Jay Piecha, or otherwise known as “SuiteJ” among his many customers, is a highly successful full-time website flipper. He specializes in flipping new sites that he designs and develops from scratch. You can find his startup sites for sale frequently on the Warrior Forum.
I had the pleasure of interviewing him the other day and you can read that interview here. Since the interview had so much information in it, I thought it would make sense to write a summary of the key points Jay shared with me during the interview. These are the eight key lessons Jay touched on regarding website flipping and starting your own business selling startup niche websites.
Lesson 1: Unless you are passionate about being a designer, there are better ways to make money
Jay worked as a freelance designer and while he enjoyed being a designer, he realized there were better ways to make money doing the same amount or work or less. He realized he could use his design skills and build niche websites to flip!
Lesson 2: There is one main advantage to flipping new sites instead of being a designer – having control
A website designer takes specific direction from a client. The client essentially defines the project. The relationship can be very time consuming and you only get paid once for your efforts. Designing niche websites to flip, however, puts you in control. You decide what you’re going to design and when and then you find a buyer. And the best part of being a website flipper is that you can get paid over and over again selling the same website if you want.
Lesson 3: Go the extra mile and provide exceptional customer service
Many buyers of startup niche websites are new to online business and need all the help and assistance they can get. Unfortunately, not too many experienced Internet marketers are willing to provide that help and assistance. Your customers will be very appreciative and very loyal if you treat them right and do the things that nobody else will.
Lesson 4: Only work on things that are your strong points and outsource the rest
Jay is a natural at design work so when he builds his websites he does the design himself. However, he’s not the strongest writer and it takes up a lot of his time so he outsources that part of the process. Determine what your strengths are and what you’re efficient at doing and do those yourself. Outsource everything else.
Lesson 5: Do something unique
Doing something unique doesn’t mean you have to reinvent the wheel. For starters, brand yourself as a website seller so you become known as the “guy who sells niche websites.” Try to add something to your offer that nobody else is doing. For example, maybe you provide unique, keyword-optimized articles with your websites that the buyer can use to submit to article directories to give them a head start on their marketing efforts.
Lesson 6: Always be thinking ahead as your success will be copied
When you achieve success, there will be copycats so be prepared ahead of time. You should always be thinking of ways to stay ahead of the game and to be different from other sellers.
Lesson 7: One of the most important things you can do is build a list!
Jay says this is your most important asset as a website flipper. With a list you can contact your subscribers whenever you have a new website available for sale. And one thing Jay can’t stress enough – always have two different lists. Have a list of just your buyers (i.e. customers who have actually purchased from you) and then have a list of prospects. This way you can tailor your messages specifically to each group and create specific offers to each.
Lesson 8: Always use an escrow service on bigger deals
Nothing is worse than getting burned on a deal. To prevent that, Jay recommends you use an escrow service on “bigger” deals. He uses an escrow service whenever he sells a website over $1,000. He only breaks this rule when he’s dealing with repeat customers that he trusts.
There you have it – 8 simple lessons that you should take to heart if you are new to website flipping or are thinking about getting into the business. By applying these lessons, you can get a head start and an edge over your competitors! For the full, indepth interview I had with Jay, you can read it by clicking here.
Please Share Them In The Comments Below!
