What is a Domain Name Reseller Program?
When someone buys or leases a domain name, rights to to use that domain name are acquired through a domain name registrar company such as GoDaddy or Network Solutions. A variety of other companies qualify as official, top-level, domain name registrars as well.
Some registrars use sneaky tactics to get your business by offering “free” or $.99 domain names as part of their website hosting plan, for example, but the safer option is to always purchase your domain names so you own them.
A domain name reseller program is where a person (or company) promotes a top-level domain name registrar through a private label website, thereby receiving referral commissions on the domain name purchases.
Domain Name Affiliate Programs are Not the Same as Domain Name Resellers
Affiliate programs for domain names pay only a one-time commission for the initial purchase of the domain name. Reseller programs provide ongoing commissions for the life of the domain name AND give a higher level of account and support access than affiliate programs provide.
Why Every Internet Marketing Services Provider Should Become a Domain Name Reseller
I’ve been a domain name reseller since 2003. After years of rescuing domain names for clients from being held captive by their web designers who registered their clients’ domain names in their accounts, I needed a central location to suggest all of my clients go to register the domain names on their own. From that experience, I can suggest there are several reasons beyond getting commission on sales that should inspire you to become a domain name reseller.
- Support Access – When you’re a reseller for a good domain name registrar, you will get one level higher access to your clients’ domain names. You will only get access to domain names themselves if your clients allow you to have their passwords, but you will get access to their client ID numbers. This alone can help a great deal when troubleshooting.
- Priority Partner Recognition – When a client needs support for their domain name, and you call the registrar on the client’s behalf, you will receive a higher level of treatment from the support department. I’m not saying it’s right, but that’s just how it is.
- Consistency – Having all of your clients use your domain name registrar system enables you to get to know the domain name registration and support process well. When your clients call you with questions upon domain name renewal time, you will easily know how to answer their questions.
- Safety from Scams – At least once a month, a domain name customer will send an email to me with a renewal notice they’ve received by email. I can immediately recognize the promotion as a scam and tell them not to follow the link to renew. Automated scripts exist to try to lure people into having their domain name registrar changed. Having your own domain name reseller program is the best way to fight off these scams for your clients.
- Better Marketing – When you feel comfortable about the domain name registrar system you’re recommending, your clients will purchase more domain names in confidence. Individual domain names should be registered for every product and every service a business owner has to offer, along with multiple TLDs (.co, .us, .net, for example).
How to Choose a Domain Name Reseller Program
I was checking out reviews for best domain name referral programs and was totally amazed at something I discovered. Almost all domain name registrars with reseller programs only pay commissions on the INITIAL PURCHASE of the domain name!
If that was the case with the domain name registrar I’m affiliated with, I honestly don’t think I would have ever signed-up as a domain name reseller.
I’ve enjoyed referral commissions being deposited into my bank account from domains purchased as far back as 2004 when I started providing live internet marketing training workshops. Year after year, ongoing commissions for those renewals sure add up!
I cannot for certain claim my domain name reseller program is the ONLY one that pays commission for every new domain name registered AND the same commission for every year after for any renewed domain name…for the LIFE of that domain name…but I can say for certain it is one of very very few. So, read the fine print before you sign-up with any domain name registrar claiming to pay commissions on domain name sales.
If there are any other domain name registrars that pay referral commissions for the life of the domain name, they sure do a terrible job of promoting that fact.
In addition, the new reviews I’ve seen describe that, for some domain name affiliate programs, you have to create some sort of goofy report and submit the report to get your commissions paid! That’s simply absurd and adds way too much work for the reseller. Real domain name resellers and experienced affiliate marketers expect automated payments that accumulate over time…without any additional administrative tasks.
And, that’s where the money is. The only real way to make residual income with domain names is by outbound efforts to build your number of domain name customers year after year…and encourage them to go buy more domain names year after year. Then you can enjoy compounding commissions year after year. Does that make sense?
So, if you’re looking for a domain name registrar with automated affiliate program style payouts, in hopes of earning commissions on domain names year after year, there really should be no hesitation now. You have found what you’ve been searching for!
What Domain Name Reseller Program Do I Recommend?
An email came in to my inbox four years ago resulting from a request through LinkedIn, asking about the domain name reseller program I promote and endorse. My response today would be exactly the same as it was years ago. So, instead of rewriting it for this post, I thought I’d share the actual response I provided that day.
The writer visited my domain name reseller registration page (where people who want to become domain name resellers sign-up) first and sent the email to me as follows:
“Your program looks inviting, but many of the online marketers today recommend companies like Go Daddy, Network Solutions, Host Gator, etc. I use GoDaddy today and have stayed away from non-name brands. Those who are new to products you sell might not have the background I have and elect to purchase, but I need to see evidence of your success.”
