(image source: Flickr)

Bido.com has an in house sales team that contacts potential buyers (end users) and lets them know about upcoming domain names, the opportunity, etc. Basically spreads the word. In observing one of our sales managers yesterday doing a prospecting call to a real estate office in Phoenix, really clued me in as to why businesses still don’t get it.

The call went something like:

Sales Manager (Mike):”Hi this is Mike with Bido.com, is the person in charge of internet marketing available?”
Receptionist: “Sure hold a moment,”( Mike figured great I will discuss the opportunity with the decision maker and get an end user in on the auction, right?) Sure…
Mandy(Internet Market Manager) “This is Mandy how can I help you?”
Mike: “Hi, Mandy this is Mike with Bido.com, we are going to be auctioning off SouthPhoenix.com tomorrow and wanted to let your firm know about the auction.”
Mandy: “Mike what are we going to do with another website, we already have four?”
Mike: “Four wow, that’s great, this can only add to your current marketing efforts and position your company as the leading real estate firm in South Phoenix.”
Mandy: “Really we don’t need anymore websites. I told you already we have four of them.”
Mike: “Mandy do you know how much business you are generating from those websites?”
Mandy: “A lot.” By the way, this is where she gets LOST!
Mike: “Wow, great, (this is where the fun starts) “So you are telling me you have no interest in buying Phoenix.com for your company?” (Guys, Phoenix.com! Read closely)
Mandy: “No, we don’t wouldn’t want to change our domain name.”
Mike: “You wouldn’t have to change your domain name just add it to the four websites you are currently generating leads from. A premium name like Phoenix.com will obviously generate you a ton more calls than the websites you are currently operating.”
Mandy: “You obviously don’t get it, we are not interested in changing our domain name and not interested in what you are offering.”
Mike: “Well ma’am do you have any recommendations as to a competitor or someone else whom might be interested, I am sure there has to be someone in your area interested in buying Phoenix.com”…

So what is the moral of the story? It’s not that Mike didn’t get it, it’s that small businesses in general don’t get it, most businesses don’t get it. A few things I want to point out, The “internet marketing manager” failed to ask so pretty important questions:

1) How much is the domain name? (Or starting price.) Guys, the starting price is $1. No Reserve!
2) Is there any traffic associated with the name? Or any other vitally important question(s)…

Mike didn’t even have the opportunity to present her with some internet math, our well trained sales force knows what to say to get the wheels spinning when they have the opportunity…(Something to the nature of):
“How much is just one sales lead worth? Let’s say the average home in South Phoenix sells for $150,000 and assuming your firm receives the standard 3% commission for representing the buyer, therefore generating $4,500 in commission and let’s just say by placing a simple lead capture form on SouthPhoenix.com with minimal content related to the area, you generate say one lead a quarter that is four per year, well then you can expect SouthPhoenix.com to generate $18,000 in commission this year and every year after. Are you interested now?”

I don’t blame her for treating Mike like any other solicitor but the fact is instead of taking a couple of minutes to understand what was being offered and the opportunity at hand, she like most people turned a blind eye and let this (truly) once in a lifetime opportunity pass but she was lost long before Mike ever got to the nitty-gritty, I mean come on, he said he was selling Phoenix.com and she still didn’t bit, he could have said he was selling any domain name and it still would not have peaked her interest. This domain will be one that will pass many and in five years from now, this lady(if she is still employed) or other firms when buying leads from the now owner will say, “shoot I guess I should have bought that domain name when I had the opportunity.” This is one of the obvious problems with all small businesses and the challenges we face within our industry. Don’t get me wrong some businesses are wising up but they are the exception not the rule. While companies like BuyDomains.com and Moniker.com are making progress at spreading the word and educating the world beyond domainers of the values and potential of generic domain names we are a long way from home Toto, a long way from home.
This like so many other high quality generic domain names reminds me of the classic of all classics, Hotels.com…Need I say more.

Read the complete post at http://www.conceptualist.com/fedclick.php?ref=http://www.conceptualist.com/2008/08/05/guest-post-southphoenixcom-marketing-this-is-a-classic-by-darren-cleveland-rmg-ceo/&id=2273