Hi,

I'm thinking of trying to attempt to get some business from my local market especially to get started.

I'm thinking of trying to place an ad in the yellow pages. I can probably get a short informational ad for about $200. has anyone ever tried it? Has it worked for you?

I could probably even get in a few of the books around the area to widen the range. A relative works for the local phonebook so I'm pretty sure I can get a discount even.

Just wondering if anyone's tried it and how it has worked for you.

We spent $10K by advertising in SF yellow pages. ROI=0

Don't waste your time - nobody looking Yellow pages for anything beside pizza or plumbers...

We spent $10K by advertising in SF yellow pages. ROI=0

Don't waste your time - nobody looking Yellow pages for anything beside pizza or plumbers...

Wow, really?

What local methods have you used then that have worked fairly well?

Thank you for the response.

Has anyone tried coupon mailers?

Guys, you need to understand that 95% of people don't know what is the web hosting is. If you trying to sell on local markets - you need to go thru a lot of education for your future customers.

"Normal" places of advertising will NOT going to work in most cases like TV,Radio and printed media.

What is work is online (of course) and face-to-face "selling" to local peoples, who like to have their own "computer guy" who will "help" them with their website needs.

Most of my customers has no idea of about web hosting - they just pay (in some cases anything) just to have website, email and print that stuff on their business cards...

I fully understand this. I won't be selling "hosting", I mean that's not the term I'll use, but just web sites for businesses.

But I'm trying to find the best places locally to advertise such, besides just calling on businesses.

yeah, it seems that the local computer guys get a lot of questions with regards to web sites. Find some computer shops in your area and work something out with them where they will send you those types of inquiries.

yeah, it seems that the local computer guys get a lot of questions with regards to web sites. Find some computer shops in your area and work something out with them where they will send you those types of inquiries.

Excellent; that sounds like a good idea. Thank you.

I agree that yellow pages advertisment is not that affective, though if it is not that costly you may use it just to cover all the areas

Firstly - I think offline advertising is a GREAT idea. You just don't follow what these << people >> have done!

Spending 10k in the yellow pages is not going to do jack! If you can get a free listing like in NZ yellow pages then take that!

Ideally i would be spending your money on direct marketing or something like that. Go through your phone book - take an industry such as accountants or lawyers. I host a couple of accountants sites in NZ - the best thing you can offer them is Reseller Hosting - because then they can resell to their clients even if you have to do the technical support etc for their clients do it as it's worth it.

Maybe going door knocking to each computer techy in town or in a set area of town - offer them a deal (have it all printed out what you do professionally looking) and tell them that you will offer the x if they refer you customers - give them a portal to login to so they can setup accounts for customers while they are still in their store - hence make sales!

Get say 10,000 brochures printed for like $350 and then just drop them in letter boxes and you might get 5 customers out of that but it would be worth it!

That's my 5 cents worth. Hope it helps and good luck.

Firstly - I think offline advertising is a GREAT idea. You just don't follow what these idiots have done!

Spending 10k in the yellow pages is not going to do jack! If you can get a free listing like in NZ yellow pages then take that!

Ideally i would be spending your money on direct marketing or something like that. Go through your phone book - take an industry such as accountants or lawyers. I host a couple of accountants sites in NZ - the best thing you can offer them is Reseller Hosting - because then they can resell to their clients even if you have to do the technical support etc for their clients do it as it's worth it.

Maybe going door knocking to each computer techy in town or in a set area of town - offer them a deal (have it all printed out what you do professionally looking) and tell them that you will offer the x if they refer you customers - give them a portal to login to so they can setup accounts for customers while they are still in their store - hence make sales!

Get say 10,000 brochures printed for like $350 and then just drop them in letter boxes and you might get 5 customers out of that but it would be worth it!

That's my 5 cents worth. Hope it helps and good luck.

I definitely like that brochures idea. There are many places around here I could probably put something like that.

The great thing is, so far as I know, there is hardly anyone around here who offer the services I do. There's one ISP that adds design services but their hosting doesn't really support much in the way of programming, and they don't do programming themselves. So I think if I found a way to penetrate the market, it could work out very well.

Again thank you for the suggestions.

Guys, you need to understand that 95% of people don't know what is the web hosting is. If you trying to sell on local markets - you need to go thru a lot of education for your future customers.

"Normal" places of advertising will NOT going to work in most cases like TV,Radio and printed media.

What is work is online (of course) and face-to-face "selling" to local peoples, who like to have their own "computer guy" who will "help" them with their website needs.

Most of my customers has no idea of about web hosting - they just pay (in some cases anything) just to have website, email and print that stuff on their business cards...

I agree with steven-v. Offline marketing is typically best done in person, for the reason that not many understand the benefits of having a web site.

There is a huge market for the small local business owner to have his or her own website, but you have to explain the perks of doing so. A new restaurant or store may want to advertise all of its products, so by redirecting potential consumers to a website, consumers can learn about the company at their leisure, and also perhaps see more of a selection of products than is available on only a flyer or small advertisement.

if i were you i would give free hosting to forum users(with 500+ post) and then want them to review this if they really like.One webmaster means 1k people i think:) So you can make logo, design contests because yellows are really expensiv and you can use your money on net with more responsable.You got it?

if i were you i would give free hosting to forum users(with 500+ post) and then want them to review this if they really like.One webmaster means 1k people i think:) So you can make logo, design contests because yellows are really expensiv and you can use your money on net with more responsable.You got it?

Unfortunately, I don't understand what you're trying to say, no. I don't have a forum, firstly. Secondly, my business's market is mostly small-medium businesses who really don't know much about web sites, so that method I don't think will work very well.

The yellow pages aren't really that expensive. I'm willing to spend the money; I just need to figure out where to do so in the most effective way.

