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  1. #1

    Whats the most effective strategy for you to get customers?

    Is it advertising in forums, local newspapers, going around local businesses, flyers, leaflets or business cards.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Posts
    645
    It would certainly have to be local buisnesses. Then, it becomes a local word of mouth. Your biggest strategy is showing great support to your current clients.

    Something someone taught me personally... be nice to one client and they tell 10 others about the service... and if you show bad support to a client... they will also tell 10 others about the service...

    .. and those 10 will tell 10 others, and so on....

    In a nutshell:
    Start locally (with some effort online) and make your 3-4 clients the #1 priority.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Kalamazoo
    Posts
    33,412
    It's all of the above.

    WOM is definitly effective. But, it's a double edged sword. It can significantly increase your member base. Or it can hinder your attraction. It all depends on how your clients perceive your service. Because, as EcpHosting said, they'll tell their friends. Good or Bad; they'll spread the word.
    There is no best host. There is only the host that's best for you.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Leeds. UK.
    Posts
    461
    I am just repeating the above posts - but i have been around these forums for a fair few hrs and what these people are saying is 100% true!

  5. #5
    Greetings:

    Social networking at business clubs and chamber of commerce marketing events.

    Thank you.
    ---
    Peter M. Abraham
    LinkedIn Profile

  6. #6
    This could be out there, but how about some commision sales people, that only make a monthly take per customer they sign up? And pay them what ever monthly amount you both agree on depending on the customer of course. And make sure that you cease payment if the customer ceases payment. That way, you have others selling your product. They wouldn't be a reseller, they'd be a sales rep for your company.

  7. #7
    Word of mouth has been working very well for me.

    One of my clients, who is running a Counter-Strike server, is advertising for me, inside the server. Which, has brought me quite a few customers.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    197

    Re: Whats the most effective strategy for you to get customers?

    Originally posted by EcpHosting
    It would certainly have to be local buisnesses. Then, it becomes a local word of mouth. Your biggest strategy is showing great support to your current clients.

    Something someone taught me personally... be nice to one client and they tell 10 others about the service... and if you show bad support to a client... they will also tell 10 others about the service...

    .. and those 10 will tell 10 others, and so on....

    In a nutshell:
    Start locally (with some effort online) and make your 3-4 clients the #1 priority.


    I Ditto that!! My hosting company is living proof, treat your current clients right and they'll spread the word!!

    Kevin
    __________________
    E x i t - 1 - https://exit-1.com/

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    1,301
    I think if you do any social contribution like donating to a well known chartiy and having them as on your website and viceversa would help, people like knowing that you care for the community.

    Just an Opinion.

    Yaser

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Duluth MN
    Posts
    3,863
    Outrageous offers... like offer a free 2004 Mustang with every account

  11. #11
    Greetings Aaron:

    Or something even better... like 1 pound of chocolate per day for as long as you have the account ;-)

    Take care.
    ---
    Peter M. Abraham
    LinkedIn Profile

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Duluth MN
    Posts
    3,863
    Hmm... Chocolate... or nice Car.... Tough choice. What kind of chocolate is it? Regular Hersheys or imported German Chocolate?


    Anyhoo, back on topic There are a lot of things that work good to grow your customer. But the best one is hard work and determination if you want to have a customer base that stays with you. There are plenty of underhanded tricks you can do to get a lot of customers really fast, but whether those customers are the ones that will stay, or that you will want to stay is another question.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    6,957
    Best strategy to get customers is to make the ones you already have happy... it keeps them as customers and will surely generate word of mouth advertising. I've never paid a dime for advertising and we're doing just fine.
    Karl Zimmerman - Founder & CEO of Steadfast
    VMware Virtual Data Center Platform

    karl @ steadfast.net - Sales/Support: 312-602-2689
    Cloud Hosting, Managed Dedicated Servers, Chicago Colocation, and New Jersey Colocation

  14. #14
    Local advertising is the way to go. And nothing beats referrals from happy customers! Be accountable to them, communicate well, and provide good service - and the price you charge doesn't matter

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Edmonton, Canada
    Posts
    380
    Referrals is still my best resource. Infact 80% of my clients I signed up this month were referrals.

    Word of mouth (referrals) is always your best form of advertising. In fact many people will go with any service that is referred to them over one that they found elsewhere, no matter the cost.
    Glen Millar
    Tyger Hosting Services
    http://www.tygerhosting.com
    Affordable Direct Admin Linux Hosting Since 2003

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    NSW Australia
    Posts
    288
    The old fish in the bullet-proof vest still works wonders
    HOSTPac Web Solutions
    Solid reliable Hosting - Lowest priced Domains - cPanel Multiple Domain Hosting
    Now offering space on Australian based servers!
    Put the Big Koala on your team

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