How to manage a domain portfolio in 2011 / 2012

[A D]

With the current economic situation the way it is and with parking in the crapper I have drastically changed my management of domains over the last 6-12 months and I thought I would share what I am doing.

I am reducing the number of names while increasing the quality of names.
Simply put, if I sell 5 names for 2k each, I find a really good one to buy at under 6-7k and bank the remaining revenue to remain liquid.
Take the better name and develop it out.

Sometimes it works the other way as well, I sell a decent name for 30k and buy 3 really great namnes with potential for 20k and bank the rest.

What you end up with is a much better portfolio with much less renewal fees and generally many less headaches.

I will continue this through 2011-2012.

-=DCG=-

 

[Biggie]

as for reducing names



i'm on this track as well, but have re-examined the "stat interval" time for making such decisions

instead of looking at 1 or 2 years of stats for productive domains, i went to a 5 year period


thus, more domains fit into the "keep" pile

no sense in dropping something that maybe wasn't so profitable the last 365 days, but over a longer period....it's still worthy.

thoughts...

 

[Gerry]

...I thought I would share what I am doing.

You are coming out with some good tips.

I am currently involved in a project or two that could ultimately result in some massive payouts. A total rethinking and new market strategies of how things are done and how to get business is needed. I do not see the downturn slowing down let alone ending.

I can not stress this enough...new marketing strategies. I am creating my own business model and so far it is working.

 

[Bill Roy]

As far as downsizing the portfolio this would of course seem a logical strategy, although Biggie I think seeing value for the past 5 years could result in you keeping domains that are degrading in relative value with time. If I may be so bold (and I know you are a heck of a lot more experienced and successful than I) perhaps a graphic representation of visitors against earnings may well give you a clearer picture as to what domains to hold and which to drop.

As far as your strategy DCG all I can do is dream about being in the same position as you!

I agree with Doc Com here about 'new marketing strategies' but I would also add 'new utilizing strategies' should be looked at as well. Because of my serious situation change I have had to look at utilizing domains differently, and have therefore 'left' domaining as such and am now working solely on development except for the few domains outside my strategy that I will hold until sold.

 

[katherine]

I am reducing the number of names while increasing the quality of names.

Domaining 101

 

[hugegrowth]

I can not stress this enough...new marketing strategies. I am creating my own business model and so far it is working.

Care to share?

---------- Post added at 12:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:52 PM ----------

DCG, thanks for something to think about.

 

[A D]

Domaining 101

It's not obvious for everyone some people still reg / catch tons of names thinking that's the way to riches and it's not.

-=DCG=-

 

[Biggie]

As far as downsizing the portfolio this would of course seem a logical strategy, although Biggie I think seeing value for the past 5 years could result in you keeping domains that are degrading in relative value with time. If I may be so bold (and I know you are a heck of a lot more experienced and successful than I) perhaps a graphic representation of visitors against earnings may well give you a clearer picture as to what domains to hold and which to drop.

Hi


i have many examples like these:

March 2007 357
$4.81

April 2007 344
$17.31

May 2007 488
$17.96

June 2007 609
$9.47

July 2007 622
$11.36

August 2007 648
$11.01

September 2007 810
$9.30

October 2007 921
$30.34

November 2007 1,118
$33.02

December 2007 1,109
$45.36

January 2008 1,271
$36.64

February 2008 1,317
$47.99

March 2008 1,390
$64.17

April 2008 1,254
$27.73

May 2008 1,074
$6.98

June 2008 1,163
$10.48

July 2008 949
$8.86

August 2008 858
$5.67

September 2008 969
$7.77

October 2008 1,205
$7.60

November 2008 1,217
$10.19

December 2008 1,278
$11.46

January 2009 1,298
$11.94

February 2009 1,106
$9.19

March 2009 1,086
$5.54

April 2009 940
$0.94

May 2009 911
$2.57

June 2009 898
$2.48

July 2009 900
$2.45

August 2009 797
$1.60

September 2009 977
$1.61

October 2009 1,144
$1.27

November 2009 1,239
$1.91

December 2009 1,186
$1.40

January 2010 1,175
$1.12

February 2010 1,220
$1.73

March 2010 1,175
$1.80

April 2010 942
$1.42

May 2010 928
$1.13

June 2010 983
$0.73

July 2010 857
$0.95

August 2010 750
$0.88

September 2010 877
$0.79

October 2010 991
$0.86

November 2010 999
$1.15

December 2010 941
$1.33

January 2011 901
$0.72

February 2011 852
$0.99

March 2011 642
$0.30


49 Months: 47,686 Views collectively
973 Views per month on the average
$10.09 Revenue per month on the average
$494.28 Revenue collectively

or what about this one:

