Hello guys.
I'm planning to start a new web hosting business especially for local customers (in my country you can't find decent web hosting companies), but however i wouldn't be able to talk and know all my potential clients, so i need to gain their confidence.
I've read lot of your threads, guys, and trying to build my business following all your suggestions, in order to start a very decent and quality web hosting business, however i have some doubt about how to proceed now.

Since i'm starting now, my business wouldn't have almost any reviews or existing client (except for few friends helping me with tests), no references or links on Search Engines.

You should assume:

- Website is professional and user friendly, not a free/public template but one i've created.
- Clear explainations on the site but easy to understand.
- WHMCS on SSL subdomain (like https://secure.blablabla.bla).
- Prices would be very affordable and packages not unmetered (but however with decent resources)
- Shared hosting and Reseller hosting would be offered.
- The purpose is not to make a high-end business, but a niche one, as you suggested lot of times. My niche would be geographic, my region.

This is my project, almost completed.
But how can i make my business as reliable? (i can't afford mass advertising or similar, i decided to invest my budget for necessary elements like SSL, WHMCS and main resources).
And eventually how can i convince other people (i.e. american users) to come in my hosting if it's completely new? Coupons? Offers like $0.01 first month and then normal price? Or maybe promotions like "who join within xx days would have discounted prices for life"? In your opinion do these things work enough OR could damage the professionality of the hosting company?

Thank you in advance.

I would like to see the following from a host

1. Reliability, have backups
2. Instant support with no ******** answers, be straight forward bad/good
3. Flexible with customers and deliver personal service not corporate style customer service
4. Have competitive rate with unique features like FFMPEG support and stuff
5. Have patience to deal with customers who has no clue what they are doing

I think if you have most of above i would join you, just an idea :) This is from customer point of view.

good luck with your new venture

Indeed, somewhat unique features + good support are key elements to gaining confidence from consumers.

Like any business, gaining confidence and earning a good reputation will take time. Ensure you deliver what you promise and that will be enough of a reason for people to recommend you to others..

You may also want to contact web developers in your geographic location and offer them a special offer along with letting them know you are local etc. Try to get them to try your hosting at a nominal rate to start...if you offer a very good value, no reason for them NOt to use you.

Give them candy.

I would like to see the following from a host

1. Reliability, have backups
2. Instant support with no ******** answers, be straight forward bad/good
3. Flexible with customers and deliver personal service not corporate style customer service
4. Have competitive rate with unique features like FFMPEG support and stuff
5. Have patience to deal with customers who has no clue what they are doing

I think if you have most of above i would join you, just an idea :) This is from customer point of view.

good luck with your new venture

1. Yes, we're planning to offer daily backups
2. We can't provide instant support at the moment, but however fast replies during business time (like 9am-5pm) and we can try to be fast as well during other times (except night). With local customers no problems at all, often we will provide them our telephone numbers, but with other customers we can't guarantee 24/7 support at the moment. Would it be VERY limitating?
3. No problem, i've been a customer as well for many years.
4. Yes, we're not going to start a webhost with unaffordable prices, at all. However, FFMPEG support wouldn't be available at the moment, but it's already in our planned future upgrades.
5. Go to 3. ;)

Indeed, somewhat unique features + good support are key elements to gaining confidence from consumers.
Except for FFMPEG, what would be an "unique feature" i.e. ?


Like any business, gaining confidence and earning a good reputation will take time. Ensure you deliver what you promise and that will be enough of a reason for people to recommend you to others..
Yes, we're not expecting to become a BIG webhosting, i'm pretty sure it would never happen. However, as customer, i wouldn't pay a simple just starting webhost, they should convince me they're reliable and that i can trust in them, and i have no idea how to communicate that to potential customers.


You may also want to contact web developers in your geographic location and offer them a special offer along with letting them know you are local etc. Try to get them to try your hosting at a nominal rate to start...if you offer a very good value, no reason for them NOt to use you.
Yes, this is a very good idea and i've already contacted a web developers company offering them our hosting at discounted prices, and since i know one of the executives, they will try that. Until today they're offering to their customers a local hosting at equivalent of $70/year but they always have problems with them (but since it's the most reputable hosting company in my country....).

Give them candy.
Another good idea. And i can write the link of my webhost on candies. All the babies would host their website there ;)