Question

Topic: E-Marketing

Seeking A Partner

Posted by Anonymous on 3/12/2010 at 11:31 AM ET 125 Points

I own the domains www.epub.com and www.epub.mobi



Currently they are used for my services as a boutique epublisher for small private projects. We are considering a change in direction for the domains, not for my work, by using one or both as a resource for electronic publishing. Perhaps a place for publications to be sold, perhaps blogs on epublishing, perhaps software, services to be sold, perhaps a home for epublishing chat room, SaaS hosting or whatever.



We enjoy what we are doing and don't wish to change direction nor want to create or manage this project. There is simply no interest in changing jobs, particularly where the skills in Internet marketing don't exist.

So I am seeking a partner to grab and run, these brands and don't quite know how to do this.

I view epub.com as anchor tenant space in a virtual retail mall. The mall has no interest is running a business inside the mall. With that model in mind we will entertain proposals for a business plan for leasing the site. www.Epub.com. or if you prefer www.ePub.com



This may also allow a separate mall outlet for www.ePub.mobi In general ePub.mobi would be great to epublishers in the mobile environment. Perhaps an iTunes alternative for android apps? I don’t know. "Get your android apps at epub.mobi "?



The offer being proposed is:
- We will lease or partner use of the domain(s) to the person(s) best able to run a business from it. These domains are currently generating 50~80 hits per day, with no promo,
- It will be structured as either a Joint venture or commercial Retail Net lease. I am open to either. I expect to provide the technical aspects...

- I will provide:
o Domain hosting and maintenance
o Web design (portal and content management) to your spec.
o Site technical administration
o Merchant services.
o (optional customer support)

I will receive a deposit payment, a monthly rent and some % of revenue.

Anyway I was thinking of posting this text below but don't know where to post or how to best market this.


The goal is to provide a web entrepreneur, a great web location.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I am seeking a partner that is funded. I don't know whether to publish this or where. The rules are simple:
- Proposals (business plans and financial offers) will be reviewed for;
· Plan (organization and completeness) accurate estimates and projections
· Most likely to succeed based on skill, experience and funding
· Most qualified
· Creativity and organization of the ePub product you are proposing (branding included)
· Knowledge and experience in ePublishing industry or alternatively print publishing, distribution and web marketing.
· Knowledge and experience in mobile
· internet marketing experience, (branding and promotion)
· Financial sharing.


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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 3/13/2010 at 9:45 AM Accepted
    It sounds like you're trying to get some revenue from a couple of domain names, right? Given that, I suspect your chances of finding a taker are slim.

    The problem with a domain name is that unless you can create awareness of it, nobody is likely to find it. It would be like locating your retail shopping mall on a dead-end street in some isolated suburb, without any signage.

    And if someone else has a great business idea and the resources to launch it, create awareness and market it effectively, chances are they're not going to pay a whole lot to rent a domain name. (I have a publishing company, and I was able to register a domain name and put up a working site in a matter of days for something less than $100.) Why would I want to complicate things just to get a domain name that someone else owns?

    I think you may be overvaluing what you have, and the time, effort and money you will need to invest to generate meaningful revenue are not likely to be worth it.

    My $0.02 worth. I hope, for your sake, I'm wrong. But I'd feel worse if I encouraged you to chase something that in the end would prove to be a waste of your resources.
  • Posted on 3/13/2010 at 9:51 AM Moderator
    p.s. You call the domain names "brand names," yet there is no evidence you've done anything to create any meaning or brand image for the brands.

    A "brand" is a lot more than a domain name or a logo. It's a whole bundle of emotions and promises and feelings about a product or service (or cause). And that "brand" exists in the minds of customers and consumers, not on paper or in some registry.

    I think you don't have a brand at all. You have a couple of domain names. Am I wrong?
  • Posted by cef4 on 3/14/2010 at 7:56 PM Accepted
    I have to agree with the above... You probably don't want to hear these comments, but please realize that we are trying to help you...

    50-80 hits per day is meaningless. If a person visits one page with no images on it, that is one hit. If a person visits a page with 20 pictures on it, that is 21 hits. Much more meaningful is the number of unique visitors (UV) or page views (PV). Low unique visitors with high page views would show that those visiting the site have interest. High UV with low PV would show good marketing but poor content... But, "hits" is meaningless.

    I visited epub.com and pal, you need some help with design. The background is so over powering that it obscures all else. The "see samples" link should go to a samples page, not an email link... Could I suggest to you the book "Home Page Usibility" by Neilson and Tahir.

    As things are now, I see nothing that could draw a partner in.

    Good luck.
  • Posted on 3/17/2010 at 7:33 AM Author
    First thank you all:

    Sadly Epub.com is not a brochure site. The marginal e-presence functional site is by intent. I don't use my domains as a brochure but do use it as a hosting of private and legal publications (secure ftp access.) I don't intend to change the face without a change in direction and that takes effort which I don't wish to do myself but rather with a partner.


    Sadly; You probably don't want to hear these comments either but please realize that we are trying to find a partner, not get a critique of our website graphics.

    There is a whole marketplace for domain leasing. A Google search will reveal that it is not common or clearly defined at this time but it is not radical. Sadly, the issue is I don't want to broadcast it as a lease, rather I am looking for a partner.

    Sadly, I don't want to hire someone to build Epub into a business right now.

    Sadly, I can't award point s because the answers are not on point. The question is really how to find a partner or market to find a partner. And it appears this is a difficult question and there is no clear path.

    I do appreciate everyone's effort and even those who read and didn't respond. It is not a simple question.

    Thanks to everyone for reading and taking the time to review.
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