Coming up with unique book titles ending with a .com domain name is hard. So many phrases are already taken. There are so many squatters, too. Once I had what might be the title of a book I’d scurry over to a domain registry service, do a search, and usually get thwarted. If it were available, however, I’d purchase it instantly, just in case. (I guess I’m a squatter, too.)

Which brings me to the point of this column. I recently found out from a friend about a new domain extension that officially launches for registrations today. It’s called .inc^[1]

I wished it was available when I launched The Pontefract Group last year. But as I have been thinking about the combination of my next book as well as my new business, I wondered aloud if I might get clever.

Could the book and my business become one? Might I secure a domain name that is both a unique identifier for me, my books, as well as my budding new business? Could I establish a new brand?

In the pre-launch phase of this new top-level domain, I discovered^[2] that 20% of Forbes Most Valuable Brands had already secured their .inc domain. Nike, Dell, Facebook, Google, Amazon and the like are all there.

I’m not a large company by any stretch, but I have suffered the pain of domain name roulette for almost a decade. Maybe you have too. I have been systematically reviewing my overall brand as well.

I inquired directly with the team working at .inc, making my case for a unique top-level domain name that could be associated with my new book, past books, future books, as well as a way to rebrand my up-and-coming leadership business.

Coming soon, I will be rebranding my entire business to “leadership.inc” and I couldn’t be more excited.

It’s not cheap at $2000 a year, but therein lies the point.

Like so many of you, I was tired of not having the domain names I wanted available to me. In doing my research, I also feel that for other brands and businesses looking to launch or having recently launched their business, you may want to consider .inc. It’s catchy, fresh, and most importantly, available! Not to mention if you are already incorporated it is a natural domain extension.