How do you reply?

[neddy]

I thought this would be the basis of an entertaining and informative thread.

How do you initially reply when you get a sales enquiry on one of your domains?

If it's a silly offer like $10, do you even reply at all? I know some that don't (yet I'm of the school of thought that likes to reply to everything). Some $XXXX sales have stemmed from a silly offer!

Or if you get a reasonable starting offer, how do you reply in order to try and elicit a better offer?

Anyway, let me start the ball rolling!

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This is my current favourite response when I get a silly offer. It combines brevity, rudeness and a bit of humour - and I always get a follow up response or subsequent offer.

$1,000,000

That's almost as silly as your $10 offer.

Cheers, Ned

What are some of your responses?
.

 

[snoopy]

I reply with a standard price and a standard email.

If you actually want to try and convert an inquiry into a sale the email above cuts down the chance of a sale dramatically in my view. Get all of the emotion out of it, lots of people think $10 is a reasonable offer because that is what a domain costs at godaddy. They still might go up to $500 or something.

 

[neddy]

I reply with a standard price and a standard email.

Willing to share your standard email?

 

[snoopy]

Hello [first name],

[domain].com is priced at [price] based on a quick completion. Price honoured for 7 days.

[if price is high I add this line]We are also able to offer the domain name via instalment payments. Email back if interested in that.

Best regards,

Paul

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It is based on the domainnamesales standard email with some changes. One thing I do also if they make an initial low offer is to not have that price in the price email, just cut out the original email so they don't dwell on what they offered. I personally like to get a price in first wherever possible.

 

[xwdomains]

I generally reply back with stats of recent sales on similar names

that are with in the price range I am looking for.

 

[Blue Wren]

I'm sure most here have read or watched this before, but it's worth posting again. Adam Dicker - How to Negotiate A Domain Sale and Leave no Money on the Table!

 

[Chris.C]

What are some of your responses?

I tend to go the template response as well. And keep it pretty professional.

[if price is high I add this line]We are also able to offer the domain name via instalment payments. Email back if interested in that.

What do you define as "high"? and do you get many takers on the installment plan?

 

[snoopy]

What do you define as "high"? and do you get many takers on the installment plan?

$10,000 and above. I had a few like this over the last year, I think it does help some get over the line. I only started offering it because a significant enough number asked to pay that way & it broadens the potential market for the name in my view. Leasing can also help if the name is stellar.

One big upside (or maybe downside depending on how you look at it) with both instalments and leasing is the buyer will very commonly flake after a couple of payments. Make sure the contract is well written to take account for this.

 

[Chris.C]

One big upside (or maybe downside depending on how you look at it) with both instalments and leasing is the buyer will very commonly flake after a couple of payments. Make sure the contract is well written to take account for this.

That's what I was thinking... keep a couple of payments AND the domain...

How many months do you the installments over?

 

[snoopy]

That's what I was thinking... keep a couple of payments AND the domain...

How many months do you the installments over?

Under 12 months, but whatever they need within that time frame.

 

[neddy]

I tend to go the template response as well. And keep it pretty professional.

As with my sales email templates, I split test / trial many responses.

I also have "professional" responses, but when I got a few $10 offers recently, I decided to reply with the above example. And it got the process started.

My other favourite very simple response at the moment (when I get a lowball offer that's not silly) is this:

Thanks for the offer, but it is not sufficient enough to motivate me to sell. Sorry.

Cheers, Ned

Bear in mind that I'm a great believer in "starting a conversation" or "selling the sizzle" rather than trying to close a deal with one email. This method works for me.

I got an offer last week for $100 on a domain, and sent this exact response. After a couple of back and forth emails, deal was concluded at $650 + GST.

I think it does help some get over the line.

I do this too. To me the price is important - and if I can achieve my expectations by helping someone with payment terms, then it is win/win.

Title obviously doesn't pass until full payment has been made.

 

[DavidL]

I normally reply to an initial enquiry with something like:

Hi XXX,

Thanks for the email and your interest in the domain name. We had registered it to eventually develop it but as you see we haven’t got far so we would consider selling it.

We would be looking for low/high 3/4/5/6 figures for it.

We always seriously consider any offer though.

Many thanks

David​

Three key points being:

1) state in black and white that it was registered for development. So, if negotiations fail and turn nasty (which can happen), one thing they can't do is gor crying to auDA and suggest it's in breach due to 'sole purpose of registration being resale'.
2) set a price anchor. The price expectation should be very, very high.
3) finish off with the 'consider any offer' so hopefully you don't scare anyone away with the rough expectation

 

[neddy]

I normally reply to an initial enquiry with something like:

Hi XXX,

Thanks for the email and your interest in the domain name. We had registered it to eventually develop it but as you see we haven’t got far so we would consider selling it.

We would be looking for low/high 3/4/5/6 figures for it.

We always seriously consider any offer though.

Many thanks

David​

Three key points being:

1) state in black and white that it was registered for development. So, if negotiations fail and turn nasty (which can happen), one thing they can't do is gor crying to auDA and suggest it's in breach due to 'sole purpose of registration being resale'.
2) set a price anchor. The price expectation should be very, very high.
3) finish off with the 'consider any offer' so hopefully you don't scare anyone away with the rough expectation

I like that David.

 

[atom]

A couple of years ago I bought a .com from Marchex. It took a while to initiate the conversation via email, but eventually the guy managing the domains agreed to negotiate, but would only do so over the phone. We spoke, and I ended up buying it.

I liked this because we were able to come to an agreement quickly. Do any of you prefer to talk through these negotiations rather than do it via email?

 

[findtim]

talking .com.au within australia of the few i have done i reply asking for their phone number and the best time to call. then i just pick up the phone and see what happens.

i pefer to talk .

tim