Do you have any tips to offer on places to promote and how to go about doing so? I do not know if text ads or banner ads are better? Is it okay to advertise in forums that allow it? I had heard that forum advertising can get you in trouble but I don't understand how as long as you are within the forum guidelines.
How & Where to promote?
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cyberworldhost
Cyber Specialist
well my friend I would go read about business first if you asking these questions. All I got to say is market your company everywhere. Your local city is a great start. Forums are great to. Always talk about your company to everyone.
Signature links (when allowed) are an excellent way of promoting your websites. Remember that your post quality is somewhat representative of the sites you link to. 
You can also add your site to directories and work on improving your search rankings through SEO.
Then there's paid advertising - text and banner ads can both be effective.
You can also add your site to directories and work on improving your search rankings through SEO.
Then there's paid advertising - text and banner ads can both be effective.
handsonhosting
New member
When to market? ALWAYS. Where to market? EVERYWHERE. How to market? That's a question that if you don't know the answer, you'll want to hire someone to do it for you.
Marketing a product that you believe in is a fairly easy task, especially if the product is you or your company. Many people don't like to talk about themselves, or what they do, or strike up conversations with others about what they do. If that's you, then you need to seriously bring in a crew to do the marketing for you.
If you're starting out, aim local. Advertising on forums is something that you can do when you have an established brand, but if you're new, be prepared to see money spent with little to no reward.
Here's a simple and easy method for advertising;
Buy 100 postcard stamps from the US Post Office ($0.27 to send a 4.5x6 postcard). Overnight Prints currently has a 100 postcard offer for free. So for $27.00 (and some creative graphics), you can mail out to 100 prospective customers in your local area, setup a meeting, and bring them on board.
During this recession time that we're having, you may have noticed that your mail box hasn't had as many mailings in them, often with days of NO mail in the mailbox. This is because peopel cut back on spending, and one of the biggest was the direct mail. This means BIG BONUS to you! Since there is less junk mail in the mail box, you stand a better chance of being noticed!
Need other ideas? Look around your neighbourhood, what are others doing? Wear shirts, give out business cards, leave business cards in the resturant when you leave a tip, communicate with everyone!
I can't teach you to be a better marketer, but if you watch and listen, you'll see a lot of people with the same "type" of ideas which you can easily implement. They are tried and true methods, and they work, so you just need to put a game plan together, get good ad copy and hit the streets!
Marketing a product that you believe in is a fairly easy task, especially if the product is you or your company. Many people don't like to talk about themselves, or what they do, or strike up conversations with others about what they do. If that's you, then you need to seriously bring in a crew to do the marketing for you.
If you're starting out, aim local. Advertising on forums is something that you can do when you have an established brand, but if you're new, be prepared to see money spent with little to no reward.
Here's a simple and easy method for advertising;
Buy 100 postcard stamps from the US Post Office ($0.27 to send a 4.5x6 postcard). Overnight Prints currently has a 100 postcard offer for free. So for $27.00 (and some creative graphics), you can mail out to 100 prospective customers in your local area, setup a meeting, and bring them on board.
During this recession time that we're having, you may have noticed that your mail box hasn't had as many mailings in them, often with days of NO mail in the mailbox. This is because peopel cut back on spending, and one of the biggest was the direct mail. This means BIG BONUS to you! Since there is less junk mail in the mail box, you stand a better chance of being noticed!
Need other ideas? Look around your neighbourhood, what are others doing? Wear shirts, give out business cards, leave business cards in the resturant when you leave a tip, communicate with everyone!
I can't teach you to be a better marketer, but if you watch and listen, you'll see a lot of people with the same "type" of ideas which you can easily implement. They are tried and true methods, and they work, so you just need to put a game plan together, get good ad copy and hit the streets!
romes
David
I've done the leave a card in the resturant thing. I have cards that I have for specific areas. 500 cards for places I go (resturants for one), movies, grocery shopping, etc. I just leave them with people I meet, talk to, etc. Out of 500 cards and doing that method I probably get 25-50 calls and out of that 5-15 clients. Business cards are cheap to get and work out great.
Sometimes I will leave a business card attached to a letter in mailboxes. To cut costs I hand deliver them which isnt to bad. I get around 5-10 clients this way.
All this is done once every two months. In the winter time I stop the mailbox thing lol too cold for that stuff.
There are lots of ways to promote your self, you just have to get creative. The easiest form and cost effective (free) is to post on webmaster forums. HD, WHT, FWS, FWT, + a lot more that are out there. I can't remember all of them off the top of my head.
Sometimes I will leave a business card attached to a letter in mailboxes. To cut costs I hand deliver them which isnt to bad. I get around 5-10 clients this way.
All this is done once every two months. In the winter time I stop the mailbox thing lol too cold for that stuff.
