How do you manage your domains?

I'm curious about how you guys keep track of all your domain names. Do you use a spread sheet, software, or an online service, or notes written on paper etc?

If you had a wish list for the ideal domain name management tool, what features would it have? Also, the minimum cool features for a budget product for say $10

Hope you don't mind me doing a bit of market research here since I'm adapting some of my code to become a Domain Management App. and want to make it a useful utility that people would want to use.

Later on I may need some beta testers that can get the software for free, with lifetime upgrades.

Features beyond a spreadsheet are of interest such as:

• expiry alerts
• automatic parking page creation
• easy login to accounts

Do you distrust online services?

Hopefully you have time to post some suggestions here based on your experience as a domainer ...

I use a password protected spreadsheet on an encrypted USB drive with the domains, the domain registrars, the expiration dates, the hosting companies, the FTP usernames and passwords and a notes column. At the end of the year I yellow highlight the expiration dates for each domain that expires that year.

The USB drive is periodically backed up to another USB drive that I keep in a secure location.

It is simple, but it works.

I use Watch my Domains Pro and Domain Research Tool

Oddly I was thinking about the need to track domains more accurately this morning as I was looking at a bank statement that had a suspect withdrawal that turned out to be payment on a domain I'd set to auto-renew.

Whether it is set to auto-renew or not and the amount and account info might be fields to consider including on the tool. Also where it is hosted and the renewal info on that portion.

I'm keeping a spreadsheet for my domains with the following colums:

domain name
keywords
exact match #
price bought
Leads y/n (does it have possible endusers)
Sell Attempt

Expires
Registrar
DNS
Then some columns where the domain is for sale like Sedo, Godaddy, Afternic etc.


On a whiteboard in front of my desk, I'm keeping track of a shortlist of domains that are somehow involved in a process. It has the following columns:

Domain Name
Price (that I bought the domain for)
Registrar
In transfer
Parked platform
Leads (did i create a list y/n)
Mail sent (to contacts in list)
Asking price
Other info (like transfer lock, offers received etc)

I'm also keeping a log (in a notebook) of domain sale attempts, how many mails were sent, date, mail failed, mail returned, mail replies etc.

If I could consolidate all this information in a program, I would be interested :o


ps. I've heard about 'DomainPunch' but haven't tried it.

ps.2.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robjones

Oddly I was thinking about the need to track domains more accurately this morning as I was looking at a bank statement that had a suspect withdrawal that turned out to be payment on a domain I'd set to auto-renew.

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I had this happen to me last week (when they autorenewed a ccTLD 2 months before the expiry date). Fortunately, godaddy issued a refund.

Thanks for the feedback guys. It looks like most requirements can be handled by a spreadsheet. But I will see what I can produce in the form of a dedicated app.

I actually have a spreadsheet that has a lot of data on the domains, including:
domain name
create date
renewal date
status (developed, parked, etc)
registrar
main keyword phrase
value (how much it's worth)
bottom line sell amount

That's just some of the info I keep on the spreadsheet.
I usually check it once week to make sure there's nothing I need to renew, and try to sell at least one domain per month on the list. I have a list of the domains I'm trying to sell, in order of priority.

Where are you guys currently getting the best prices for domains that you sell?

I need to trim down my inventory.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TopDogger

Where are you guys currently getting the best prices for domains that you sell?

I need to trim down my inventory.

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I'm only selling to endusers, it's rare that my domains receive an offer at Sedo or Godaddy but coincidentally sold a domain at Sedo for $295 last week that I handregistered only October last year.
Also sold one domain with Toby Clements last week but I lost money on it. None of the endusers i approached before were interested but it was a good lesson.
Just minutes ago received a mail for a $175 sale of a domain hand registered last year.

Perhaps sounds like i'm making a lot of sales but unfortunately that's not the case :cool:

Quote:

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, it's rare that my domains receive an offer at Sedo or Godaddy

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You might try using LeadRefs - Making the right call which is a site that will find leads (potential buyers) for your domains. I've found quite a few there, and sold directly to the end users.