Too much contact?

DaveP · Jun 17, 2014

So I've been in contact a few times with a possible buyer over the last few weeks, twice over the phone and couple times via email about a domain I am selling and the last contact was 8 days ago when I gave them a price and asked them to let me know if they're interested in buying. I'm thinking today of doing a follow up call to see where they stand but would they see it as being too much? Would it feel like I'm pestering them? Is 8 days too short to wait?

What do you all think please?

Edit: Yes they told me they want to buy it.

Murray · Jun 17, 2014

I think if they want to buy it you wouldn't have to chase them so much

DaveP · Jun 17, 2014

Murray said:
I think if they want to buy it you wouldn't have to chase them so much

Sorry I should have said, they told me they want to buy it and asked how much. I suppose I just want a solid yes/no to the price without waiting for ages.

Murray · Jun 17, 2014

DaveP said:
Sorry I should have said, they told me they want to buy it and asked how much.

the last contact was 8 days ago when I gave them a price and asked them to let me know if they're interested in buying.

And they haven't replied, there is your answer

DaveP · Jun 17, 2014

Ok, is it ok to just carry on looking for other parties there? My worry now is I could go and sell it to someone else, they get back to me asking why I've gone and sold it when I offered it to them, bla bla. I literally can't recall a case where it's taken weeks to get a response for a domain sale so I'm in new territory and it's making me ickle brain confused lol.

DaveLeeds · Jun 17, 2014

DaveP said:
Ok, is it ok to just carry on looking for other parties there? My worry now is I could go and sell it to someone else, they get back to me asking why I've gone and sold it when I offered it to them, bla bla. I literally can't recall a case where it's taken weeks to get a response for a domain sale so I'm in new territory and it's making me ickle brain confused lol.

Let them know Dave that the domain has come up for development but you will honour any previous price given (for a further 7 days) - or providing business can be concluded within 72 hours etc.

diablo · Jun 17, 2014

Definitely make contact.

8 days is nothing - from my experience, buyers can come back weeks and even months later. Certainly doesn't mean they definitely aren't interested.

Ask them if they have made a decision on the domain name yet because you wish to continue to market it if they aren't interested. If they say the price was too high, ask what would be acceptable to them, and negotiate from there.

DaveLeeds · Jun 17, 2014

diablo said:
definitely make contact.

8 days is nothing - from my experience, buyers can come back weeks and even months later. Certainly doesn't mean they definitely aren't interested.

Ask them if they have made a decision on the domain name yet because you wish to continue to market it if they aren't interested. If they say the price was too high, ask what would be acceptable to them, and negotiate from there.

+1

cm1975 · Jun 17, 2014

I have had a few people like this.

If I haven't heard from them for a week or so, I generally send a message saying that I'm assuming they no longer wish to buy it and thanks for their interest. If someone wants to buy, then they will respond and it will sell.

It works as a reminder, without any kind of sales pressure.

Murray · Jun 17, 2014

diablo said:
8 days is nothing - from my experience, buyers can come back weeks and even months later. Certainly doesn't mean they definitely aren't interested.

Does that depend on if they first contact you? or if you first contacted them.

There's a big difference between them wanting it and you thinking they should want it.

Maybe I look at it too much from my own perspective but if I was interested I would reply, if I don't reply don't keep contacting me.

diablo · Jun 17, 2014

Murray said:
Does that depend on if they first contact you? or if you first contacted them.

There's a big difference between them wanting it and you thinking they should want it.

Maybe I look at it too much from my own perspective but if I was interested I would reply, if I don't reply don't keep contacting me.

In my experience, it doesn't depend on who makes first contact.

DaveP · Jun 17, 2014

Thank you all for your tips.

cm1975 said:
I have had a few people like this.

If I haven't heard from them for a week or so, I generally send a message saying that I'm assuming they no longer wish to buy it and thanks for their interest. If someone wants to buy, then they will respond and it will sell.

It works as a reminder, without any kind of sales pressure.

I like this and is what I'm going to send now.

cm1975 · Jun 17, 2014

The timescales for someone to respond will also depend on how big a company, how much is being spent and how many hoops they have to go through to finalize a sale.

If it's a one man band, then you are going to be speaking to one decision maker, who holds the purse strings. He may look for advise from someone with a better knowledge of domains and the internet, but there's nothing stopping him making his decision.

If it's a large company, then you may want the input of marketing (do we build a new website), web designer (how much to build a new website), seo specialist (is it worth building a website), management (do we want a new domain), finance (can we afford it) and board level (final sign-off). If you consider the availability of all those people, then 8 days is nothing, especially if any of those functions is out-sourced.

Skinner · Jun 17, 2014

like Diablo I have had them take months too, lots like a name, say they are interested, but always want to see if they can find it (an alternative) cheaper.

I usually give a time frame, where a price is held, and tell them I'll email near the expiry of this time. Usually give them 21 days, then email on day 20 to inform them within 7 days I'll be putting the name back up for public sale. Something along those lines, sometime include payment options etc, depends on the business and values.

Always be careful of saying you have other interest in the name, because that always comes back on you, if months later they come back its still now sold as a price lowering gamble heh.

disruptive · Jun 17, 2014

Don't beat yourself up too much!

There is not "right way" to do it. After all, domains are not a commodity sale like a packet of crisps - there simply are not enough sales to make generalizations.

Just keep it simple, polite and to the point.