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Thread: Starting off...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
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    http://www.hostriot.com
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    135

    Starting off...

    Hi everyone,

    I have just started [offering web hosting] and I notice that alot of you say you are still a small hosting commpany, yet you say you only have around 500 customers. I think thats ALOT! LOL, I dont have any!

    Well, I was hoping to get your help and suggestions on how I could go about getting started in the web hosting world. For example: Getting Customers

    If you can help in anyway, please do. I would really appreciate it

    Thank You All
    Last edited by Chicken; 09-29-2002 at 10:28 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Australia
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    24,027
    Offer your services to folks that you know first. Then work your "associates" circle. Then just let your business grow out from that point. Think of your business like circles. Your friends/family are in the first circle. Then your "associates" are in the next circle out. Then if you start some promotional work, you are promoting to the 3rd circle.

    Be patient and build your client base 1 client at a time.

    P.S. Check your site's links again. I got some error messages etc.
    WLVPN.com NetProtect owned White Label VPN provider
    Increase your hosting profits by adding VPN to your product line up

  3. #3
    After reviewing your site (design is pretty nice) your prices seem reasonable. You'll just need some exposure. For the record the link to the data center ( http://www.hostriot.com/?page=datacenter) is giving an error:

    Warning: Failed opening 'datacenter.php' for inclusion (include_path='') in /home/badchaos/public_html/index.php on line 225

    So you should get that sorted out, first

    Post your site at Dmoz.org directory, try to get it listed there, submit it to the search engines Google especially, try to get some free traffic. Submit to all the hosting directories that offer free listings such as:

    Webhostdir.com
    Findsp.com
    HostSearch.com
    Webhosters.com
    TopHosts.com

    Try as many free resources as you can to get some traffic before pulling the pocket in advertising. You could also monitor the requests forum here at WHT, to see if anyone needs any hosting deals that you could offer and respond to them. Another thing you could do is offer maybe a couple free hosting packages to a few people, have them give some good testimonials (as long as the service is good and have those testimonials on your site to help build crediblity. Word of mouth is a great form of advertising.

    Just a few ideas, hope that helps

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    New Orleans, LA
    Posts
    581
    You know - your site has a google pagerank of 7/10 - that is very good indeed & a good place to be starting from! You can do something with that.
    Andrew McMaster
    http://www.FindMyHosting.com
    Compare Prices, Consumer Reviews, Help, Guides and More.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    918
    I don't mean to change the subject but is your website a template because edge-host.com has the same website

    Anyways, if you look through all the posts on this board a lot of people will say "find your own niche" in the business. So market your hosting to a certain area such as your local shopping mall.

  6. #6
    Originally posted by NovaW
    You know - your site has a google pagerank of 7/10 - that is very good indeed & a good place to be starting from! You can do something with that.
    How are you figuring his pagerank of 7/10 within Google since hostriot.com isn't even listed? I always believed the pagerank was the green status bar within the Google (Dmoz) directory?

  7. #7
    Hi,

    Do a search on Google.com for the domain name hostriot.com, it brings up a site called "mantech.com". Somehow Google is interpreting this site mantech.com to be part or associated with hostriot.com and the Google Toolbar is showing the page rank as 7/10 which is really good. It is an error on Google's end.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    http://www.hostriot.com
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    Hmmmm

  9. #9
    Originally posted by hostingseek
    Hi,

    Do a search on Google.com for the domain name hostriot.com, it brings up a site called "mantech.com". Somehow Google is interpreting this site mantech.com to be part or associated with hostriot.com and the Google Toolbar is showing the page rank as 7/10 which is really good. It is an error on Google's end.
    I see no benefit if his URL isn't listed. Big deal if he has a 7/10 pagerank which doesn't even point to his own site.

