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  1. #1
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    Advertising: So word of mouth is best; what if you have 0 customers?

    Hey all,
    As an extension of the "Advertising" thread here (whereby the overall consensus seems to be that word of mouth is best), what should a *brand* new host do to get their very first new customers?

    I recently started up hosting, and I know that someone is about to sign-up for me (last time we talked, at least). However apart from that, there's not been much serious interest.

    Hence I'm wondering: what's the best way, in your opinion, to break into the competitive market that is website hosting?

    I understand that finding a particular (relatively uncompetitive) niche could be a good idea, although with so many hosts, this isn't always easy to do.

    Many thanks
    Tristan Perry
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  2. #2
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    Apr 2007
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    Dear tristanperry,
    You can start with advertising,like banners on webmaster forums or with adwords
    After getting your first customers, you will build your company, based on these.
    Also, advertising your products here in the forum ,as well in other same-type forums, are very common and may end up to have customers to sign up with you.
    Finally, make promotions, like 1st month free or so, due to the lack you are new to hosting.
    Good luck!
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  3. #3
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    Hello there,
    Thanks a lot for the tips

    That does sound good - I have been advertising a bit, so hopefully that'll pay off soon. If not, I'll go for a 1st month free special, that ought to get people interested

    Thanks a lot!
    Tristan
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  4. #4
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    I'm getting into the same thing you are and I'm having the same problem, unfortunately not many people are interested in a new host, for obvious reasons. I found the best way to quickly build your reputation is to post frequently on this forum. Your signature helps as do the occasional advertisements in the proper areas. Paying Google for AdWords or other advertising companies isn't really something I'd recommend at this point, mostly because of the cost and the percentage of visitors who will actually sign up is very, veyr low.

  5. #5
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    Thanks for the input Teckie WHT is a great place to post and hopefully promote your host. I have gone for AdWords, although I've gone for low maximum bid amounts, hence I (hopefully ) won't wake to find I've spent $1,000 in advertising overnight

    Best of luck with your company too
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
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    And I hate to say this, but you also need a kick-*** website design, something that's catchy and easy to remember. I personally think your current site design doesn't match up with your motivation and expectations. Check out other fresh competitors like eLief for example.

  7. #7
    Maybe some of us should work together? I am interested in forming a partnership I am just getting going too

  8. #8
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    No problem at all, feel free to offer constructive criticism eLief's design does look good, very good in fact.

    I personally feel that my current design is good enough at the moment, although if I still can't get new customers after doing lots of advertising and all, I'm more than happy to look at a new design

    Quote Originally Posted by qualityinterfaces View Post
    Maybe some of us should work together? I am interested in forming a partnership I am just getting going too
    I have thought about that. At the moment I am looking to get things up and running by myself, although if my circumstances ever changed I'd definitely consider a partnership of sorts
    Last edited by Tristan Perry; 05-06-2008 at 06:48 PM.
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  9. #9
    tristan, let me know, I currently like your design, i just figure what we could do is all of us chip in x% of server costs and recieve x% of profits.

  10. #10
    plus most of you guys are looking at starting out using a reseller account, I already have a server in place

  11. #11
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    Find some very talented and active designers and befriend them. You'll be amazed how fast new accounts come flowing in.

  12. #12
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    I would recommend that you give away some accounts to your friends and family (not to the public), so you can make some experience and maybe they will tell their friends and families too about your service

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sweet Sniff View Post
    I would recommend that you give away some accounts to your friends and family (not to the public), so you can make some experience and maybe they will tell their friends and families too about your service
    Good idea, but I would take it one step further.

    First off, I would like to believe that my friends and family would be willing to help spread the word for me even if they did not receive free hosting.

    What I would do is approach a few local establishments. Go to your local college and offer a limited amount of (small) free hosting accounts to students. Post it on their bulletin board, newsletter, etc. Then approach a local church or three, and offer the churches free hosting. Word spreads very quickly in a tight community like a church congregation. Approach your local Chamber of Commerce and offer a limited number of free accounts to local businesses. Again, all in the effort to get people to spread the word.

    Yes, this will mean you have to be saddled with a few dozen free accounts to take care of, but the potential residual new business will/should more than make up for the effort.

