Yesterday evening, Elliot Silver of ElliotsBlog.com posted a unique proposition. He has offered to select one reader and teach him or her how to sell a newly registered domain name to an end user. This is quite an offer. Elliot is not only well respected in the industry, he’s damn good at what he does. The thing I like most about him is that he shares more about his business and strategies than anyone else I have found. This particular offer he is making was prompted in part by an email he received some time ago. An email from someone new to domaining that wanted to learn from some one who was doing it right. Someone looking for a mentor. That e-mail was from me.
I originally stumbled across Elliot’s blog while considering selling a domain I have owned for over 10 years. I had been debating weather to relaunch it or just sell it. I was looking for venues where domains were selling. I was pulled into the blog and found myself visiting it regularly. Years ago, I had an interest in domaining, but never persued it and here’s a guy that shares some great information. I was inspired.
I started buying domains, mostly hand regs. I wanted to learn the industry. I emailed Elliot and asked if he would mentor me and I would share any profits with him. As he mentions in his post, “I passed because that seemed like a lot of pressure and I didn’t feel qualified to be a mentor.” So instead, I studied the industry. I followed ElliotsBlog.com religiously and others as well. I joined forums and talked to people, did Google searches and read books. I took some of Elliot’s sample end user emails and put them to work. That’s how I made my first couple of sales.
I haven’t stopped my study of the industry by any means. In fact, this blog is a part of that. I am sharing the information I have learned and continue to learn along the way. What excites me about this industry is that it not understood by the masses, evolves quickly, and offers great opportunity to those willing to invest the time to learn and take chances. Clearly we are flooded with crappy domain names for sale, and it tends to dilute the perception of value. But then again, the great names tend to rise to the top.
I want to mention that I don’t know Elliot. I have never talked to him out side of some brief email exchanges and forum postings. But I obviously have a lot of respect for him.
Good luck to all those that enter Elliot’s contest to be selected. But keep in mind, even if you don’t get selected, his blog offers you most of what you need to get started. Spend some time reading and asking questions, trying and failing, trying and succeeding. Do whatever it takes if you are passionate about domaining. If you are in it to make quick and easy money, walk away now, because that’s not how it works.
