Domains: the shortlist and renewals

Most clients haven't thought about a domain when they reply to your pitch. Taking that decision off their plate early, before they've fully committed, looks professional and keeps a deal moving. The client never has to think about registrars, pricing or DNS.

Ask Klaudius for a shortlist

Ask Klaudius to suggest domains that fit the client. It comes up with names that suit the business name and trade, checks which are available, and gives you a shortlist of two or three worth sending. Pass them to the client, ask which they prefer, and offer to register it for them.

If the client already owns a domain, skip the shortlist and go straight to attaching it.

Registering it

Register the chosen domain at any major registrar, such as Namecheap, Cloudflare Registrar, Porkbun or Spaceship. Pick one and stick with it, so all your clients' domains are in one place. A .com typically costs around $5–6 for its first year; prices change, so check before you quote.

Then attach the domain to the client's site; Klaudius walks you through it if you ask.

Keep a note of which domains you hold, for which client, and when each renews. A lapsed domain takes the client's site offline.

Decide how to handle renewals

Annual .com renewals typically run about $10–13. Cloudflare Registrar charges at cost, around $10, and Porkbun and Namecheap are in the same range. You have two clean options:

• Absorb it. Build renewals into your price and treat them as a cost of doing business. It means fewer billing conversations, and if you charge a monthly fee, renewals disappear into it.
• Charge it back. Roll the renewal into an annual maintenance or hosting fee. This is cleaner once you have many clients, and awkward if you only have a couple.

Pick one and apply it to every client: mixed policies cost more in bookkeeping than they save. A recurring fee can be yearly as well as monthly; see Monthly fees.