Same Old Questions!

[Sepehr]

Hello,
I know these questions had been discussed before, but I want to take one more chance to ask them in my own way!
I've been using vortech for more than a year now. I mainly sell to people who I know through my network or I creat web sites for them but I want to expand my business and start some sort of broad advertising to get more clients.
There are few things I would like to know
1. I also want to start selling domain names, vortech has this service for resellers through openSRS, good point about it is that it works with the CP but comparing to other web sites, the prices are too high! but if I start selling domains from other web sites, users would have 2 CPs (one for the domain and one for the hosting) wouldn't it be a put off? if not what services you recommend. (mind you i am in the UK and most of my clients are looking for .uk domains)
2. Same thing with the SSL, I really thing it would be good if the user could have everything under one CP. I can use comodo for this matter but there are cheaper prices around. I've been considering rapidSSL, what do you think?
3. finally, does any of you use google for advertising? does it worth it to pay google?
4. what do you suggest as the best way to advertise? (when you know there are web sites with better support and better prices! - here in uk you can buy hosting next to nothing!)
5. any other thoughts for starters?

[stanj]

Hi Sepehr
I'll address the advertising questions. Competing as a little guy in the forest of service provider of general hosting seems like a good way to spin your wheels and spend a lot on advertising. You know it is hard to explain why someone should sign up with you if they are seeking general services, to appeal to a general audience is mighty expensive. Why do your clients now remain with you? Not because of price or general services, it is personal relationships and the value added. The hosting itself is just a feature, not the product, of your business. So my advice is to expand that angle, figure out specialized markets that you know better than others, markets in which you can effectively become a preferred provider of specialized services. Is there a field where you are well known and where you know all the players where you write articles on web sales for their news letters or give talks at their club meetings? If not find one or two where you can become that well known as a specialist, either that or get a whole pot of money to advertise to a general market and appeal to what sells most; rock bottom prices.
I always select the tight niches that I can maintain high margins and become well known, even when the money was there, later on, to be a large low margin high volume operation.
I am not selling hosting services, why..there is little reason to since so many people do it well, but I use what they can not do, the specialization in fields where I can establish myself as the "household name" in that specialty. That is all the advertising that is needed. One of the fields generates a great deal in on-line sales and total advertising monthly budget is $60, for 2 banner ads on a highly targeted forum. Those ads result in a limited number of click-throughs but 1 in 10 clicks results in a $600-3,000 sale, which must be some sort of record.
Think of those hobbies or special training you have that when combined with web design/marketing becomes a unique combination, then work on establishing yourself as THE expert in that specialty. That is easier with very narrowly cast fields. Write articles, join forums and answer questions as an expert but be careful not to appear to be pushing your business. Being thought of as an accessible expert will bring the customers without begging or even asking for the business. But first off, be an expert in something, it matters little what it is, there are people who need it. The ones who know they need it will be happy customers.
Good luck
Stan

[Sepehr]

Stan,
Thanks for the reply,
I guess offering web design and web hosting services together would work for me, but obviously I need to get more work done to earn some money in this way as I was expecting to have a business with less work for me!
I also would like to know more about how other prople offer ssl and domain registration in their services.
I'll be glad to see more replys.
Sepehr