    Good luck.

    Vito
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  14. #14
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    Thanks for all the further info I do now have a good few ideas that I'll try out soon enough.

    I'll probably go for some free accounts/free hosting for a month, and go from there.
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  15. #15
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    Just watch out for fraud orders. I've already gotten two of them in the past few days.

  16. #16
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    I'll be sure to - I have the MaxMind module installed with WHMCS, so hopefully that'll do the trick
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  17. #17
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    Wow, you guys weren't joking - I just posted up a "Free hosting for the 1st month" special, and within 20 minutes I had two fraud orders... heh.
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  18. #18
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    I started by giving my brother and a friend very good deals and they told everyone know they and I now have about 20 clients now.

    I did use Adwords but got no sign-ups that way, I did lose about £50.00.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by tristanperry View Post
    Wow, you guys weren't joking - I just posted up a "Free hosting for the 1st month" special, and within 20 minutes I had two fraud orders... heh.
    Sorry, but IMHO, you're not using the "free hosting" technique properly at all. If you go into an online forum and hand out 1 month of free hosting, you are guaranteed to attract the bottom of the barrel signups - spammers, and transient customers. You will not get serious signups who will stick around.

    Give some free hosting to some legitimate businesses or organizations. And not just 1 month. Give them a year or two, or even lifetime. The value of the referals you receive from them will pay off in spades. They are basically your form of advertising, and a pretty damn cheap option at that, if all you have to worry about is losing a few lousy megs of disk space and minimal bw. You can require that your banner be displayed at the bottom of all their site pages, thus giving you even more exposure.

    Vito
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  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by qualityinterfaces View Post
    all of us chip in x% of server costs and recieve x% of profits.
    The server cost is one of the smallest expenses in running a successful host ...

    Quote Originally Posted by tristanperry
    "Free hosting for the 1st month" special, and within 20 minutes I had two fraud orders
    Vito's right, offering it free like that will attract people who think it has no value, or dont have anything to lose by abusing it.
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  21. #21
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    What provisions does your business plan have for advertising and attracting customers?

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by vito View Post
    Sorry, but IMHO, you're not using the "free hosting" technique properly at all. If you go into an online forum and hand out 1 month of free hosting, you are guaranteed to attract the bottom of the barrel signups - spammers, and transient customers. You will not get serious signups who will stick around.

    Give some free hosting to some legitimate businesses or organizations. And not just 1 month. Give them a year or two, or even lifetime. The value of the referals you receive from them will pay off in spades. They are basically your form of advertising, and a pretty damn cheap option at that, if all you have to worry about is losing a few lousy megs of disk space and minimal bw. You can require that your banner be displayed at the bottom of all their site pages, thus giving you even more exposure.

    Vito
    No problem at all, I'm still learning and I appreciate the input Yes, it does look like it'll be abused at the moment, hence if after a short while it still looks like it'll be abused, I'll pull the offer and look into offering free accounts to legitimate people

    Thanks a lot!

    Quote Originally Posted by othellotech View Post
    Vito's right, offering it free like that will attract people who think it has no value, or dont have anything to lose by abusing it.
    Fair enough, I'll be sure to keep that in mind thanks

    Quote Originally Posted by CArmstrong View Post
    What provisions does your business plan have for advertising and attracting customers?
    I don't have a huge budget, although I'm happy to spend low $xxx on advertising (at least in the early stages).
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  23. #23
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    Something I would do back when I was freelancing was go door to door in smaller neighborhoods, talking to small business owners about getting themselves online. I was doing design/hosting back then on a tiny scale but I did get a few clients that way. You'd be amazed at how quick word can spread when you give folks a good deal for solid service. Small business owners know lots of other small business owners!
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  24. #24
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Various mIRC servers have great hosting chat, design chat, anything in that nature. You may even want to hook up with a web design company, and trade advertising. You may get some customers that way.
    Best of luck to you.

  25. #25
    Aside from the free hosting accounts for a month or two, try offering those churches a free website for some space in their bulletin or something. One of the biggest things I would look for in a website develop or host is a good portfolio, building that portfolio is very important.

    Also, talk a lot to friends and family about potential websites. There is a lot of money right at the dinner table.

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