March 2004 1,360
$0.51

April 2004 285
$0.32

May 2004 17
$0.00

June 2004 0
$0.00

July 2004 0
$0.00

August 2004 0
$0.00

September 2004 0
$0.00

October 2004 0
$0.00

November 2004 0
$0.00

December 2004 0
$0.00

January 2005 0
$0.00

February 2005 0
$0.00

March 2005 0
$0.00

April 2005 0
$0.00

May 2005 0
$0.00

June 2005 0
$0.00

July 2005 0
$0.00

August 2005 0
$0.00

September 2005 0
$0.00

October 2005 0
$0.00

November 2005 0
$0.00

December 2005 0
$0.00

January 2006 0
$0.00

February 2006 0
$0.00

March 2006 0
$0.00

April 2006 0
$0.00

May 2006 383
$1.18

June 2006 345
$1.19

July 2006 372
$1.67

August 2006 368
$1.54

September 2006 444
$1.13

October 2006 420
$1.24

November 2006 425
$1.36

December 2006 428
$1.05

January 2007 435
$1.67

February 2007 499
$2.86

March 2007 377
$1.28

April 2007 331
$1.30

May 2007 346
$1.03

June 2007 431
$2.83

July 2007 399
$2.63

August 2007 368
$2.47

September 2007 354
$2.44

October 2007 434
$3.35

November 2007 376
$4.36

December 2007 450
$7.15

January 2008 400
$3.65

February 2008 376
$2.09

March 2008 412
$4.60

April 2008 340
$3.49

May 2008 355
$5.23

June 2008 366
$2.65

July 2008 327
$1.45

August 2008 356
$0.52

September 2008 287
$2.36

October 2008 341
$0.90

November 2008 354
$1.09

December 2008 368
$2.85

January 2009 378
$2.66

February 2009 323
$1.81

March 2009 385
$2.38

April 2009 378
$1.97

May 2009 388
$2.72

June 2009 357
$1.18

July 2009 376
$4.17

August 2009 377
$3.09

September 2009 341
$1.37

October 2009 355
$3.06

November 2009 310
$1.74

December 2009 385
$4.32

January 2010 413
$1.52

February 2010 366
$2.19

March 2010 396
$1.27

April 2010 422
$1.81

May 2010 406
$0.69

June 2010 376
$2.54

July 2010 363
$0.74

August 2010 297
$1.30

September 2010 320
$1.16

October 2010 341
$1.63

November 2010 139
$1.74

December 2010 205
$1.73

January 2011 182
$0.85

February 2011 176
$3.13

March 2011 125
$1.13


85 Months: 22,809 Views collectively
268 Views per month on the average
$1.52 Revenue per month on the average
$129.32 Revenue collectively




and at what point do you drop a name like this:

