Finding a Niche with Domain Expirations

As internet marketers, we are continually looking for was to maximize traffic to our respective websites. The methods we use vary from paid advertising, pay-per-click opportunities, writing articles, banner and classified ads, etc. Additionally, we follow as closely as possible the methods to improve our overall search engine optimization criteria. But is that enough? Often times, "no it is not" is the sad but simple answer. What other ways then are there? We have a great looking website, doing all the (w)right things, but they still do not come to your site.

One of the most commonly overlooked techniques for increasing web traffic is having a website domain name that closely matches our niche market, while being easy and associated with the market we are trying to get to the top in.

For many, expiring and expired domains are the answer. According to Google, in excessive of 3 million clicks or url hits to targeted traffic are lost or receive website not found errors on a daily basis. This common occurrence happens for a number of reasons, ranging from simple neglect by the owners to abandonment due to poor performance, lost interest, and the list goes on and on. To look at some of the traffic information about these sites, some were never started, while others received respectable traffic, sales and revenue. All of which have been abandoned.

The opportunity exists to acquire these sites, single sites or in bulk at a fraction of what it might cost you otherwise. Think of it, being able to start up a site that already have traffic, reciprocal and one-way links to it, targeted clients, all under new management - that's you!

As a secondary activity there is a lucrative market on the internet (some through eBay) for auctions specializing in resale of domain names (some expired, some not). When you have a chance, do a search of domain auctions. You will be surprised at what some of the highly sought after web domains are selling for. Many are beginning to see these as investments. And the great part, many of these can be obtained for future use or for resale potential with merely the cost of registration, which can be very inexpensive ($5-$15 dollar range).

The list of possibilities is endless, with thousands more expiring each and every day. With a little bit of background research to investigate the previous use of the website and traffic information where available, you could find yourself with a lucrative niche with additional revenues before you know it.

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Profit Shouldn't Be a Dirty Word in Material Handling

Nobody benefits when profit is eliminated from the economic equation.

With the economy on the mend, a lot of people in the material handling industry are expecting good times without having to make any changes in the way they do business. Unfortunately, that means the continuation of one particular practice that played a major role in getting the economy in trouble a few years back.

When the "dot.coms" were flying high, they experienced rapid growth by the simple method of offering impossibly low prices and constant expansion into markets about which they knew nothing. They operated at a loss for years on end, promising investors that it would all turn around when they had achieved sufficient market share. Eventually, of course, this "lose a little on each deal but make it up in volume" business model blew up in their faces. The balloons popped, one by one, and the economy followed them down the tube.

In the material handling industry, this discredited business model is still very much in evidence. Too many companies have played the merger game, getting themselves involved in markets that they know nothing about. Too many have played the numbers game, moving money from one pocket to another to make themselves look good for one more quarter (this is called managing for stockholder value), totally forgetting about long-range planning.

Worst of all, too many companies have bought into the concept of forgoing profits in pursuit of market share, with the idea of becoming profitable once the competition is eliminated. It's called "buying a job," meaning submitting a bid that allows for little or no profit. Theoretically, this has two benefits. It gets you the job, which makes your sales figures (if not your profits) look impressive. More importantly, for some people, it prevents your competition from getting the job.

But let's look at the downside. Without profits, you have no money to invest in research and development, capital expenditures, etc. Your growth is all on paper, and will disappear as soon as you run out of money to buy jobs with.

With minimal profit margins, you have neither the money nor the inclination to service the sale after it is made. The result is an unhappy customer, and that is never good news for the long term prospects of your company.

Finally, let's say that your strategy of underbidding the competition works, and your nearest competitor goes bankrupt. What happens? Somebody buys his assets for 25 cents on the dollar and opens a new business. Since his initial investment was so low, he can undercut your prices. You haven't eliminated competition, you've made it worse.

Profit is not a dirty word. Nobody -- least of all the customer -- benefits when profit is eliminated from the economic equation. I'm not saying we shouldn't be looking for efficiencies that will allow us to keep prices down while maintaining a reasonable profit margin. Of course the customer benefits from lower prices, but the economy in general and the material handling industry in particular will be much healthier when we all admit to wanting our fair share. If you're satisfied with a 3% profit, I suggest you buy a government bond. It's safer.

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