The name is short and catchy with an appropriate extension.  The .Pro extension has shown rapid growth in the past two years with over 100,000 names registered.

More on the story here:

http://techcrunch.com/2011/03/03/demo-wrap-up-7-new-social-startups-to-watch/

The dot-Pro domain name is available to all licensed professionals around the world. Professionals can use their dot-Pro domain to showcase their resume, services, case studies and marketing materials – and importantly, boost their search engine presence.

Protect your trademark,  take control of your online brand, and ensure that customers can find you online – register a dot-Pro domain today!

For more information about dot-Pro domains, visit EnCirca’s dot-Pro page.

Eligibility for .Pro is limited to licensed professionals.  However, they may be from any profession and from any country in the world.  There is no limit to how many domains a registrant may have.  All registrants must agree to follow a Use policy for their domains.

There are about 50,000 .Pro domain name registrations today.   This change should provide a growth spurt for the extension. 

Recent sales of .Pro domains include: RealEstate.pro for $14,000, Insurance.pro for $6,500, and Mortgage.pro for $4,300.

This auction looks to be a practice run for the registry as there are more valuable strings yet to be released.  The first batch of 12 names include: eco.pro, dog.pro,dui.pro, ale.pro, eye.pro, tea.pro, ask.pro, run.pro, sax.pro, ear.pro, hip.pro, ssl.pro

If interested, you need to submit a starting bid by November 15, 2010 at 8pm California, USA time.  Namejet is conducting the auction at: http://www.namejet.com/Pages/Promos/Promo_dotPRO_1.aspx

“New and potential registrants are recognizing that .pro is beginning to compete with .com. .Pro domains can now be registered at a fraction of the price of the equivalent .com names. In fact, each new .pro registration is available from EnCirca for just $14.95,” says Thomas Barrett, President of EnCirca, the leading .PRO registrar. “Find.pro is a great way for our .pro customers to get noticed online. We know that our customers have many choices when picking a .pro domain name registrar and now, in addition to offering customer service and competitive pricing, we also offer Find.pro, free of charge, to help give our customers a leg up in their attempts to market their website.”

Who would benefit from a .pro domain? To start, job-seekers, self-employed professionals and businesses of any size. Professionals both at home and abroad are trying to distinguish themselves to employers and potential clients as they vie for the few available jobs. Building your online presence using the .pro domain name is one way to gain a competitive edge.

“Establishing yourself as an expert in your field is an important component of marketing to potential employers and clients,” says Barrett. “Creating a website for your resume, blog or portfolio of work is an approach that will pay dividends far into the future. A .pro website has credibility and is a great platform for showcasing your skills and industry knowledge. Further, as more and more domain extensions are made available, .pro will emerge as a familiar domain that certifies authentic credentials.”

.Pro domain names work just like .com domains, with the ability to create fully featured websites and email addresses. The .pro domain is a restricted domain name, available to licensed professionals who self-certify that they meet the eligibility requirements of their profession.

There are no restrictions on the types of names a business or licensed professional may register: including trademarks, industry keywords, search engine terms, company names, or marketing slogans. There is no limit to how many dot-pro domain names an individual or company can register. Types of businesses and professions eligible for dot-pro include: Lawyers, Accountants, Engineers, Doctors, Architects, Dentists, Educators, Chiropractors, Veterinarians, Surveyors, Plumbers, Inspectors, Investment Advisers, Real Estate Brokers, Insurance Brokers, Nurses, Opticians, Optometrists, Podiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists, Social Workers, Building Contractors, Electricians, Patent and Trademark Examiners, Court Reporters, Police and Fire Safety Officers and any other profession where an official credential is required for a business or individual to offer services.

Visit https://www.encirca.com today to register.

While the growth of .Pro continues, there are still a lot of generic keywords available. You should also make sure to protect your company name and trademarks. Check for your keyword or trademark here.

The “wordpress.pro” auction indicates the renewed interest that the .Pro domain name is receiving from domain name investors and trademark owners. Interest that will only grow as the .Pro registry releases one, two and three character domains in 2010. Stay tuned for the up-coming announcement.

To meet market interest, EnCirca is offering a new Bulk Purchase program for .Pro domains.  This program is ideal for professional trade associations, domain resellers and professional domain investors. For details on the program, please visit our .Pro Bulk Purchase program webpage. Even if the Bulk Purchase Program is not for you, .Pro domains are still inexpensive at just $14.95/year (and we charge no taxes!) Free .Pro Availability Check.

“In the past year, as .pro registration restrictions have been relaxed, the .pro zone file has grown 400 percent,” says Thomas Barrett, President of EnCirca. “We expect even more growth in 2010 when one, two and three character .pro domain names are made available. Our current retail price for a .pro domain name is $14.95. We are looking for a partner interested in making a .pro bulk purchase for a greatly reduced cost.”

The “Pro” suffix is recognized world-wide as a designation for “professional.” This instant branding is one of the reasons for the .pro domain’s increased popularity among professionals creating their own online brand.

The .pro domain is designed exclusively for use by all licensed professionals, such as lawyers, engineers, electricians and realtors to help professionals establish online trust and communicate their credentials. Businesses may register industry keywords, search engine terms, company names, or their trademarks. There is no limit to how many .pro domain names an individual or company can register. Dot-pro customers self-certify their professional status by providing their identification, contact information and profession-specific information, such as their license number.

All expressions of interest are confidential and more details can be found at http://www.encirca.com/html/bulk-purchase.shtml

Please contact EnCirca at bulkpurchase@encirca.com

One approach is to establish an online Internet presence using the .PRO domain name. A .PRO domain name can be acquired for less than $20 at EnCirca, one of the leading .PRO domain name registrars.

“Professionals need a way to get noticed by employers,” says Thomas Barrett, President of EnCirca, the leading .PRO registrar. “Creating a web site for their resume or blog is an approach that will pay dividends far into the future.”

Examples of professionals using .PRO to establish their online presence include: lawyers, accountants, financial advisers, engineers, nurses, insurance and real estate brokers, architects, surveyors, and anyone else who needs a license to work.

To be eligible to register a .PRO domain, registrants must verify that they are a licensed professional. This process assists professionals establish online trust and communicate their credentials. .PRO is open to all licensed professionals. .PRO domain names work just like dot-com domains, with the ability for fully featured websites and email addresses. There are no restrictions on the types of names a business may register. Businesses may register industry keywords, search engine terms, company names, or their trademarks. There is no limit to how many .PRO domain names an individual or company can register.

To register a .PRO name, please visit www.encirca.com/html/pro-domains.shtml