March 2006 556
$0.11
$7.51

April 2006 14,633
$0.26
$856.41

May 2006 36,229
$0.39
$4544.60

June 2006 30,403
$0.42
$4331.36

July 2006 30,657
$0.37
$3368.84

August 2006 23,567
$0.27
$1644.68

September 2006 12,583
$0.14
$390.30

October 2006 2
$0.00
$0.00

November 2006 1
$0.00
$0.00

December 2006 1
$0.00
$0.00

January 2007 1
$0.00
$0.00

February 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

March 2007 882
$0.07
$17.49

April 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

May 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

June 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

July 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

August 2007 1
$0.00
$0.00

September 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

October 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

November 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

December 2007 0
$0.00
$0.00

January 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

February 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

March 2008 201
$0.36
$7.99

April 2008 729
$0.10
$15.22

May 2008 130
$0.06
$1.19

June 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

July 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

August 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

September 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

October 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

November 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

December 2008 0
$0.00
$0.00

January 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

February 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

March 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

April 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

May 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

June 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

July 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

August 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

September 2009 0
$0.00
$0.00

October 2009 124
$0.13
$1.46

November 2009 99
$0.15
$1.69

December 2009 81
$0.08
$0.98

January 2010 103
$0.26
$2.65

February 2010 121
$0.16
$1.46

March 2010 106
$0.22
$4.17

April 2010 88
$0.13
$1.41

May 2010 81
$0.39
$3.89

June 2010 77
$0.09
$0.93

July 2010 79
$0.16
$1.30

August 2010 59
$0.14
$0.85

September 2010 79
$0.26
$1.32

October 2010 63
$0.09
$0.71

November 2010 28
$0.27
$0.54

December 2010 38
$0.16
$1.55

January 2011 39
$0.27
$2.99

February 2011 32
$0.15
$0.46

March 2011 23
$0.74
$2.23


61 Months: 151,896 Views collectively
2,490 Views per month on the average
$0.34 Revenue per click on the average
$249.45 Revenue per month on the average
$15216.16 Revenue collectively

sorry for the long examples

 

[Bill Roy]

Hi Biggie, all you need do is to take your monthly figures in Excel and transfer them to 'graph' with month on the 'x' axis and income or visitors on the 'y' axis, this should actually take very little time and would show graphically the rate of decline/increase in time, and remember this is only a very humble suggestion.

I know graphs are generally laughed at but they are a great tool for producing clarity, indeed I would suggest that such an approach would be useful to many domainers when examining their portfolios.

 

[Gerry]

Care to share?

At the present time, I will not reveal too many details.

Primarily, stick to a market sector you know about, penetrate it, fill a void, and offer a service or service model no one else offers. It is a combination of salesmanship, marketing, strategy, positioning, and letting people come to the conclusion that they need me and the services I can offer.

I am after long term relationships and agreements, especially now in a down economy.

It takes a great deal of commitment to pull this off. And, it takes a great deal of knowledge in the industry you are trying to get in or be part of. No matter what industry or business you want to be part of, you look for opportunities through non-traditional channels and back doors.

Most importantly, it takes professionalism and a can-do attitude. By this, I am talking about delivering the product or service in a timely manner.



For now, that is really all I care to relate.


I am being vague but at the same time telling you (or anybody readying this) to pick a market or industrial sector you are knowledgeable in and dominate it. Dominate in a way that no one else can compare or compete with you. Go into it building relationships and exuding knowledge while listening to the needs of others. Yes, LISTEN to what other people are saying. Communicate and leave all communication channels open.

Truly think outside of the box. Better yet, stand outside the box and look for channels, gaps, voids, needs, opportunity and address those issues...one at time.

 

[A D]

Truly think outside of the box. Better yet, stand outside the box and look for channels, gaps, voids, needs, opportunity and address those issues...one at time.

I am doing this now in a specific industry and buying all names related to it.

It's good sound advice.

-=DCG=-

 

[Bill Roy]

Truly think outside of the box. Better yet, stand outside the box and look for channels, gaps, voids, needs, opportunity and address those issues...one at time.

Doc Com this is top notch advice for both beginners and old-hands alike. Many know what I am up to (and it has been, and still is, a steep learning curve), but discovering an unoccupied niche is just the start, then you have to figure out how to monetize it, and then make sure what you produce is aimed at and satisfies the specific target audience of prospective visitors.

 

[Gerry]

Doc Com this is top notch advice for both beginners and old-hands alike. Many know what I am up to (and it has been, and still is, a steep learning curve), but discovering an unoccupied niche is just the start, then you have to figure out how to monetize it, and then make sure what you produce is aimed at and satisfies the specific target audience of prospective visitors.

Bingo! It is very, very specific and aimed directly at the end user. And I am not just talking domain names here.

 

[DomainMagnate]

I am reducing the number of names while increasing the quality of names.
Simply put, if I sell 5 names for 2k each, I find a really good one to buy at under 6-7k and bank the remaining revenue to remain liquid.
Take the better name and develop it out.

-=DCG=-

I've been doing the same also. Sold some domains in bulks, let many expire and only buying higher quality names for development now (unless of course there is an opportunity for a quick flip ).

 

[DaddyHalbucks]

I am thinning the herd --quality, not quantity.

If I don't have a great monetization plan, the acquisition is put on the back burner.

If I were to sell a domain for 3X, I would probably buy another domain for X and use the rest of the money, 2X, for operating expenses and reg fees.