Making you're webhost successfull!

Don't think this has been made, so thought it might be usefull to inform people of what they need to do to make there Web Hosts successfull and profitable. So if people could provide advice to users and maybee it can be stickied. Regards Liam

Organise as many possible secure payment methods.

Use friendly and simple terminology so that it will not confuse even the less skilled of users.

Site layout to colours to be suttle, and a sharp clean layout.

Avoid powerfull gradients such as Red and Orange.

Release you're webhost's statistics of uptime and you're experiance in the field.

Describe you're products as much as possible, with advantages to certain users.

Assure you're prices, will stay the same, and why to choose you over other hosts.

Several contact methods including IM such as MSN messenger.
Provide appropriate customer support.

MSN Messenger support can be greatly useful! I makes getting stuff fixed so much quicker, from a customer's point of view at least. Good list!

Very good list, I have bookmarked for futrer refrence

Also remember to not just take a TemplateMonster template, it just isn't pro

Originally Posted by l.harrison Organise as many possible secure payment methods. Use friendly and simple terminology so that it will not confuse even the less skilled of users. Site layout to colours to be suttle, and a sharp clean layout. Avoid powerfull gradients such as Red and Orange. Release you're webhost's statistics of uptime and you're experiance in the field. Describe you're products as much as possible, with advantages to certain users. Assure you're prices, will stay the same, and why to choose you over other hosts. Several contact methods including IM such as MSN messenger. Provide appropriate customer support.

Design, keep it simple, no need to go into heavy graphic work, the visitor isn't looking for that, they are more looking for informations. Stay away from templatemonster. If you can't design yourself, find a web designer that will do a base site for you no need to look big when you are small. This can be done for $100 these days. .

I've seen a lot of web hosting sites with as information under "about us" a 30 day money guarantee paragraph. That's a big turn off for a customer. Explain what you are doing and provide! As much information you share, such as, your company history, vision, network and solutions available. Don't post unlimited disk space and bandwidth it is getting old.

Don't treat customers as numbers, big companies tend to do so, another big turn off. Being kind to a customer will give the customer a good impression of your communication skills and that is the most important for them. They don't ask you to become friends but they want an easy way to communicate.

Don't hide problems when they are arise, a down server is not a unscheduled maintenance, tell them the truth! Customer(s) hate to be pushed from one side to another. I personally tell what is wrong, make things easier and also makes the customer(s) understand that we are working on the problem.

Prices change with the time, your expense grow with everydays markets, so if you have to raise your prices you may do so, but carefully plan this. Don't go charge $19/mo when you were charging $5/mo. Methods of Payments, Paypal, Credit cards (Real Merchant) and western union.

One big advise, DO NOT START SOMETHING YOU DON'T WANT TO FINISH.

my 2 cents. :P

Good post Pierre, some nice advice

Great advise! Especially about treating companies a numbers... anybody who has been with 1 and 1 will understand that :P

Whilst a graphic intensive design isn't crucial make sure it's professional. Branding your business is fundamental to becoming a succesful business. People who are looking for hosting always have support and reliability at the forefront of their minds, make sure you have various ways to get in touch, a phone number is always a great touch.

I disagree about the part of using powerful gradients such as red and orange. I believe to be successful in the hosting business it starts with your website. Powerful colors attract the visitors attention and can be used to get a certain point across first and foremost.

In the hosting market now, you need to have something to differentiate from all the rest. Be unique and creative in your service and marketing.