Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Running a Web Hosting Business : Starting as a reseller, what do you tell clients?

[littlened]

Hi,

Hi I've got a reseller account so I can offer clients I design websites for hosting as well.

I'm building a website as the minute to advertise website design and hosting, but I also want to target people who are only looking for hosting and not a website.

My question is, what do I put on my website. I feel uneasy about saying we have our own server, because we dont, I feel uneasy about saying that the business is operated by WE, because its not....so what do I say.

I thought about something along the lines of telling people we search all the major hosting providers for the best deals and support, we then bulk purchase space and bandwidth, split the space and bandwidth down into a sellable product and pass the savings onto our customers. Then I though I could go on to tell people that we get the hosting cheaper because we then act as first line support, so that the provider then doesnt have to provide this basic support.

Is this what or should be saying, or should I be blowing things out of proportion and telling lies. I'm a very honest person, I hate ripping people off, hell I have loads of crap upstairs that I dont want to sell because I think it'll break when someone buys it and it'll be my fault.

I have a business like mind when it comes to money, but I'm not a sales person, simply because I'm too honest.

Any ideas would be great, what did everyone else do?

[debrown3rd]

Don't lie, be honest and put yourself in the shoes of your clients. Read the website as if you are a client. Assuming you are offering prices lower than they can get direct from the reseller, perhaps you would want to advertise as an agent with them. It doesn't take much for someone technically inclined to find out who you are buying your reselling account from.

[Cserver]

Tell them you buy bulk hosting, and sell it in smaller quantitites, while adding service & suppor,t if that's true. Many customers will find out anyways, so just be upfront.

[samdax]

You do not need to lie
just put your offer to site with hosting spec. only
If someone ask you, then you tell him that you are reseller

[Jimerson]

push the specs. your support if it is good. speed. your server or not does not matter to most. alot of people do not know the difference.

[PixelManual]

But the fact is Jimerson, he is an honest person and does not want to deceive people, unlike you apparently.

I say if they ask tell them the truth, you buy bulk hosting and sell it. Simple as that.

[TheRegulator]

Personally I wouldn't mention it. "We are a reseller hosting company..." No need for that, it'll get the layperson client confused and might scare them away. It's best to explain and demonstrate what you PROVIDE and not what you are. People aren't focused on what you are, they wouldn't care if you're a one legged, one eyed, homosexual with a datacenter in Peru, as long as you keep your customer-support promises.

Most people wouldn't 'care' if you where a reseller, probably because a lot of the teen clients (it all depends on your client target base) or your really old geezers, or layperson, just DONT KNOW. Which means you can mention that you're a reseller, but I surely wouldnt emphasize it or start explaining what a reseller is.

You know youre not lying if you say, "We are a web hosting company with 24/7 customer support and reasonable prices. We offer a selection of different hosting packages to suit your home or business needs. If you have any problems our support team is standing (or WE are standing by) by for all your questions on our forum, help desk, email , and free online chat support services. "

Again, emphasize and advertise your services, not whaat you are. Other than "WE ARE reliable and WE DO offer a money back garauntee."

[PixelManual]

TheRegulator said it all...and better than what I said.

Go with him.

[bwb]

I agree with the Regulator, most people are pretty against middle men selling them something, they fail to understand there is a value being added either on a service level or in some area (at least if you are a good reseller)...

I would not say for this reason, if someone asks tell them and explain what you offer on top of just a normal hosting plan. Will be a great well to sell if you can explain what you are adding.

[bryonhost1]

Hi!
Still...I've always thought that resellers should be more responsible to clients to make backups for them and monitor the servers and make sure everything is fine.

The primary reason I did not become a host was that very reason..I honestly felt I could not bring enough reasons into the relationship to be able to quickly and easily say, "Hey! here's what I can offer you that they can't..." I also had a problem finding a host I could honestly trust that I could easily afford.

There were marketing cost issues as well.

Bryon

[TheRegulator]

Bryonhost, that's why %95 of webhosts drop out of their business. They don't neccesarily go bankrupt or earn no profits, they just give up or find it to stressful. Why? Most web hosting companies start at home with money out of their pockets, and web hosting is, as many of the experienced owners write in their articles say, a business that requires a lot of planning and respect. Your not going to hit big the first few months, it takes time. WEb hosting is something that you build up with, more so than most business.

It's kind of like a restaraunt. You could start off with a small eatery with average prices for quality food and service, with a few employees. As your restraurant gets bigger, you can afford new tools and a bigger restaurant and you'll have a greater marketing budget. In a few months you'll earn a name for yourself and you'll gain customers. Same with web hosting.

Bryon, I dont understand when you say that you thought that resellers should be more responsbile to clients to make backups for them and monitoro the servers and make sure everything is fine. As a reseller you really dont have to manage the server, just your hosting site because YOUR hosters will take care of that. You don't need to make backups immediately (even though i recommend it) and you dont need some expensive server monitoring solution. These things will come to you (if you keep up) as your business increases to enought clients that you feel its important to have such programs and backups, etc.

Again, start small, and gradually go big. $30 a month to begging with and maybe $50 or $60 for a good push into the market.

Just saying...

[bryonhost1]

Hi!
Yes...but I honestly had a very hard time finding several hosts I could trust without any reservations. I firmly believe you either start out with one box of your own...or it's just not right.

This is my opinion, though. In my opinion...having several clients on a reasonable VPS is far better than any reseller account.

At least with the VPS...you can control reboots and almost everything else.

Downtime happens...it's all about how you handle it.

Bryon

[BF-Gary]

I have one reseller of ours that would say:

Do you ask your butcher which cow it comes from before buying?

[littlened]

Thanks for all the help guys, you've all been very helpfull.

I think the main thing to concentrate on is support. I'm going to make my own support submission form and I'm going to make it so that if someone selects that their problem is urgent, it'll drop me a text to my mobile to notify me. I'm at a computer about 90% of the day, but if someone submits a support request in the remaining 10% it could be the difference between keeping a customer and losing a customer. So I'll offer general support during the day, maybe 9-5, but then urgent support only at all other times.

I think if I offer a great service, 5 start customer support then theres no reason why I wont keep customers happy.....now, lets go get some clients.

Thanks again.

[inet7]

A final comment if I may, I'll be brief:

1. Honesty is the best policy. Ask the webhost if you can list them as a "partner" and then tell the customers "we've partnered with a leading web hosting firm because.........." to reassure them you did the homework for them.

2. 7 years ago, we had an answering service that would pick up our calls during off hours. They would use a "script" that we give to them and would answer as our Support Paging Desk......customers LOVED that. No matter what time they called, they got a person and they didn't mind they were "paging" the support staff.

Then its your job to respond to those calls. You'll find that despite the Internet being 24hours a day....most support comes in 9-5.

Good luck!