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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Gary, IN
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    209

    Getting Initial Clients

    Hello, I just recently dove into the paid hosting business. I used to run a couple free hosts, but of course when running a free host it is a lot easier to pick up clients.

    Does anyone have any tips or advice on getting initial clients?

    Possibly any other sites to promote on other than wht?


    - Nolan

  2. #2
    Hi there. I would suggest maybe signing up to Google Adwords, however this of course would require a small investment.

    It really depends how big your marketing budget is.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Gary, IN
    Posts
    209
    That would always help, but I'm trying to keep it on a pretty low budget. I'm sure advertising at webmaster forums such as Namepros and Sitepoint wouldn't hurt.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    2,570
    Be active on communities such as this one. You're allowed to post an ad on each section once a week in the offers section here on WHT.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Lawerence, MA
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    301
    Quote Originally Posted by igxhost View Post
    Be active on communities such as this one. You're allowed to post an ad on each section once a week in the offers section here on WHT.
    Extending on this build a reputation on here and have the link in your signature or something, that will help drive people to your site.
    Brandon Long | https://brandonlong.me/
    Just a guy with a brain.

  6. #6
    Why not try and convert some of those free clients to paid? If you use the right email marketing and give them a really nice deal you might be able to convert 1% of them. All you need is those first few clients and you can go from there.

    There are also a bunch of webmaster related forums you can visit. Here are some other ones that will help you:

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com
    http://www.freewebspace.net/forums/(has both free and paid hosting sections)
    http://www.hostingdiscussion.com
    http://www.webhostingchat.com
    http://www.hosthideout.com
    http://freehostforum.com
    http://forums.webhostdir.com
    http://www.freewebhostingtalk.com
    http://www.dslreports.com/forum/webhost

    Some other very popular forums great for getting leads:
    http://forums.digitalpoint.com
    http://www.warriorforum.com
    http://www.daniweb.com/forums/
    http://www.sitepoint.com
    http://www.v7n.com/forums/
    http://www.namepros.com
    http://www.webtalkforums.com/

    These are the most active forums that I have found. All of them are definitely places you can get clients from.

    Best of luck,
    -Dan
    Download my eBook + Videos: Starting your own successful web hosting company.
    Learn from a web host with 7 years of experience.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    35
    If you could convert some of those free accounts thats what I would be doing right now. I know a lot of people that convirted in the same situation just to get rid of adds...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Eta Carinae
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    Justin has the right idea - if you can convert some of those free clients by offering them more, then you could get quite a few paid clients that way.

    otherwise it is very difficult to get started, and posting in forums help, using CPC ads such as adwords and YSM gets your name out but it doesn't help as much as forum posting (follow all rules) and word of mouth advertising. I've seen the latter to help us out a LOT over the past months.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Gary, IN
    Posts
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    Thanks for all the help guys, I hope this all works out well.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    1,063
    I got my first clients by doing websites for the and offering the hosting service on top. It's much easier to get hosting customers when you already provide them with another service.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Gary, IN
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    Quote Originally Posted by skullbox View Post
    I got my first clients by doing websites for the and offering the hosting service on top. It's much easier to get hosting customers when you already provide them with another service.
    That could also work too. Thanks.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Posts
    3,857
    Getting your initial clients can be difficult, though not impossible. Key is to cut your costs right from the beginning, start small and have a decent budget for advertisements. Further to that, the biggest thing would be to give your customers a reason to sign up with you. Competing on price is a no go. Too many hosts offering the world for next to nothing..

    Good luck!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    USA / UK
    Posts
    4,577
    Very important to get listed in all the web hosting directories (the free ones - the pay to list ones are evil

    Then, submit your site to all the search engines (just like with any other site - SEO is helpful)

    Also, submit your site to some of the wikis for linux os's like http://wiki.debian.org/DebianHosting

    That is the bare minimum to get going. Once you've done that, come back on WHT and post a free trial offer in the advertising forums - that will get the word out and those customers will do your advertising for you.

    Try and get some reviews and customer feedback - what did they like the best? the worst? fix what they don't like and use what they do like in your next advertising campaign
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  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    1,140
    Hi,

    It is hard to get your initial clients but hang in there! They will come!

    Personally I contacted College courses and asked if I could send some discount vouchers for their web design students. It was a great success!

    All web design students need web hosting, and most of them will do freelance projects on the side who they need hosting for.

    Hope this helps!

  15. #15
    What a great idea Hydro Host!

  16. #16
    I think that you need to establish partnership with web development companies. Implement an affiliate program into your website send web design, web development companies business proposal. Than pay them honestly for each sale generated. Hope it will help you from the beginning. Also, continue to develop internet marketing strategy throughout all the time.

  17. #17
    Also you can target the peoples you knows like your friends, relatives and you co-workers and as nowadays the market is become more saturated it is hard to get set in this business as there is lot rush of competitors. So initially I thinks starting with offering free service would be good would be good to attract the initial customers and get holds.
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  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Gary, IN
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    I got my first one! I'm pretty excited right now!

  19. #19
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    Apr 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by NolanCrutix View Post
    I got my first one! I'm pretty excited right now!
    Congrats!

    A word of caution: Keep an eye on them as often the evil people target the new hosts - you're "fresh meat" to them.

    If it turns out to be a good client then more power to you.

    And Welcome To The Web Hosting Industry - hopefully you'll do good and be around for years to come
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  20. #20
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    May 2006
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    Gary, IN
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    Quote Originally Posted by ramnet View Post
    Congrats!

    A word of caution: Keep an eye on them as often the evil people target the new hosts - you're "fresh meat" to them.

    If it turns out to be a good client then more power to you.

    And Welcome To The Web Hosting Industry - hopefully you'll do good and be around for years to come
    Thanks! What exactly do you mean by evil?

  21. #21
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    Apr 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by NolanCrutix View Post
    Thanks! What exactly do you mean by evil?
    You'll find out - trust me

    In my case it was "hosting a fast-flux dns server for a criminal bot phishing ring."

    in your case it may be warez or proxies or something else...you'll find out.
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  22. #22
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by ramnet View Post
    You'll find out - trust me

    In my case it was "hosting a fast-flux dns server for a criminal bot phishing ring."

    in your case it may be warez or proxies or something else...you'll find out.
    Well I hope not. Is there any concern I should have about the country the client is from?

  23. #23
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    USA / UK
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    Quote Originally Posted by NolanCrutix View Post
    Well I hope not. Is there any concern I should have about the country the client is from?
    Not really - they come from all over.

    Although china has a few more baddies than most - but that's to be expected with over a billion people.

    since you're only doing shared / reseller you're at much less risk than someone like me who does vps's - client has much less control on shared / reseller hosting.

    there is still a risk though - but it's mostly limited to warez, direct blatent piracy, and other things you can easily see just by browsing the websites of your customers every now and then.
    Last edited by ramnet; 09-04-2009 at 01:06 AM.
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  24. #24
    I would suggest posting on various forums such as this one letting people know of your services and what you offer.

    That's an easy and free way to get your name out there.

  25. #25
    Join Date
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    The South
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    Any orders from AOL ips you need to scrutinize. 90% of the fraud orders we get who immediately start spamming come from 172. (aol ips).

    Any orders for hosting for sites that in ANY way sound like escrow, payment, CAR SHIPPING (we get a lot of these), paypal variations, etc you want to call personally on the phone to verify. Better safe than sorry, and for those good orders you call, it gives them the feeling of the personal touch. In reality you're just CYA.
    Gary Harris - the artist formerly known as Dixiesys
    resident grumpy redneck

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