Own your name dot com
One of the best business decision of my life was to buy timsanders.com back in 1999. Glad I did. There are many Tim Sanders in the world, but I own my name dot com. I own my advice blog's natural name (Sanders Says) dot com too. Last year, Jacqueline and I cofounded Deeper Media. I had to buy deepermedia.com, but it was a worthwhile investment.
This is a dummy check for anyone reading this. If your name dotcom is available, buy it today. If you don't have a website, redirect it to a site related to you such as:
1. Your blog
2. A page about you on your company's website
3. Your MySpace page
4. Your favorite charity
Trust me, if you have great luck (like getting on American Idol or writing a book), someone will buy it and then sell it to you at a grossly inflated price. When I wrote my first book, an announcement of my signing led some squatter to buy loveisthekillerapp.com and it made me crazy. Eventually, they let the agreement lapse and I got it back.
Here's the advice:
1. .com is the best. .net is second best. .us is third best
2. If your name dotcom and dotnet are already taken, go to the WHOIS part of Network Solutions and see when their registration expires. Either put that date in your Outlook to buy it or sign up for their SnapNames services (that's how I recovered loveisthekillerapp.com).
4. Do this for you kids today!!!! Owning their name dotcom will be an assett that they can value in the future.
Your name is pretty easy for people to learn and remember. That is why having your name as a dotcom address is good marketing. As with anything else in life remember; location, location, location.
One step ahead of you Tim :-)
www.EricFarewell.com
I'd also recommend picking up:
yournamerecommends.com
and
askyourname.coom
Great stuff as always, sir.
-Eric
Posted by: Eric Farewell | March 19, 2007 at 09:34 PM
Great post!
I had already snapped up lenawest.com, .net and .org however, I didn't have them forwarded to my company's site.
I just forwarded the .com and the .net - what a great 30 second business development hint!
Thanks, Tim!
Posted by: Lena West | March 16, 2007 at 08:28 PM
Great post Tim. I have had my own domain since 1997 when people weren't thinking about. It is good to see that you were thinking about it early as well. I have found that it has been a great personal branding tool. Plus, by using a personal email people will always know how to get ahold of you no matter what company you work for.
Posted by: Jason Jacobsohn | March 15, 2007 at 06:38 PM
Tis true got mine last year. It's also good to get yourname@gmail.com and hey that's free.
Posted by: ethan | March 15, 2007 at 04:36 PM
Thanks Tim!
I have my name, but never thought about getting my kid's names. I just got all three.
Ann
Posted by: ann michael | March 15, 2007 at 10:33 AM
Hello Tim,
Great post, there are many people with the same name as me, both .com and .co.uk were taken, however I managed to get .net using www.123-reg.co.uk. I will get my blog hosted on the new site also.
Many Thanks,
Phil
Posted by: Phil Carr | March 15, 2007 at 03:57 AM
Hello Tim
what a great idea, I have just bought my name and my son's name, I will direct them at the family flickr slideshow.
Much easier than telling people that huge link you need to get to that.
Cheers Tim
Posted by: Damien Bove | March 15, 2007 at 12:44 AM