There are lots of ways to promote your self, you just have to get creative. The easiest form and cost effective (free) is to post on webmaster forums. HD, WHT, FWS, FWT, + a lot more that are out there. I can't remember all of them off the top of my head.
handsonhosting
New member
You know that opening a mail box that is not yours is a federal penalty
Existing law in the united states states that only an authorized letter carrier my deliver mail to a mailbox. It is a federal offence classed under the mail tampering laws and is punashable by a fine and/or jail time.This is one of the reasons that many places that deliver flyers to you will put it on your door step or on the door itself. Stay away from the mailbox
The USPS Domestic Mail Manual states “no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items of matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle.”
A little off topic, but fair warning to those that wish to deliver mail to a mail box.
All great advice. I squirmed a little when I read the part about the mailboxes - don't even venture close to them. Leaving your business card works for all businesses. Posting on forums works great - again the key is adding value.
Zachary McClung
New member
Romes, is in the UK I believe, isn't he? Maybe, they have different policies on mailboxes.
I have never left a business card with a tip. That made me laugh. We are going to start doing direct mailers with our new HostDIY brand. It should be a good time.
romes
David
lol oops, let me rephrase that. I leave them on the red arrow thing. It just sucks after I put like 20 up it starts to rain lol Atleast this way they get noticed. When you go to your mailbox, the first thing you will see if my business letter on the side of your mailbox. Most people read it before they even grab their mail 
EDIT: I live in IL, U.S.
EDIT: I live in IL, U.S.
Zachary McClung
New member
lol oops, let me rephrase that. I leave them on the red arrow thing. It just sucks after I put like 20 up it starts to rain lol Atleast this way they get noticed. When you go to your mailbox, the first thing you will see if my business letter on the side of your mailbox. Most people read it before they even grab their mail
EDIT: I live in IL, U.S.
oops my bad, maybe there is someone else who has a UK webhost name similiar to yours. By the definiation above the red flag is illegal too.
Thank you (again, you are so helpful!) Conor! I do some simple graphics myself so maybe I can whip up some nice things and order these cards. I haven't ever heard of Overnight Prints, I usually use VistaPrint but they are SO slow lately with delivery. Is Overnight Prints pretty much the same quality?
Zachary McClung
New member
paperbox or front door with a peice of tape is always legal. hehe
Zachary McClung
New member
romes, damn you are lazy. This is about financial freedom and success. Your not willing to take two minutes to obtain that? Geez.
romes
David
lol It's just a hassle. I spend a few hours chatting on forums then helping clients. I then drive to areas I havent covered and leave flyers, my cards, etc. Driving up-to peoples houses to leave a piece of paper is just a huge hassle as I like to accomplish as much as I can.
I know, I sound a it lazy but thats ok. lol
I know, I sound a it lazy but thats ok. lol
handsonhosting
New member
Nice thing about walking up to someone's how is maybe they are home! Now you can do a face to face conversion rather than a piece of paper! I'll take face to face or via phone any day as I can usually make a conversion pretty quickly. I also use many of the conferences I go to in order to find out who has web hosting, how they found their current host, and what they like/dislike. I never try to pitch my host until they ask. If all you're doing is collecting information, usually THEY will pitch to you asking how you can help them!
Sales is really an art, and a good salesman will let the client be the one asking for more information. But like anything else, you either have it, or you don't - there's limited middle ground. You HAVE to be approachable when doing face to face or on the phone.
Regarding Overnight Prints - I've used them a dozen times or more, and have been more than satisfied with results. They were cheaper for me to work with than VistaPrint when we sent out our holiday cards last year. I use Vista on some small print runs, but overall Overnight Prints usually gets my business.
I'll take face to face or via phone any day as I can usually make a conversion pretty quickly. I also use many of the conferences I go to in order to find out who has web hosting, how they found their current host, and what they like/dislike. I never try to pitch my host until they ask. If all you're doing is collecting information, usually THEY will pitch to you asking how you can help them!Sales is really an art, and a good salesman will let the client be the one asking for more information. But like anything else, you either have it, or you don't - there's limited middle ground. You HAVE to be approachable when doing face to face or on the phone.
Regarding Overnight Prints - I've used them a dozen times or more, and have been more than satisfied with results. They were cheaper for me to work with than VistaPrint when we sent out our holiday cards last year. I use Vista on some small print runs, but overall Overnight Prints usually gets my business.
Zachary McClung
New member
Nice thing about walking up to someone's how is maybe they are home! Now you can do a face to face conversion rather than a piece of paper!
Sales is really an art, and a good salesman will let the client be the one asking for more information. But like anything else, you either have it, or you don't - there's limited middle ground. You HAVE to be approachable when doing face to face or on the phone.
Regarding Overnight Prints - I've used them a dozen times or more, and have been more than satisfied with results. They were cheaper for me to work with than VistaPrint when we sent out our holiday cards last year. I use Vista on some small print runs, but overall Overnight Prints usually gets my business.
I think I just found a new plce for my next postcard and business card order. Vista Prints tends to have crappy print jobs compared to a normal press. I noticed that if you order over a 100 business cards they are done on an offset printer which gives you that nice professional design. The digital printer vista print used just didn't cut it last time.
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