There are a lot of small hosting companies that have been around for a bit, but where should those small companies advertise when they can't afford too much for advertising because they only have a few customers? Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Nick Kitmitto

You could always start by finding some web hosting forums and advertising your hosting in the offers section. You could also try family and friends since those are some easy ones.

You could always start by finding some web hosting forums and advertising your hosting in the offers section. You could also try family and friends since those are some easy ones.

Been advertising for a couple months now and not too many customers.

-Nick Kitmitto

Webhosting is a cut-throat industry now. You need to find a "niche" market for you business. Ask youself...as a customer, why would you select YOUR hosting company over others? What are you offering "differently"? And, dragging your plan prices to ROCK BOTTOM won't help you too much...trust me. In fact, doing so can be deadly to your business. Good luck.

I think my Niche is the respect and friendliness and speediness from our support team. But how would I advertise that?

Thanks,
Nick Kitmitto

I think my Niche is the respect and friendliness and speediness from our support team. But how would I advertise that?

Thanks,
Nick Kitmitto
Well...that's not really a niche market. You will find that with a lots of hosts now. You need to think something more creative. :rolleyes:

Well, you guys tell me, if your looking for a web host, what do you want in them?

-Nick Kitmitto

There have been many many threads on what we expect from a host. I think if you want to get a leg in, you need to expand your advertising budget. It may set you back for a bit, but if you are serious about running a hosting business and are prepared to compete with the 1000s of hosts out there, then it will pay off in the long run.

There are a lot of small hosting companies that have been around for a bit, but where should those small companies advertise when they can't afford too much for advertising because they only have a few customers? Any suggestions?
If you can't afford to spend $$ on ads, then you take the sig path at forums. Find forums that reflect hobbies of yours and display your sig in those forums when you participate. I know it sounds boring, but it's how you can build your client base without spending $$, and you can promote your business where there aren't hundreds of hosts promoting the same thing. Be genuine though, and not just sig spamming these forums.

You could always provide free hosting to a few members such as 5 accounts and in exchange have them place your banner on their website. I would recommend putting a requirement for these people to get hosting such as their site would have to have a certain amount of unique visitors and hits per day.

Staying active in the hosting community, press releases, AdWords, local direct mailings, and promotional hosting giveaways are all great methods to drum up some hosting business.

yea a niche is like

proxy hosting
adult hosting
blog hosting

things like this

You might want to take the time and go around to local businesses. It can be hard, but that is where the money is.

Well for small web hosting business, advertising really isn't much of a concern if you are local. Take for eg, you are the web hosting company in that particular area. You host some of the local businesses and words will spread, the rest will come looking for you because you are in the vicinity and they can see you, this is a great advantage for small hosting companies.

After this stage when you want to expand further, budgeting for advertising can be a huge issue. The Adwords costs for web hosting terms can turn out to be quite expensive. A cheaper alternative will be to advertise in your local IT newspapers or newsletters.

Try to find a niche and stay there, if you are trying to compete with the web hosting industry per se, the costs will be tremendous, the huge companies will swallow you whole with their tens and hundreds of gbs of hosting at unbelievable prices as well as their advertising budgets. But if you are after that tiny pie of a particular part of a country, you can still make it and be much more profitable.

Thank you boonchuan and Mag, I will defiently try that soon:) I'll scroll around to local business', but when I get inside, who do I want to speak too?

-Nick Kitmitto

When I first started, I approach some of the local businesses, strike a conversation with the proprietor and just turn the topic to the Internet, it is then where you can recommend your services. Meeting face to face makes a very strong impact, it would take much more discounts etc for a rival company to win over a client you had met and talked to and developed a good relationship with.

Thank you boonchuan and Mag, I will defiently try that soon:) I'll scroll around to local business', but when I get inside, who do I want to speak too?

-Nick Kitmitto

Very true boonchuan, but when I walk into the store, and theres this person that's getting paid hourly there waiting to greet you, what do you say to them?

Thanks,
Nick Kitmitto

When the boss is not there, then just say Hi to the person and request him for help to pass some of your brochures and name cards to his boss. A "Hi" and a "Thank You" works wonders most of the time.

Very true boonchuan, but when I walk into the store, and theres this person that's getting paid hourly there waiting to greet you, what do you say to them?

Thanks,
Nick Kitmitto

So, make a business card and go down to Kinko's to get them printed and then pass them out?

-Nick Kitmitto

Business cards, companies brochures on your services are definitely a must to start out.

So, make a business card and go down to Kinko's to get them printed and then pass them out?

-Nick Kitmitto

I'll get my friend to make me some, since I am not much of a Graphic Artist:)

-Nick Kitmitto

If you can't afford to spend $$ on ads, then you take the sig path at forums. Find forums that reflect hobbies of yours and display your sig in those forums when you participate. I know it sounds boring, but it's how you can build your client base without spending $$, and you can promote your business where there aren't hundreds of hosts promoting the same thing. Be genuine though, and not just sig spamming these forums.

A further step in this method is to go the sig method on a forum where you are paid to post. Then you spend the money from posting on producing fliers to post around town & at community events. Also, sponsoring local events & organizations' web sites works well for attracting local businesses & customers. Offering free hosting for referrals also works well, as well as first month free type deals locally. Running such deals online is a waste of your time as well as your resources -- 99% of the time people who sign up will just leave after a month; comparitively, local customers will often continue their services (now paid) because they were actually interested in the first place. Another method of acquiring local & online business is offering free hosting for a year with the purchase of web design. This way they feel they only have one cost for the entire package for a year.