What Goes On A Domainer’s Business Card?

Excuse me for my ignorance and for the fact that I didn’t ask a pertinent question before the lead question to this blog entry.  That question would be, does a domainer need a business card?  Since I feel that a domainer indeed does need a business card, I figured fast forwarding past this question would be best.

Now what kind of information should be included on a domainer’s business card?  I guess that really depends on the target market that the domainer is trying to reach.  Target markets can get quite diverse, so I figured I would stick to two potential target markets which are:

I.  Domaining Associates

II.  End-Users

Lets talk about domaining associates.  These are the indviduals who partake directly in the domaining industry in one form or another.  They tend to be well versed in industry “lingo” and will understand terms that the typical person might not understand.  For this target market I would suggest the following be included on a business card:

1. First and Last Name

This is a given for most people, unless you consider yourself a private person.

2. Title or Position

I can not stress how important this is!  In the domaining industry a number of us tend to wear many different hats, some of us work for larger companies who specialize in products or services geared towards domainers and some of us run our own businesses where domaining happens to fit under one of the many services our business offers.

Then there are those who domain part time or as a hobby.  Regardless you need to include a title!  It allows for your audience to immediately know where you fit into there business / social network and superseding this point it allows for them to know immediately how you can benefit them or vice versa.

3. Company Name

If you have a company this is a given.  Make sure to include your full legal business name, try not to abbreviate it.  Name recognition is important, so why not!

4. Telephone & Fax Number

Yes, the telephony age is still here.  People want to know that they can reach you.  Make sure to include a telephone number where they can.  Nine times out of ten if you are passing your business card out, you are most likely generating new leads for your business or trying to network with people.  Either way make sure that you can be reached!

There have been times where I have received business cards from associates, where the number leads directly to a PBX system with a pre-recorded message.  After not being able to reach that person, I simply went elsewhere to connect with someone who would actually answer there phone!

5. Website & Email

Make sure the website is operable or at least has an under construction landing page.  There’s nothing more embarrassing then going to a website which resolves to a hosting directory with folder listings.  Actually the only thing more embarrassing is visiting a URL which does not resolve at all!  Make sure it’s working before you list it on your card.

Same goes for your email!  Bounce backs are a dead end for business.

6. Summarize What You Do

Please summarize a bit of what you do for your target audience.  If you are a domain broker, then make sure to list it!  If you are a domain investor then put it on your business card!  You get the picture!  One sentence or phrase can go a long way when presenting yourself.  These lines alone have the capacity to open and close a deal.

Now for end-users!

This might sound funny, but you need to remember that the average Joe walking down the street has no clue about the domaining industry.  If you were to tell them you were a domainer they would either ask what that is or shrug and act like they know what you are talking about.  If you fail to convey this message to them on your business card, guess where your card will end up?  Perhaps the garbage can or if they are nice, the recycle bin.

The end-user business card should have every point which I have listed above.  In addition to this you should designate an area to describe some of your experiences in the domaining industry or include a couple of lines on what the domaining industry is.  The perfect location for this would be on the back of your business card.

An example of this would be “As a domain broker, I help facilitate the domain acquisition process.”  This statement alone will be sure to spark some interest or if you prefer to explain a little more information about the domaining industry you could include maybe a simple definition of domaining.  For this I will reference wikipedia “Domaining is the practice of identifying and registering or acquiring Internet domain names with the intent of selling them later for a profit.”

Regardless of what you decide to put on the card.  Taking the extra step to identify your target market will increase your chances of succeeding in this industry.

On a special note, if you have any suggestions feel free to post them as well!  All input is welcome!  Till next time my friends.