As a buy-side broker specializing in stealth-acquisitions, it’s my job to dig deep and find the rightful owner of a domain name. Problem is, some domain owners make it very difficult to reach them. What’s the psyche behind this rationale?
Buy-side brokers need to understand the full opportunity and any pertinent history on the previous acquisition attempts of the prospective buyer. Many domain owners like to use privacy to protect their anonymity. Sometimes, they don’t want to be bothered with the Spam that gets generated on a daily basis.
Additionally, the buy-side broker should the emotion of the deal. Here are a few items to consider when attempting to secure a domain name…
- Check the DNS, see where the domain is pointing to. Is there a website, or is it undeveloped?
- Whois history is a valuable tool to understand the true history of the domain name
- Check the Way back Machine to see what other properties have been developed on the URL in the past.
- Speak with the buyer or acquisition partner to fully understand their goals and objectives including history, timing, budget etc.
- Make sure to set the expectation with the prospective buyer on price.
Furthermore, the buy-side broker add the following upside to most transactions
- Remove the emotion
- Negotiate with YOU in mind
- Provide contracts that protect ALL parties involved
- Typically save you time and money
- Allows for a third-party (non-biased) approach towards the acquisition
Take the time to do the research and find an expert that can properly assist you with all of your acquisition needs. Ask appropriate questions and make sure that you get aligned with the broker. Hold the broker accountable and require status updates so you are not left in the dark.
Stealth acquisitions should only be performed by a seasoned-domain name buy-side broker. Understand the brokers strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes, the buy-side broker performs better when using an inbound sales platform. They would receive an inbound lead and reply to the inquiry. Other buy-side brokers are exceptional at proactively contacting the rightful domain owner.
Finally, when selecting a buy-side broker, make sure you ask for referrals and do your homework so you can make contact with the rightful domain owner and secure the perfect domain name for your brand.
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