I'm looking for some great marketing ideas that cost little or no $$. I don't have a lot of budget for marketing because I'd like to keep the service inexpensive for those who need budgeted web hosting. But the big guys always eat up the customers and banner ads cost WAY too much. People don't respond to the newspaper ads and my banner ad on the local newspaper for my local service doesn't seem to be getting any hits.

Any ideas out there?
Thanks!
Boo
http://www.geekmom.net

If you're knowledgeable about a certain subject, and are a fairly decent writer, you might want to try writing occasional articles with tips, how-to advice or other insights of interest to your chosen audience. Publishing's a rough business -- if you can provide good, free content as an expert guest columnist to your local newspaper, a regional business publication or an online resource, chances are at least a few outlets will publish your material (be sure to include a brief bio with basic contact info and a business description).

One caveat, though: your chances of getting free publicity through such articles improves *greatly* if you can avoid sales-speak and a blatantly commercial tone. For example, you're better off saying, "As the owner/manager of a Web hosting company that specializes in small-business hosting, I find that ... " instead of, "As the owner/manager of the best and most popular Web hosting company in the country ... " (Unless you can back up that latter statement with solid facts : ) )

Hope that helps!

Duh, it's easy! ;)


Do something wrong. Annoy some customers (or just one). Maybe have some unexplained downtime, or double-bill, or just rip some content off a rivals website.

Result? Customers fill up WHT with tales of your company! :cool:

(No, you don't have to pay me for this wonderful advice! :D )

Tattoo your URL on my buttocks. More people see that than the phone book.

I like the newsletter idea. I'm not so sure about the butt idea and I really don't want the bad press. Any other goodies?

Nix on the butt, huh? Ok, here's a goodie:

http://www.ideavirus.com/downloads/IdeavirusReadandShare.pdf

You could try screaming out of your window a few hours a day.

If you have no ability to market your company - then to be honest web hosting is not going to work out for you. Maybe host some friends or do a local campaign targetting local businesses - maybe go in and talk to some people in the small local businesses in your area.

You can make your marketing much cheaper if you narrow your target market - so much that you sell web hosting for 1 specific end user market - eg "Flower Shop Hosting - We specialize in hosting for flower shops that want to get online" - a silly example but you get the picture

Spray paint your car:

"Unlimited hosting $1 a month"

Wait, aren't there some hosts that sell it for that on WHT?

I'm thinking about doing our website URL in crop circles, anybody tried this? :D

Originally posted by geekmom
I'm looking for some great marketing ideas that cost little or no $$. I don't have a lot of budget for marketing because I'd like to keep the service inexpensive for those who need budgeted web hosting. But the big guys always eat up the customers and banner ads cost WAY too much. People don't respond to the newspaper ads and my banner ad on the local newspaper for my local service doesn't seem to be getting any hits.

Any ideas out there?
Thanks!
Boo
http://www.geekmom.net

Aside from taking advantage of the free listings in web hosting directories, I would look into CPA deals. Impliment a CPA system, and contact a lot of webmasters and try to work rev-sharing deals out with them.

Another thing you could do is host a few people for free around WHT, or bid extremely low in the "Web Hosting and Requests"-- provide good service, and slowly the word will get around.

Good luck..

Zak

You can stick a decal on the back of your car's window. That provides for good marketing, kind of :) Branding for sure!

NovaW: Unfortunately screaming out your window doesn't work so well when you're on the 10th floor of an apartment, from my experiences not too many people can clearly hear you on the ground :(

Try providing hosting space for a fairly popular webmaster site ... in return for a link every page of their site :D