Yesterday I was out and about, chatting with people as I am a talker 
In small talk, it always seems that people ask me what I do for a living. Most of the time I feel like not even saying anything because I know that I will be "explaining".
Sometimes I say "I Buy and Sell Domain Names", or I say "A Domain Name Investor" or I deal with "Internet Real Estate" or "Internet Domain Names".
Most of the time I get a some what of a puzzled look…. then I start to explain. What I find the funniest, is how many people do not even have a CLUE what a domain name even is… Most think a domain name is a "website". Well, in a way a domain name is a website, but it’s really the NAME you type in or click at a search engine, to get to that website. Ohhhh is the reply, followed by, those are worth something?
Explaining some more, I always take the Demand route and explain that X amount of people search for certain terms and about 1 in 6 of that number do direct type that domain into a browser. When there is demand, there is value. I think most people understand that part. After explaining a bit more, it really seems like people get interested and I’m sure when they get home they Google a bit more about domain names. Some might become "Newbies" and others will just pass it by for whatever reason.
A couple things that I am thinking of doing as I see a demand to help out our industry. Educate People that do not know what domain names are. I think I am going to write a brochure and have it professionally printed and start handing them out to those who ask "what I do". One, this will cut down on my time that I spend explaining "what I do" and secondly, I might be missing some chances to make a profit to these people that I explain to. Now I question what I should put in this brochure as I do not want it to look like a sales pitch as that is not my intention, but if I can make a buck, why not.
I am thinking of explaining what a domain name IS and what makes them valuable. Supply and demand and how to see what people are searching for. I think another very important point to get across is "how to buy", since most people that I talk to say "all the good ones are gone"! Well, my reply is Yes and No. They maybe gone as any valuable real estate is, but did you know that you might be able to Buy that good one your interested in as well? Well this is how you would go about doing this… etc.
Business cards are probally an easier and cheaper way, but then I think you would have to set up a website to send people to help "teach". I might even try both, but I do know for sure that domainers as a whole need to do their part and help educate people on domain names and the domaining industry. Over the past 10-15 years the domain industry has grown and grown but still has a long way to go!
Wendy Putnam
That is a great idea, and oh so very true. When I first started designing web sites in 1995, I went through the same thing, spent a lot of time educating people. Clients also needed a lot of info. because they thought I could just throw up a website using pagemaker or quark…and these were not billable hours. I added all this info. to my site and it helped a little but it wasn’t very viral and I still spent most of my time explaining.
Hmmm, if you could somehow make interesting enough that it spread like wildfire that would be awesome. Maybe you will get some good ideas on this post. : ) Much luck and skill I’m sure whatever you come up with will be great. Wendy
Kelly lieberman
(Almost)Everybody knows what Youtube is… maybe you could hand them a “teaser” business card..”If you are really interested in how I spend my very flexible day, check out my video @….which sends them to your video with you “small-talking” directly to them. Then you could show screen shots, link them to your blog etc…
Who knows?
Damir
What a post – not many people know about domain names you are on the dot right.
When I have read your post and the response to it made me laugh (I had flashbacks about the domain name ventures when I first started out).
Craig C
Don’t you think it is curious that after 10-15 years, you still get blank looks about Domain Names?
That is because the whole system is too complex and fragmented for common folk to care about or take the time to learn. Even the term Domain Name is a techie term! Registry? Registrar? Parking Pages? DNS? What the hell?
No one expecting the average citizen to participate in this would have thought up such a ridiculous structure. The entire registration process, renewal, and transfer process is ludicrously complex and by the DNS founders’ own admission, never intended to be used the way it is being used, especially in the sense that domain names are now considered assets for buying and selling.
In my opinion, it is this inherent complexity that the Domainer community will never overcome. obstacle.
**Jamie Says**
All good points Craig. Very good post.