How do I start to sell hosting?
Before answering this question, we must clarify some points:
• The Hosting is not a gold mine in which you invest little money and time, and running on autopilot, you become rich in less than a year. Take that idea off your head if you have one. This will lead to failure. This is an expensive, arduous, and sometimes disappointing work, but very rewarding when you go through the correct lane. Remember, "Patience is a tree whose root is bitter, but its fruit is lovely."
• You need to have time to invest. The capital is necessary, but the ability to fully exploit the resources that can be possessed is also required. This can help you save a few dollars.
• You will provide a service. Never forget that. Many are tired of how we treat mobile phone companies or Internet providers. It seems they do not care about the customer, which is the company's engine. Never lose sight of this: No customers, no business. Treat them like gold because they are.
• I Think three or four times before embarking. Consider whether you have time, knowledge, money, desire, etc.
I already clarified, most importantly, let us continue:
1) Know
So simple and yet so important. How will you sell something you do not know what it is? Learn as much as you can. Read a lot, and pay close attention. Hosting is a multi-disciplinary entrepreneurship. You need to know many things. Namely:
• I have some knowledge of server administration (More than anything related to hosting). You can leave the administration to another person or the company that will initially provide your space, but you can not fail to know how your system works. A thorough knowledge Control panel is necessary, eg.)
• Know business administration. Customer Management (Communication, Billing), etc.
• Knowledge of the tax and legal system of their country. This is important. We can avoid many conflicts later.
• Basic knowledge of web design (HTML, at least) is always welcome. Essential operation of DreamWeaver or any web editor.
2) Create a business plan
Important.
A business plan translates intentions into a document you have with your future business. Examples:
• A market that will point
• How am I going to enter the initial funds?
• What will be my method of promotion?
• What is the purpose of my company?
• Plans for the short, medium, and long term
• Planning costs
• Etc
A well-organized business plan can be the difference between success and failure.
There are many articles online that explain this in detail. Maybe in the future, I create one, but for now, take this as an introduction and expand it.
3) Make a market study.
Now you know what you need to know. It has all that information and ideas and is ready to begin. How to follow, then? Well, it's time to analyze where you stand.
Already know to market points? Will you sell hosting at close range or target a specific market (e.g., Hosting for forums)? Who are your closest competitors? What do they have in common, and do their sites differ? What does the buying the service you offer? What can differentiate you from the rest? Do you provide any specific service you do not have? If so, why?
For me, studying the market means examining the competition and determining how to adapt your business plan to the market demands you want to introduce. A question that can help you is why someone would buy me one and not another.
4) Create the structure of your company
It is essential to base or structure your business before starting his image.
First of all, a name and its respective domain are required. In this respect, one can speak much, but I'll summarize a few points:
• Unless point to the local market, the domain must be .com
• Avoid signs (e.g., a script. "-")
• I tried the name, which is easy to spell, remember, and pronounce.
• The name has to explain what you offer.
• Do not set on the first name that comes to mind. Please write it down and compare it with other names. Brainstorming could help.
Once you have the name and domain, you must prepare more technical stuff.
First, Where will you have your bills?
Today, two options exist: Reseller (Reseller) or VPS.
A reseller account is a shared hosting with more resources than a standard hosting and a panel to create new hosting accounts with separate resources (i.e., its control panel, a certain amount of bandwidth, disk space, email accounts, etc.).
The advantage is that you need to resell knowledge in server administration, and another does it for you. In turn, it is the cheapest way to start because, for a few dollars, you can have your company and walk alternative.
On the other hand, the downside is that it is limited to reselling and will eventually have to migrate to a dedicated server or VPS.
On the other hand, the VPS is a partition of a dedicated server. This way, you can run multiple instances (each with different resources, different panels, etc) on a single server.
Regarding cost/quality, this option is best. Some knowledge is required, and investment is older, but aside from sites that work best, you can withstand specific sites with an account reseller. It may not be because the host to which you buy hosting does not allow it (e.g., a place with Videos passed to Flash via FFMPEG with abundant views, although they may work on a reseller account, you may come to a time when it is a problem), etc.
It is the best option if you can afford a VPS (economic and labour costs). Otherwise, a reseller account is best to start.