Thank you for the suggestion, though.

I fully understand this. I won't be selling "hosting", I mean that's not the term I'll use, but just web sites for businesses.

But I'm trying to find the best places locally to advertise such, besides just calling on businesses.
Many "small town" newspapers publish public records such as new businesses, building permits, property transfers, etc. Normally you'll find them in the back. The new business section is a perfect free list of customers who need your service. Oftentimes these are small business owners with little knowledge of web hosting. All they know is they need a website, and it's your job to show them you're the one who can provide them the service.

Come up with a nice ad "Websites for Small Businesses" or "Does Your Business Have a Website? Does Your Competitor Have One?"... and print out the ad on your desktop printer with a quality paper. Airmail the ad to each new business on the list. Once a week the list will refresh.

Here you have an ad sent directly to your target audience for the price of ink/paper/envelop/stamp.

I love the ideas being given here. Thank you.

I'm thinking of printing up some business cards. I just need to find a place to do so at a reasonable price.

I'm just wondering, wouldn't calling the business be more effective than sending them a letter? One can just throw away a letter, but it takes a bit more to get rid of someone on the phone.

How do you think the newspaper would work?

Thanks again.

I would ring and send a letter.

First send a letter to the potential customer and say you will ring in a specific period - then do it. Or send two letters that way you will get your business name in front of them.

A news paper advert could be for website design or complete managed solutions. Sell your idea as a package - we will design & manage your site for $x per month! Then list your contact details and include a phone number! I hate it when people dont do this like they ahve something to hide!

All the best.

I agree with the first few posts: that most people don't know what "web hosting" is.

I find myself having to explain this to a lot of people. It can get rather annoying, actually. ;)

The same here. My family and friends don't know what web hosting is. I have spent time to explain for them. Now, they know it! :stickout:

Back to the topic: I think the good way is to knock the door of small companies/stores and ask if they want to have a website for their business. I'm sure they will be interested if you show them the great benefits of having a website/email, and you probably get their order easily.
Also, sending a letter or advertising on your local newspaper are also a good method. :)

Do the local advertising in person or by making cold calls. You'll be surprised how many businesses are interested in setting up a website.

...I'm thinking of printing up some business cards. I just need to find a place to do so at a reasonable price...
Many websites such as http://www.vistaprint.com offer business cards for free (+s/h). Normally the free ones have the printer's logo or URL on the back.

How bout you make a list of GOOD potential partners and start there.
Ask yourself who deals with lota of people that may need hosting??

Ie. accountants that deal with businesses, computer schools, freelance programmers, web designers, printers perhaps..so make a list of all businesses that would be good potential partners and approach them for partnerships, referrals etc. I think this is far better than cold calling (shooting in the dark) and also this will get OTHERS to sell for you (big sales force)

. . . Don't waste your time - nobody looking Yellow pages for anything beside pizza or plumbers...
Back in 2001, I bought a huge yellow pages ad for my web design business. It cost me AUS$5k, and the first day it came out, I got 3 calls from businesses looking for a website. I thought I was going to be snowed under, but things eased back a bit after that. I was building HTTPme then too, and it took off, so I ended up disconnecting the phone I had used in the Yellow Pages ad, so I could focus entirely on HTTPme. You'd be amazed at how many calls I would get from someone having problems with their Yahoo email account and wanting me to fix it. :rolleyes:

Word of Mouth and search engines, would probably be the 2 biggest drivers of new accounts for hosts, from my experience.

. . . Ie. accountants that deal with businesses . . .
That's a pretty good method, so long as your promotion uses the accountant's letterhead, or accompanies your promotional material. You'd also need to offer them a special discount too.

I dont think the telephone book is a good idea UNLESS you are in a big town. I know that alot of people search the phone book for web design services so if you do that also, I think it might work out but if you are purely a web hosting provider, I do not think it is worth your time.

I'm not purely a web hosting provider though. I think surely I said that somewhere in this thread? It's web hosting, design, and development services. I'd be marketing it as just web site solutions; I probably would not mention hosting because no one around here knows what hosting is.

Also, there are hardly any designers around here. The few I found are not very good at all. I'm thinking if I advertise in the right place I could get some decent business.

That phonebook also has a web site where they sell ads for $99/year. I don't know how popular it is; I'll have to get some statistics from them. But I do know it is a pr 6 last I checked.

All right, i've gone for the phonebook advertising anyway. It's not very expensive so I'll see how well it works and report back here.

I also got the ad on the web site which I believe will help as well.

Oh, and I'm the only one who will be under the headings web hosting and web site design for the county book I chose. I think surely that'll be an advantage if someone looks it up.

It's a simple informational ad. it has the company name, three lines of information, then the web site address and phone number. We'll see I guess. The book will be coming out next month and the web site ad might be up before then.

I hate to say it, but if you're the only one in that heading, it could be because you're a visionary...but I suspect that no one advertises there because there may not be a lot of customers who go to the phone book for web designers/hosts.

I hope it works out for you. Also, try looking at your local newspaper ads, including free newspapers for your neighborhood. See who advertises there - these are businesses who recognize that they need to advertise - and see which of them has a web site. Contact the ones who don't.

I appreciate your comments. Well, some of the other books for the other counties do have listings under those headings, so I think it's just a lack of competition in this area.

I will take your suggestion into consideration, though. Thank you.

Please also remember your not going to get the best suggestions on a forum.

A host with a successful method of advertising isnt going to give out their secret. People posting to WHT with ideas and suggestions are purely that, and should not be taken as GOLD when drawing up your marketing campaign.

you need to come up with some ideas of your own which have NOT been used before or very little. Yellow pages wouldnt fall under that category, spraying your company logo onto all the stray dogs in the area would, just as an example of course ;)