Hi all,

I'm having plans to start up hosting and domain registration services on a regional market (Sweden) and have a few questions for you experts out there.

1. Roughly, how many customers do I need to attract and retain to at least get my investments back (assuming I join reseller programs for hosting and domain registration services) when targeting/competing in the low-price segment?

2. How much time should I expect to put down every day once everything is up and running (Not counting marketing/link-trading efforts/site-promotion and such)?

3. How big is the potential? Are any of you guys running a one-man-show and making a living out of it?

4. What are the most common mistakes made when starting up? What are the most important things to do to promote the site?

Thankful for any answers and thoughts!

Sincerely,

Martin

Hi Martin-
1. Roughly, how many customers do I need to attract and retain to at least get my investments back (assuming I join reseller programs for hosting and domain registration services) when targeting/competing in the low-price segment?

Give us an idea of the plans and, more importantly, prices you are thinking about. As has been said many times, it is much better to have 100 customers at $20 each, than 1000 customers at $2 each.

2. How much time should I expect to put down every day once everything is up and running (Not counting marketing/link-trading efforts/site-promotion and such)?
If you are planning on doing it right and having a good reputation, be ready to invest a great deal of time into your business. However, since you are catering to your specific region, most of your support and sign-ups will be requested in the same time zone as yourself. Notice the word 'most. Maybe they will keep business hours. LOL

3. How big is the potential? Are any of you guys running a one-man-show and making a living out of it?
Most start out this way. I don't know who all is doing it now. Sorry.

4. What are the most common mistakes made when starting up?
- Thinking this is "easy" money...that "I'll set up a website and the money will start pouring in without me hardly having to do anything." I have relatives and friends that tell me, "It must be nice sitting around, chatting or emailing, and have people send you their money." :angry: I don't even try to set them straight anymore.

- Expecting 300 sign-ups the first month.

- Under-estimating the amount of time it takes up.

What are the most important things to do to promote the site?
You are going to hear this one many times: Word of Mouth.


Good luck.

-Lamar

4. What are the most common mistakes made when starting up?

- Assuming all your clients will be knowledgable about computers and web sites.

"What is an IP address?"

My website isnt working how come mycoolsite.com isnt working?

whois mycoolsite.com

No - data found.


:)

Zach