Perhaps I stretched myself slightly on this subject. The truth is that the "technical" part requires more detail, but to some extent, it is something that you can change later. The first steps are essential, and many are perhaps irreversible. I prefer to stress those steps. This does not mean that the server selection is a minor detail because it is not; it is one of its pillars.
Second billing. How will it charge its customers?
Today, a hosting company without a payment script is an "outdated" company.
A billing script to help with complex tasks saves time and gives you a professional look.
Several systems can help but are not very expensive or powerful (e.g., ClientExec, WHMCS, ModernBill, WHMAutoPilot, etc.).
How will you make the payments?
ECommerce equals credit cards.
You are likely to fail if you do not accept credit cards, which are convenient for both the customer and the seller.
This is a significant issue. The options are few and sometimes are not the best.
We must seize PayPal if you can use it. PayPal is always an alternative to consider: Their fees are low (less than 3%), free, and have no monthly costs; most have a PayPal account, and if not, they can use their card without registering, etc.
If not, 2CheckOut is the other option. For $50 more, a 5.5% down payment, and $0.45 per transaction, it has a pretty solid system with many possibilities.
There are other options depending on the country.
If you work in your country, find out by local payment systems. In Argentina, accepting Easy Pay is an excellent choice, and companies like CuentaDigital provide that service simply and effectively. Same for credit cards. You may have a more practical option to accept them.
If you live in the United States or can access data from the United States, the combination + Merchant Account Payment Gateway is the best choice. With this option, you pay at your site; the payment is a payment gateway where it is processed, and the funds are sent to your bank account directly. The downside is that it must reside in the US or Europe. I know a company in South America that provides a similar service. Can you help me with this item?
Western Union, Xoom, or other companies based on sending money can be an alternative for some users. No service establishes its payment gateway on this system but offers an option.
At this point in the guide, I need not tell you that you need at least a bank account, right?
5) Support
Before coming to the website and corporate identity, we have one more detail: Support.
Perfect! The user purchased a hosting plan with you and received the first payment! Now what? The after-sale service must be equal to or better than the pre-sales service.
It is necessary to provide as many possible methods.
First, consider buying a support table; many scripts (even free) will be handy. This link lists my authorship, and you will find free help desk payments and a description.
Then, what methods of support are offered? This is important.
A hypothetical situation: Someone decides to start a website at 4 AM in your local time. Search and find your web hosting. Buy and automatically already have an account. Now, one problem: The user does not know where to start!
Go to his page, and there is only a contact form. Send the email, and the answer will arrive the next day; at that time, the user who has already lost interest in the site may frown on your company.
Solution: Provide self-help methods.
What's this? Simple. They are manual or online help that can be found at all times.
So, let's split the support into Personal and non-personal. One involves personal contact between the seller and the customer, and the other does not.
Method of Personal Support:
• Email or Ticket
• Live Chat (Live Chat, Messenger and MSN, IRC)
• Phone
• Depending on the case, a personal meeting
• Discussion Forums
Methods are not personal.
• Database
• FAQ
• Video Tutorials
• Trigger problems (troubleshooter)
• Downloads
• Manual PDF
There has to be offered to everyone, but at least two personal methods and three non-personal methods are ideal.
This assures you a drop in tickets received, but in turn, the user is happy to find the information you need when you need it, and after all, that's what matters.
6) Your identity
Look professional. This simplifies this aspect.
Your online identity is your face to your potential customers, and as in a job interview, it usually looks like matter, however much, otherwise stated, this is like. Many people leave a site based on their appearance or load time. Do not miss potential customers for design done in a hurry. Take the time to do it and plan it.
Hire a company web designer if necessary, but a comfortable, simple, and professional design is vital.
Your website needs to reflect its service's seriousness and simplicity; this pseudo-metaphysical concept is partly one of the pillars of Web 2.0 and makes commercial sites today differ.
On this point, I do not elaborate much because it depends on personal taste, but remember; identity is all you will see in your potential client until you hire or contact them.
Write your company documents and sub-pages. Be consistent and straightforward.
This is the end of the guide, which will hopefully serve to start this beautiful but complex undertaking.
Not everything hosts itself, but it is an excellent guide to knowing how to start, what to do, and what not to do.
Now, it's up to you to support your marketing campaign, their associations, etc.
