Attracting Quality Sites to the Marketplace - Your Ideas?

[LukeMoulton]

One of the challenges we face is attracting new quality sites to the marketplace. I know investors among you are getting frustrated by the [strike]dearth[/strike] profusion of start-up sites flooding trading sites and would like to see more blue-chip-like opportunities and fewer penny stocks.

Part of attracting owners of quality sites is about education. Many potential sellers are unaware that a website trading marketplace exists. There are the usual approaches to breaking down these knowledge barriers such as PR and advertising, but I'm interested to hear any new or novel ideas about attracting quality sites to the marketplace.

[hooperman]

I know investors among you are getting frustrated by the dearth of start-up sites

It's the other way around. There's a dearth of quality sites and a profusion of start-ups.

I'm not sure what the answer is. Advertising?

[LukeMoulton]

Thanks hoopman... correction "profusion".

[hooperman]

Thanks hoopman... correction "profusion".

No problem, I'm always getting **** and elbow mixed up

Developing a thriving community of people who like to discuss the ins and outs of buying websites is a good way to attract the kind of people who are interested in buying/selling those quality websites you mention. You could probably gear your blog posts a little higher than beginner level, too, but that would require you having experience in what you blog about.

[Clinton]

Hi Luke, and welcome.

Any raising of awareness of website selling marketplaces has got to be good for Flippa

I agree that there are many, many people out there who have thriving online businesses who are experts in their own fields but complely ignorant about the buying/selling of businesses. When they want to sell they'll likely go to their local business broker, their government agency small business advisor, their chamber of commerce or their golf club rather than look online.

It's ironic, but a classmate of mine I caught up with recently owns a very successful internet business in Florida and was telling me how he found a business broker in the finance section of his broadsheet newspaper! These internet savvy people don't even Google it, it's amazing!

I think this is a brilliant topic for discussion and I'm promoting it to the front page. Because that's just the type of audience I'm trying to reach. I'd like them to come here, talk to us, discuss their prospective sale, pick our brains and maybe share some of what they know.

[WSYSBroker]

I agree Clinton, it is amazing that all these website owners have no idea that even "website brokers" exist. I have been in sales for just over 8 years now and it has always been challenging to prospect for the big fish. I thought the days of cold calling were behind us, but I have found that not to be the case. I actually have had some great success in simply finding a profitable site and calling up the owner directly. It is never a hard sell the first few times we speak. Like Luke said, it is about education. I start talking to them about the little things on their sites that they could do better with to make more money. I build their trust and then feel them out to see if they would be interested in selling. Sometimes they are, and sometimes it simply just triggers them to think about selling sooner than they would have originally thought.

Aside from cold calling (which I know may seem foreign to some people), I have had success simply networking. I would get a lead from someone wanting to sell their site that is worth no more than $500, but after some digging and asking the right questions, I find out that owner knows another webmaster that owns a network of sites worth over 6 figures. Had I not asked the question, I would have never known about this network of sites and I would have never sold it.

I know these are not new or novel ideas on how to attract blue chip websites, but sometimes the tried and true ways of doing business turn out to be your best bet.

[Clinton]

Thanks, Michael. Yes, there's a lot to be said for the direct approach.

Any suggestions for how to reach that same audience on a larger scale rather than one-to-one phone calls? The education would involve some work and could take several different forms - need to think about that a bit, but how do we make contact with people who have internet businesses and have no idea about selling businesses? Many of them may not even realise a market exists!

[WSYSBroker]

This is quite a challenge in every industry! Besides PR, advertising, direct contact & forums just like this one, there is not a whole lot out there to bring attention to this market. I guess one place we can start is networking with the right people. If all these site owners are going to Chambers of commerce, government agencies, and local brokers, we need to start getting in touch with them and go from there. Facebook, linkedin, Twitter, etc are all good starting points to source out the right people. Perhaps theses chambers of commerce and government agencies are having trouble trying to evaluate and sell these online properties...and that's where we can help! Just a thought....

[midascode]

It has been a couple of years since I attended a 'webmaster type of exhibition' - but one thing I looked for, but never found was Business Brokers or Website Brokers offering services at these exhibitions. Sure you would find companies that traded in Domains - but not websites

Maybe it has been tried and maybe it doesn't work - but I thought it may be a way of attracting some quality business people - wanting to buy websites or wishing to sell websites

[LukeMoulton]

It has been a couple of years since I attended a 'webmaster type of exhibition' - but one thing I looked for, but never found was Business Brokers or Website Brokers offering services at these exhibitions. Sure you would find companies that traded in Domains - but not websites

Good suggestion. This also combines the networking aspect as well. Just found Conference Calendar which could be handy. Anyone know of any other IM or business related conference or exhibition lists?