Hey guys,
I was wondering if you could help answer my question.
If an end user is a (reasonably large) company who do you target in the company?
Usually the whois will have a contact like the webmaster or IT which isn't who you should really be speaking with?
So do you contact the President? Owner? CEO? And how would you get their email if you can't find it?
Thanks,
Skinny
The WHOIS contact is your best bet by my experience. If they were the ones that set the company up with the domain from the get-go, chances are they have the aptitude to see the value in a domain name, and thus be able to give you an educated "yes" or "no".
In the cases where this is not an option (private whois, old details, guy is impossible to get a hold of, doesn't speak English - I've seen them all), you need to speak to the person who can authorize the purchase.
In my phone calls, I usually ask for the "person in charge of domain names". If probed for further details, my response is to the effect of "who oversees the administration of your website?"
There will be five possible responses;
"We don't take sales calls"
Hard to get around. If wrangling with the receptionist doesn't work ("I'm calling you for something in YOUR best interests. All I need to do is speak to the person for about a minute.", etc.), your best bet is then to either
a) Seek out somebody by a title similar to "webmaster", "web administrator", etc. on Jigsaw.com, where most contacts within companies can be found
or
b) Dial random extensions until somebody picks up and say (blindly), "I was told you're the person in charge of domain names, is that correct?"
99%, that won't be the case.
"Oh, really? I must have dialed the wrong extension. Say... you wouldn't know who it is that would oversee it, would you?"
This has gotten me information plenty of times, since employees will more readily give out information than receptionists who have to face sales guys and social engineers all day long.
Also, either a) or b) is a good workaround to receptionists with the increasingly common "I need a name to transfer you" response.
"That's handled by a consultant"
Nearly impossible to get around. A company that outsources the entirety of their website administration is likely not big enough to give you the bigtime dollars that you need to make a decent profit anyway, so you're likely barking up the wrong tree.
However, if you truly have a kick-ass name, try and get in touch with a heavy hitter, such as the COO.
"Let me transfer you... (voicemail)"
Don't leave a message. It won't be returned. If you're offered voicemail because they're not there, take it. When the voicemail says "Hello, you've reached the voicemail of Joe Blow, sorry I can't take your call right now, yadda yadda", that's your opportunity to take down their name so that you can be transfered without asking any questions on your next call, or even use the dial by name directory so you don't have to fight with the receptionist.
"I'll take a message..."
Ask for voicemail so you can use the previously mentioned tactic. If they don't have voicemail or say that you can only leave a message, then try leaving one, and follow up in a few days. That's all you can do. If this goes nowhere, use the random extensions or jigsaw tactics, but those should be the ace up your sleeve, and not a first resort.
"Let me transfer you... (person picks up)"
Then you are speaking to the right person in the most likely of cases! Pitch away, and try to get them to agree to a price.
However, if the ultimate decision maker is behind many guards, don't think you can con your way past them. Messages taken often get forwarded, and some persistence should get it in front of their eyes. Remember, if your domain is any good, it will sell itself, and there will be no need to get them on the phone and salesman them into buying it.