I hope you liked the article!
Before answering this question, we must clarify some points:
• The Hosting is not a gold mine in which you invest little money and time, and running on autopilot, you become rich in less than a year. Take that idea off your head if you have one. This will lead to failure. This is an expensive, arduous, and sometimes disappointing work, but very rewarding when you go through the correct lane. Remember, "Patience is a tree whose root is bitter, but its fruit is lovely."
• You need to have time to invest. The capital is necessary, but the ability to fully exploit the resources that can be possessed is also required. This can help you save a few dollars.
• You will provide a service. Never forget that. Many are tired of how we treat mobile phone companies or Internet providers. It seems they do not care about the customer, which is the company's engine. Never lose sight of this: No customers, no business. Treat them like gold because they are.
• I Think three or four times before embarking. Consider whether you have time, knowledge, money, desire, etc.
I already clarified, most importantly, let us continue:
1) Know
So simple and yet so important. How will you sell something you do not know what it is? Learn as much as you can. Read a lot, and pay close attention. Hosting is a multi-disciplinary entrepreneurship. You need to know many things. Namely:
• I have some knowledge of server administration (More than anything related to hosting). You can leave the administration to another person or the company that will initially provide your space, but you can not fail to know how your system works. A thorough knowledge Control panel is necessary, eg.)
• Know business administration. Customer Management (Communication, Billing), etc.
• Knowledge of the tax and legal system of their country. This is important. We can avoid many conflicts later.
• Basic knowledge of web design (HTML, at least) is always welcome. Essential operation of DreamWeaver or any web editor.
2) Create a business plan
Important.
A business plan translates intentions into a document you have with your future business. Examples:
• A market that will point
• How am I going to enter the initial funds?
• What will be my method of promotion?
• What is the purpose of my company?
• Plans for the short, medium, and long term
• Planning costs
• Etc
A well-organized business plan can be the difference between success and failure.
There are many articles online that explain this in detail. Maybe in the future, I create one, but for now, take this as an introduction and expand it.
3) Make a market study.
Now you know what you need to know. It has all that information and ideas and is ready to begin. How to follow, then? Well, it's time to analyze where you stand.
Already know to market points? Will you sell hosting at close range or target a specific market (e.g., Hosting for forums)? Who are your closest competitors? What do they have in common, and do their sites differ? What does the buying the service you offer? What can differentiate you from the rest? Do you provide any specific service you do not have? If so, why?
For me, studying the market means examining the competition and determining how to adapt your business plan to the market demands you want to introduce. A question that can help you is why someone would buy me one and not another.
4) Create the structure of your company
It is essential to base or structure your business before starting his image.
First of all, a name and its respective domain are required. In this respect, one can speak much, but I'll summarize a few points:
• Unless point to the local market, the domain must be .com
• Avoid signs (e.g., a script. "-")
• I tried the name, which is easy to spell, remember, and pronounce.
• The name has to explain what you offer.
• Do not set on the first name that comes to mind. Please write it down and compare it with other names. Brainstorming could help.
Once you have the name and domain, you must prepare more technical stuff.
First, Where will you have your bills?
Today, two options exist: Reseller (Reseller) or VPS.
A reseller account is a shared hosting with more resources than a standard hosting and a panel to create new hosting accounts with separate resources (i.e., its control panel, a certain amount of bandwidth, disk space, email accounts, etc.).
The advantage is that you need to resell knowledge in server administration, and another does it for you. In turn, it is the cheapest way to start because, for a few dollars, you can have your company and walk alternative.
On the other hand, the downside is that it is limited to reselling and will eventually have to migrate to a dedicated server or VPS.
On the other hand, the VPS is a partition of a dedicated server. This way, you can run multiple instances (each with different resources, different panels, etc) on a single server.
Regarding cost/quality, this option is best. Some knowledge is required, and investment is older, but aside from sites that work best, you can withstand specific sites with an account reseller. It may not be because the host to which you buy hosting does not allow it (e.g., a place with Videos passed to Flash via FFMPEG with abundant views, although they may work on a reseller account, you may come to a time when it is a problem), etc.
It is the best option if you can afford a VPS (economic and labour costs). Otherwise, a reseller account is best to start.