My Response to the Domain Name Reseller Inquiry
Most of the rest of this post was the actual response I provided in the email. I’ve just broken it up for you with some sub-heads for easier reading. Plus, I’ve left out all of the quote marks just because they get annoying after a while:
– – – Beginning of my reply – – –
Hi Steve and thanks for writing. When you sign-up for the domain name reseller program I use, and launch your own website and connect it to the the turnkey back office the system provides, you are actually using the same servers and support department that GoDaddy uses.
A little known fact is that GoDaddy was actually “a reseller” for the same top-level registrar. At that time, the registrar was called Wild West Domains. GoDaddy has since bought out that company, of course, but they kept the main infrastructure in place.
Also, have you ever heard of one of the most popular places to register domain names called NameCheap? Yep, they too promote GoDaddy domain names and get commission for sales.
Will it be Worth it if You Never Sell a Domain Name?
Yes! When you register to become a reseller, there is a small annual administration fee to be paid so that you have access to your back office.
Even if you never sell a domain name, your annual payment will probably be made back year after year when you transfer all of your domain names to your own reseller account because you, as a domain name reseller, get pricing discounts on domain names and other services.
Personally, I suggest to anyone in the business that they sign-up for the reseller account and then transfer all their domain names (including any that were registered direct at GoDaddy) to their reseller account. That’s how I got started and I buy enough of my own stuff every year like SSL certs and domains that I save more than I pay every year.
How Will You Make Money as a Domain Name Reseller?
The money part comes into play 3-6 months later when you get enough clients in the system using domain names through your private label. When they buy a new domain name through (or transfer an existing domain name to) your reseller account, you will get a small commission for each sale.
BEST OF ALL, every year you renew your reseller program to continue as a reseller, and your clients renew their domain names, you get ongoing commission for the domain name renewals!
The added bonus is that you have access to a back office that provides a list of all of the names and user IDs for each domain name registered and each client who owns them. You will find having this level of access to be of particular importance when a client loses their account login information.
Over the years, peoples’ email addresses change, and they forget passwords. But, you can always login, find their customer ID, and then use the “forgot password” feature for them to help them get back into their domain management area again. The fact that you’re able to offer that level of service typically winds up with the question from the client, “Can you also help me with…?” And, that of course turns into more, and higher paying, projects.
The 24/7 support department can do the same thing for anyone who calls in, and those support people will answer the phone under whatever company name you supply during the domain name reseller setup process. But, some of your clients will probably prefer to call you directly. When that happens, you’ll be happy to have a domain name registrar system that allows you that additional level of access.
How Do You Promote Your Domain Name Reseller Site?
How each person chooses to promote their own domain name reseller site will be different from the next.
For me, most of my domain name customers signup when they become clients for other web marketing services like a new website, SEO help, or when they have us help produce a non-fiction book with them.
The book title will need a domain name, the new public speaker’s name will need a domain name, and they always have a few domain names already registered with a different registrar that I suggest they move to their new domain name account under my reseller label at BestDomainPlace.com.
I’m always promoting BestDomainPlace.com when the opportunity arises. When I speak on-stage or in a virtual live setting, I try to get a mention BestDomainPlace.com.
When I write e-books or articles, I’m always promoting BestDomainPlace.com. I even snuck the domain name and screenshot into my published books
Web Marketing All-in-One for Dummies (Editions 1 and 2).
So, exactly how you should promote your own domain name registration program will be up to you, but you might start with my free 101 Realistic Traffic Methods.
How Do You Build Credibility for Your Reseller Registration Process?
When you first sign-up at BestResellerProgram.com, you will get immediate access to a back office where you can find your affiliate link. You can begin promoting that affiliate link by sending emails to your existing customers…and use it to begin your own domain name account and transfer all of your domain names to that account so you start getting discounts on your own domain name renewals.
As soon as possible, I suggest you develop a WordPress website of your own specifically for your domain name reseller program. I go into more specifics about this in the Getting Started Guide I will provide you for FREE once you sign-up as a reseller through my BestResellerProgram.com link. Just send an email to me after you have done so.
When you build a website for your domain name reseller program, you will need to register a domain name like I did, where I chose BestDomainPlace.com to house the WordPress website. Links from that WordPress website point to specific page links within my domain name reseller back office. When someone signs up resulting from those links, their domain names are registered only to them, giving the customer full control of their domain names, but are within my reseller umbrella. The same would apply for customers registering their domain names under your reseller account.
