BUYING / INDEPENDENT COVERAGE
A better mandate starts with a precise brief.
Read about defining an intermediary’s role before outreach begins. A domain broker’s responsibilities depend on the engagement, so scope, authority, compensation, reporting, and confidentiality should be explicit. This publication does not offer brokerage services or represent domain owners. A useful mandate describes an achievable job and keeps the buyer’s actual business objective in view.
Specify whether the intermediary will locate a counterpart, communicate interest, negotiate, or help coordinate delivery. Identify work needing separate technical or legal review. Avoid treating an instruction to “handle everything” as a complete agreement. If a task is outside the engagement, assign it elsewhere before the negotiation becomes time-sensitive.
Document who can approve offers and which information may be shared. Distinguish a total budget from an initial bid and a confidential ceiling. Requests for discretion should remain compatible with truthful communication and applicable identity checks. Clarify representation and any relevant competing instructions rather than assuming every intermediary acts solely for the buyer.
Ask for reports distinguishing verified responses from interpretations and unanswered outreach. Establish payment and delivery responsibilities before final agreement. A negotiated price is a milestone, not the same thing as verified control of the exact asset. Agree on the engagement’s duration and closure process, keeping alternatives available if the preferred acquisition cannot be completed.
YOUR READING LIST
Define the target, authority, budget, confidentiality, reporting, and completion criteria before an intermediary starts outreach.
Read the fieldnote : Working with a domain broker: write a better acquisition brief
Follow the purchase from exact-name verification to transfer readiness, payment terms, acceptance, and post-transfer control.
Read the fieldnote : Buying aftermarket domains: a due-diligence checklist
Assess business fit, linguistic quality, alternatives, and total cost before accepting a premium label or an asking price.
Read the fieldnote : What makes a premium domain worth paying for?