Perhaps I stretched myself slightly on this subject. The truth is that the "technical" part requires more detail, but to some extent, it is something that you can change later. The first steps are essential, and many are perhaps irreversible. I prefer to stress those steps. This does not mean that the server selection is a minor detail because it is not; it is one of its pillars.
Second billing. How will it charge its customers?
Today, a hosting company without a payment script is an "outdated" company.
A billing script to help with complex tasks saves time and gives you a professional look.
Several systems can help but are not very expensive or powerful (e.g., ClientExec, WHMCS, ModernBill, WHMAutoPilot, etc.).
How will you make the payments?
ECommerce equals credit cards.
You are likely to fail if you do not accept credit cards, which are convenient for both the customer and the seller.
This is a significant issue. The options are few and sometimes are not the best.
We must seize PayPal if you can use it. PayPal is always an alternative to consider: Their fees are low (less than 3%), free, and have no monthly costs; most have a PayPal account, and if not, they can use their card without registering, etc.
If not, 2CheckOut is the other option. For $50 more, a 5.5% down payment, and $0.45 per transaction, it has a pretty solid system with many possibilities.
There are other options depending on the country.
If you work in your country, find out by local payment systems. In Argentina, accepting Easy Pay is an excellent choice, and companies like CuentaDigital provide that service simply and effectively. Same for credit cards. You may have a more practical option to accept them.
If you live in the United States or can access data from the United States, the combination + Merchant Account Payment Gateway is the best choice. With this option, you pay at your site; the payment is a payment gateway where it is processed, and the funds are sent to your bank account directly. The downside is that it must reside in the US or Europe. I know a company in South America that provides a similar service. Can you help me with this item?
Western Union, Xoom, or other companies based on sending money can be an alternative for some users. No service establishes its payment gateway on this system but offers an option.
At this point in the guide, I need not tell you that you need at least a bank account, right?
5) Support
Before coming to the website and corporate identity, we have one more detail: Support.
Perfect! The user purchased a hosting plan with you and received the first payment! Now what? The after-sale service must be equal to or better than the pre-sales service.
It is necessary to provide as many possible methods.
First, consider buying a support table; many scripts (even free) will be handy. This link lists my authorship, and you will find free help desk payments and a description.
Then, what methods of support are offered? This is important.
A hypothetical situation: Someone decides to start a website at 4 AM in your local time. Search and find your web hosting. Buy and automatically already have an account. Now, one problem: The user does not know where to start!
Go to his page, and there is only a contact form. Send the email, and the answer will arrive the next day; at that time, the user who has already lost interest in the site may frown on your company.
Solution: Provide self-help methods.
What's this? Simple. They are manual or online help that can be found at all times.
So, let's split the support into Personal and non-personal. One involves personal contact between the seller and the customer, and the other does not.
Method of Personal Support:
• Email or Ticket
• Live Chat (Live Chat, Messenger and MSN, IRC)
• Phone
• Depending on the case, a personal meeting
• Discussion Forums
Methods are not personal.
• Database
• FAQ
• Video Tutorials
• Trigger problems (troubleshooter)
• Downloads
• Manual PDF
There has to be offered to everyone, but at least two personal methods and three non-personal methods are ideal.
This assures you a drop in tickets received, but in turn, the user is happy to find the information you need when you need it, and after all, that's what matters.
6) Your identity
Look professional. This simplifies this aspect.
Your online identity is your face to your potential customers, and as in a job interview, it usually looks like matter, however much, otherwise stated, this is like. Many people leave a site based on their appearance or load time. Do not miss potential customers for design done in a hurry. Take the time to do it and plan it.
Hire a company web designer if necessary, but a comfortable, simple, and professional design is vital.
Your website needs to reflect its service's seriousness and simplicity; this pseudo-metaphysical concept is partly one of the pillars of Web 2.0 and makes commercial sites today differ.
On this point, I do not elaborate much because it depends on personal taste, but remember; identity is all you will see in your potential client until you hire or contact them.
Write your company documents and sub-pages. Be consistent and straightforward.
This is the end of the guide, which will hopefully serve to start this beautiful but complex undertaking.
Not everything hosts itself, but it is an excellent guide to knowing how to start, what to do, and what not to do.
Now, it's up to you to support your marketing campaign, their associations, etc.
I hope you liked the article!
