Hi all.

Fantastic forum here, has helped me lots in the past, kudos to everyone.

I am researching starting my own hosting setup. Basically initially reselling space under my own brand doing support/cc billing properly by setting up a site.

I need lots of advice in relation to promotion/generating leads and the costs involved.

I will be starting small but I dont want to stay small.

Can anyone give any ideas of promotion in relation to costs versus customers won and the schemes therein.

I am currently seeking financial support and I am trying to cost it all out etc.

Any advice or pointers to places with advice (other than this goldmine right here:)) would also be much appreciated.

I (think) I've learned a fair bit about what I need to know, but I'm sure I could learn a lot more.

Thanks in advance.

Hey punk!

You've got lots of questions.... it might be better to ask specific questions about one part of your new hosting business at a time.... otherwise you'll get a smorgasborg (spelling?) of replies and will find it all too confusing.

Having said that, as far as promotion goes, I would recommend an ad campaign with Google'd AdWords program (I push that alot, and no I don't work for them!). For me, it's given the best return for my advertising dollar. Just be sure to be very specific when picking your keywords, and just start with as little as $50.00 to see if it works for you.

Of course you'll want your website completed before launching any web campaign.

Hope that helps!
Rob.

You might also want to look at a "recommend a friend" program.
We started that at the very beginning and its been highly lucrative.
We give a months free hosting to the referrer for each person they refer who signs up.

Google adwords is getting a bit crowded but still producing good leads.

Gordon

Another great resource is SitePoint (http://www.sitepoint.com) it is mainly design, but has some great stuff!!

Rewards for referralls is a great idea!!!!

As well as Google AdWords you may want to try goto.com although you'll have to find some other keywords than web hosting unless you want to pay an excessive amount.

You could also try contacting some small webmaster related sites and offer them free hosting in exchange for a button on each page (maybe post in the barter forum at sitepoint if its alllowed).

Advertising in web hosting directories (see http://www.hostcompare.com for a list) can help in establishing your company name and making your company look "big" and "creditable", although the majority of them are expensive and some are a damn rip-off, results vary as well (source: I used to own one).
Make sure you list in the big ones as well, most entries are free.

Comission-Junction and clickxchange could also help in providing leads, not sure on the prices though.

Your best aid in the intial stage will be word-of-mouth. Simply putting it; don't piss anyone off when you're small or you'll be [censored word].

Thanx all who have replied so far, please keep it coming. As much as I think I know there is no substitue for real opinions. As I said, I (think) I know what I need to know but 10 years in hardware support taught me that anyone that says I know it all is wrong, and advice so far has given me musch food for thought.

thanx as well to GordonH who helped me unselfishly in the past :-)

Asume I am ignorant (not hard :-)) in all areas.

Continued thanx.:eek: