Many people build up their domain portfolios in the hope that one day they will be able to sell their names for a tidy profit. If you're one of these people, and you're interested in selling your domains, the handy hints below will provide some guidance on what you can do to ensure your domain name gets found, and that your sale goes smoothly!

1. List your domains for sale – Sounds like an obvious one, and that’s why it’s first! Don’t just rely on keeping your WHOis information public and hoping you get an enquiry – be proactive! It’s important to have the visibility on your names as high as possible, and using large aftermarket sales sites is one of the best ways to do this. Some of the largest out there are Sedo and Afternic. They do take a percentage of your sale should you be successful however, so make sure you thoroughly read their terms of service. There are also several forums out there, such as NamePros, which have large selling communities, so it’s always worth a post to gauge interest.

2. Advertise wherever you can - You might already have your domain listed for sale, but to increase the probability of your domain being found even further, try parking your domains with a service that has a prominent For Sale notice on the parked page. Many people receive enquiries this way when people type the domain they are interested in directly into their browser and respond to the notice. To cover all bases, why not add something to your WHOis information letting anyone who views it know that the domain is for sale? It is very important to keep your WHOis accurate however, so don’t replace any of your owner details, just try adding “THIS DOMAIN IS FOR SALE” to one of the lines.

3. Beware of Scams – There’s no need to live in fear and avoid listing your domain for sale because you’re afraid you’ll be caught out, but you do need to be savvy before you hand over the domain, and before any money changes hands. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice if you’re not sure, and many common domain purchase scams will insist you pay for a “professional” domain appraisal. You then pay the money, and never hear from them again. A paid appraisal should never be necessary, but if the buyer insists and you think he's genuine, you could try to reach an agreement where he pays for the appraisal but you will discount the cost from the agreed price, should it go through.

4. Know your buyer – If someone offers you money for your domain find out what they’re going to use it for. Are they the end user? Are they acting on behalf of a client? The goal here is to find out whether you’re dealing with Joe Bloggs who wants to start a business, or some huge corporation who are desperate for the name for their new product. This will give you a much better idea of how much to start your asking price at. This is likely to involve a bit of digging, but it should pay off in the end!

5. When money changes hands, be sensible – It’s important that the buyer feels secure transferring you any money, but it’s also important that you feel good about handing over the domain! The safest way is to use an Escrow service like Escrow.com or Sedo, but if you choose to cut out the fees make sure you exchange a signed letter of intent to sell/buy and put together an official invoice you can agree on. A paper trail it important if anything goes wrong.

6. If in doubt, ask – The golden rule! Our support team are always happy to help if you have any questions or are unsure about the process. It’s ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry!

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