'nv.com' addresses draw strong response

Shane Kinsch, 35-year old chief executive officer of nv.com Registry LLC, waited seven years to launch his business, and his patience has been rewarded with solid early returns.

Created as a way for Nevada business to market themselves via their geographical location, the nv.com Registry offers registration of domain names under the "nv.com" root name. Businesses can promote themselves under more generic Web addresses long since gone under the ".com" root name. Examples of prime nv.com Web addresses many of which have been set aside on a reserve list, Kinsch says include: realestate.nv.com; travel.nv.com; poker.nv.com; and LasVegas.nv.com.

"We are giving Nevada businesses and individuals the opportunity to register generic or premium domain names they otherwise missed the opportunity to before," Kinsch says. "Ten years ago people wouldn't know much about domains or having an online presence. In the year 2007, people understand that this is a valuable piece of property they need as an option to promote their business on the Internet."

The company is headquartered in Olathe, Kan., a suburb of Kansas City. Kinsch says he has been brewing the idea since March of 2000, when he acquired the nv.com root address. Shortly after, he says, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers took regulatory control over two-character domain names.

"(It's) one of those names that is unheard of today," says Kinsch, who unsuccessfully tried to buy domain names of other states as well. "This domain fell through a gap like a few others during that time."

Launched Aug. 1, registrations "substantially exceeded expectations," Kinsch says. Last week the nv.com Registry promoted the service by running online ads and mailing postcards in Nevada's major cities.

"We are trying to blanket the area and make sure businesses are completely aware of this excellent opportunity to pick up a good name to support their business," the company's founder says.

The nv.com Registry also provides Web site building and hosting. Kinsch says he's likely to return the bulk of early revenue back into regional marketing and exposure.

Registration, which costs $50 per year with a minimum two-year subscription, is first-come, first-served.

"If businesses go to register a name, they need to be aware that the most generic names are the most sought-after," Kinsch says.

The nv.com Registry soon will post its reserve list, which are the names the company withheld. Kinsch has not determined how that list would be distributed. "There is a small group of names that are very key. They get a lot of attention," he says.