall branding campaign.

You need to create a good resource - branding a website comes from user-interaction and quality of content or service. It has nothing to do with the name. A certain search engine chose the extensibly silly "google.com" and it didn't do them any harm. It became a success and the name became a brand because of what they had on the domain, not what they named it.

Your domain name, in it's current "nothing on it" status, is worthless. If you can create a good website, then great, that will have value and perhaps even be something you can sell later.

But it's name is not the fundamental value.

TJ

[bartainer]

jomaxx;

One needs hard work, but with a vision. Thank you for your thoughts, I do appreciate your input.

Bartainer

[bartainer]

trillianjedi;

You are very right I will highly consider your expert input.

As I did state in the Sticky Mail, a good name followed by excellent content and a good marketing campain will help enhance the name.

Bartainer

[angelos]

Apparently, the fact that the company's contacted you evidences that your thoughts about that are not groundless. On the contrary, the fact that your potential investor's asking you to show commercial prospects of the project, shows that the name isn't everything. But what is your final purpose? You want to more or less develop the project and still sell it or what? I concluded that from your remark where you said that you wanted to show the company, that you mentioned, that you're gonna realize the idea myself (implying probably the name costs much more than they'd offer).

[bartainer]

Angelos;

Thank you for your reply!

At the time of writing our team of designers were putting together a preliminary site (Beta). The site is actually up and working! There are few links, but the look is good and the design is easy on the eyes. We have a sponsor for advertising to help pay for our expenses. Our advertisers see a vision too.

In the future it will be a data base site (SQL) with some changes made to the server to handle the ideas that exist ahead! However; for now we will build with a vision.

Also, the site will be for all ages! It will have no profanity and it will have NO porn!

Looking forward to your reply!

Bartainer