  10. #10
    I agree, as I was saying it *is* an error on Google's part. After seeing they are basing it on another site mantech.com, the page rank will be no permanent benefit to him.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Australia
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    24,027
    Originally posted by JonL
    I don't mean to change the subject but is your website a template because edge-host.com has the same website
    Yeah, looks like the exact same template or the same designer. Care to clarify this for the community?
    WLVPN.com NetProtect owned White Label VPN provider
    Increase your hosting profits by adding VPN to your product line up

  12. #12
    Originally posted by Aussie Bob

    Yeah, looks like the exact same template or the same designer. Care to clarify this for the community?
    It's a template.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Australia
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    Originally posted by labzone
    It's a template.
    Gotta love those template sites. For $20, a host can have a U-beaut website and look all together.......
    WLVPN.com NetProtect owned White Label VPN provider
    Increase your hosting profits by adding VPN to your product line up

  14. #14
    Originally posted by Aussie Bob

    Gotta love those template sites. For $20, a host can have a U-beaut website and look all together.......
    Atleast until someone finds out it's a template. I've seen a few hosts using this same design.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    24,027
    Originally posted by labzone
    At least until someone finds out it's a template. I've seen a few hosts using this same design.
    and then there are those "X" host ripped "Y" Host threads. Then someone spoils the bashing and flaming and mentions that both hosts bought the same template....
    WLVPN.com NetProtect owned White Label VPN provider
    Increase your hosting profits by adding VPN to your product line up

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    47
    lol
    Vinh,
    ShockHost - host me up scotty
    http://www.ShockHost.com
    (Coming soon to a world near you next month)

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    12,136
    Originally posted by HostRiot
    Well, I was hoping to get your help and suggestions on how I could go about getting started in the web hosting world. For example: Getting Customers

    If you can help in anyway, please do.
    I'm not sure that discussing the site's use of a tempate is exactly the help this person was looking for. Bring it back.... let's bring it back...
    HostHideout.com - Where professionals discuss web hosting.

    • Chicken

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    http://www.hostriot.com
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    This template is only temporary. As I am working on the real website.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    977
    Make sure you get a reliable server provider. What good are customers if you cannot provide them good service? Do alot of research and find a <<edit>> respected <<edit/>>company over one that offers you 50$/mo. 100000 gb xfer/mo 500 GB RAID... 4 GB DDR Ram DUAL PENTIUM 4 processors 2.4ghz...hmmm..also make sure its REAL 24/7 support..
    Orlando Magic--> 05-06 CHAMPS

  20. #20
    What is wrong with using a template?

    I got this design at the moment: http://www.the-webhost.com/ wich I made my self, I think it is a "decent" layout but not proffesional. That's why I am thinking of actually buying a template instead. what is wrong with that?

    Give me a few reasons that I should not. Anyway, interresting reading.

  21. #21
    webhost,

    most importantly because people that are looking at a lot of hsoting companies shopping around will notice that youre using a template and will assume you are a reseller of one kind or another. people usually dont like dealing with what they consider 'middlemen'.

    however, having a professional design vs. a non-professional one might far outweigh any disadvantages to using a template. just try to find one that everyones' mom and goat doesnt use =]

    cheers,
    paul
    * Rusko Enterprises LLC - Upgrade to 100% uptime today!
    * Premium NYC collocation and custom dedicated servers
    call 1-877-MY-RUSKO or paul [at] rusko.us

    dedicated servers, collocation, load balanced and high availability clusters

  22. #22
    I think it should be pointed out that using a "Template" isn't really bad, there are lots of hosts buying templates and using them. The problem arises when you buy a template that can be or will be resold to others. That's where the problem Rusko pointed out will occur. You can get a professionally made template and everything be OK once it's sold to just you, no one else but you

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    North Kansas City, MO
    Posts
    2,694
    I don't think the template issue is nearly as important as the service and responsiveness. Here is my advise:

    Deliver what you say you will.

    Be honest with your customers. You don't have to tell them you're a huge company when your not. Most people like the personal service they get with a small company.

    Be proactive. I e-mail my customers once a month, or IM or call them, just to make sure they're okay and ask if there's anything I can do for them.

    Provide GOOD service. When your small it doesn't take a lot of extra effort to go an extra mile for a customer every once in awhile. The customers really apreciate it and they will stay with you for along time and there friends will come to you also.

    As far as getting clients.... Pick a market. You'll find more sucess early on if you pick a market and work it for awhile. You may decide to specialize in local realtors. Or maybe just local businesses in general. Don't try to get into a price war with people. Offer a reasonable product at a fair price and sell yourself based on service and quality.

    I wish you luck.

    Aaron
    Aaron Wendel
    Wholesale Internet, Inc. - http://www.wholesaleinternet.net
    Kansas City Internet eXchange - http://www.kcix.net

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