– – – And, that was the end of my reply – – –
5 Gotch-ya's to Watch Out for Regarding Domain Names and Reselling Domain Names
With 18 years reselling domain names, you can imagine I’ve seen quite a few strange changes in the industry. I’d like to make you aware of some of them while you go searching around the web to find the best domain name reseller program for you.
- The Lure – Hostgator, 1and1, BlueHost, and other website hosting companies all have their gimmicks to lure you in to their website hosting services. One of the most popular is to offer so-called “free,” $.99 or $1 domain name registration. They figure if they can get you to register your domain with them, they will have you as hosting clients until the end of time. Great strategy for them, but problematic if you decide to change website hosts.When you have your own domain name reseller account to offer your clients, they can rest assured that their website hosting can be anywhere using any company and they can easily change DNS settings from one to the next, without any additional costs or delays.
- The Conglomerate – Endurance International Group (EIG) is a venture capital company who’s been buying out hosting companies over the years. Hostgator, Domain.com, BlueHost, and about 75 others all operate under the same poor, slow, overloaded support system. When you decide to exit the company’s hosting, you still must maintain your monthly payment for website hosting to keep your so-called “free” domain name. Transferring your domain name ownership to a new registrar has often taken *weeks* as reported on forums. See a full list of EIG-owned companies here.When you have your own domain name reseller account through the system I use, you and your clients always have true usage rights of the domain names. They will have complete access to their transfer management and controls.
- The Bait – As much as I love GoDaddy for its domain name reseller system, they too are guilty of “the lure” when a person registers a domain name direct at GoDaddy.com, but in a slightly different way. They will give you domain name discounts to get you in and then up-charge your domain name costs upon renewal next year to make up for the discounts they gave you before. Plus, they will sneak in add-ons to your billing so you have to be very careful to sign-up for only what you truly need.When you have your own domain name reseller account through my system, you are encouraged to setup your own website like I have at BestDomainPlace.com.When someone clicks through the links to the purchase pages, the prices shown are prices I have personally set. Your back office will allow you to set your own pricing too. Your domain name customers will know exactly what to expect when renewal time comes around. They’ll be loyal to YOU for life because of your honesty with pricing and consistency through the years.
Your Domain Name is the Brain of Everything You Do on the Internet
If your website is the heart of everything you do on the internet to build your business, your domain name is the brain. Since you are evaluating the potential of becoming a domain name reseller, I would like to first suggest that you adopt a mindset about domain names that pays less attention to being “free” or “cheapest” and choose the value of domain name control instead.
You cannot afford to lose control of your own domain names or you could lose years of website and internet presence along with it.
Spread that practice to your customers and clients as well so that they see the true value of their own domain names and take the correct steps to protect them…even if it costs them a few dollars more every year.
Get Started with Your Own Domain Name Reseller Account Today!
If you are in the business of helping clients to use the Internet, you really need to find a domain name registrar with a reseller program and get your clients to transfer their existing domain names to that account and register any new domain names there too. If you approach it from the standpoint of, realistically, not expecting to get rich from domain name commissions, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when money gets added automatically every month to your bank account.
I really don’t know of any other domain name reseller program that provides ongoing commissions for the life of the domain names other than mine. You truly do get paid commission for the life of the domain names. Life will be much easier for you (and your clients) down the road knowing your clients’ domains are in a safe place, with a system that YOU are familiar and comfortable with.
Which Domain Name Reseller Option is Right for You?
When you arrive at the Domain Name Reseller sign-up page, you’re going to see two options. If you are website designer, social media provider, SEO/SEM manager, virtual assistant, or supplier of any other marketing-related services, I suggest you select the lowest priced, BASIC RESELLER option. There you will get the turnkey back-office mentioned earlier where you can set prices and choose from available products and services to offer your clients.
ONLY choose the higher priced PRO RESELLER option if you work with or have connections with other people in the industry who provide marketing related services to others and want to inspire THEM to become domain name resellers too. That way, you will be able to get 2nd-tier commissions for domains and other products they sell to others.
How Will I Personally Commit to Helping You Get Started?
I have created a Getting Started document for you to go through to build and launch your domain name reseller program. The first two years of my experiences as a domain name reseller are wrapped up in this document for you to go through on your own for easy implementation and avoiding mistakes I made.
After you register, send an email to me at marty@hnyprojects.com and request the document. I will login to my reseller manager account and verify your registration. Then, I’ll reply to your email with the document attached no charge.
One of the great things about being a PRO Reseller is that I get a tiny 2nd level commission on sales you bring in. So, it’s worth my time to provide this getting started document so that you can be successful as soon as possible.
Feel free to use that email address to ask any questions before you register as well. I’m happy to help.
I truly wish you good luck in your domain name reseller program and click the button below to get started!
