how do you get customers..

[Penguin]

Hi
I would like to be a reseller but Im not sure how I would get customers to start off.
If I buy a reseller package before I have any customers it might be a waste of money, what if i dont get anyone that wants me to be their host?

[eHostSpace]

Business is always a venture, a gamble. I don't think it's a good idea not to buy any package and start off like this. Have more confidence in yourself and start off your business Always study the market before flying off

[mz-elliot]

What eHostSpace said is true. Find out what market you're going to be hosting (if any), find out as much as you can about what they want (in other words, market research) and then research what it's going to cost you to advertise to this demographic.

Who knows, perhaps there are free or at least very cheap methods of publicising yourself to these people. Once your confident enough to go live, just make sure you don't under- or over-value your services.

[Primeplans]

I, myself just started and tomorrow I'll be submitting to who knows how many web directories! But what I did was create all my content and html and template so I didn't have to waste any time, then I told a few close friends of my future goal and they said they'd get hosted by me(so I already had a few guaranteed customers, no worries anymore) Try to learn a lot of hosting like what all the features mean too, you probably already know, but telling you just in case because some customer might ask you a hard question.

Yes and of course you'll have to research the marketing area, try to find the cheapest nonscamable advertisers, I know that htmlpalace.com offers 20,000 impressions : $4 and other impression plans. And a lot of message boards seem to have advertisements too

[hostonicweb]

Penguin, that is a risk that all web hosts take. If your not finacially ready for to become a web host, I strongly discourage it. With some many other hosts competing for every consumer, it is a hard business to get into. If you wish to be profitable I suggest to write a business plan and target a niche market of the web. For example some people target the U.K., because many spend a good amount of money on the net. Other target niches like: Christians, teens, budet consumers, etc. Just my thoughts.

[hostonicweb]

Hmmm, I should have read the posts above mine and could have saved myself some typing =)

[flumps]

We started off as a reseller but now rent servers, think its the best way to start of as a reseller then just work your way up, least that way you will have customers and expanding at the same time, instead of jumping straight into it.

If you need anyhelp getting started then we could help good luck.

[eliquid]

word of mouth is best and the only way I do business with mine.

I found advertising online with google or overture a waste and so are directories.

What i did though, was I a was already a webmaster designing sites for myself and needed hosting for many domains, so I bought a reseller account and started from that putting my domains and accounts under one reseller account, the space left over I would rent out to friends or clients that I would get from my design/programming I did already.

Those friends and clients would talk to other people about their website and then those people would come to me for design and hosting too, My best salesmans and advertising people I have I dont even pay one cent to! I have 3 people I host that have sent me a combined 46 clients alone themselves.. and I didnt have to do a thing but take orders.

[mworld]

Yeah I think word of mouth over time is best. I submitted by site to all sorts of web directories and ran banner ads but it still took a few months for customers to start coming.

Personally I think renting a server is the best option if you can. Resellers are fine but chances are if you get a hardware problem you are not going to get the level of support you do if you have a dedicated server and so you may lose customers due to slower response times.

[aingaran]

Like others have suggested.

It's basically a risk you have to take with the thought that you will succeed!
Ideally you'd want to start off by trying to sell your services to family or friends or your local church and etc...Then get the word out via word of mouth...Then you're off!

Good luck with your business!