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- Thread starter DanQ
- Start date
Thanks Matt, the custom coded signup script doesn't allow automatic registration and also runs all them through a blacklist to minimise abuse.
Yeh, I couldn't find one anywhere so had to come up with a list myself. It's not 100% foolproof but should help in keeping away the issues.
jphilipson
New Member
What system/control panel will you be running? I have gotten my systems using cPanel down to very minimal abuse.
I know you said: "anyone got any tips apart from not offering large plans?" but I would like to suggest that some large plans are ok, but work up to them.
If you are P2H, well then that wouldnt apply I guess, but if people are going to need X amount of space and X amount of transfer, then they should have some way of getting that.
I would like to use exphost as an example (hopefully Stu wont mind). He offers up to I think 10GB/100GB, but you start off with far less and upgrades as needed. Say you start people with 200mb/3gb and then expand as people need it. I think this would show people that you are willing to work with them, but more experienced webmasters will know that you arent catering to the warez hopefuls right off the bat with a huge offer.
Another tip, support. Any host whether free or paid should have timely support by individuals capable of handling questions. If you start to have a large client base, get more people capable of handling cases, but responsible enough to do so on a voluntary basis and not stop by once a month. Even a reply such as "This topic is out of my expertise, please be patient as I submit this to whomever I need to" or along those lines. Having a support section in your forum that goes unanswered for weeks on end will not keep clients and will likely dissuade people from joining if they peruse the forum and see issues are not handled. People will state "You get this for free, dont complain" my response if if you offer services, you should still be professional enough to take care of clients, ESPECIALLY if you require another form of 'payment' such as ads or posting. Instead of giving money, they are giving something much more valuable: time, and that can never be replaced.
One last thing I can think of off the top of my head: Never put the "99.9% uptime guarantee". Should you fall below that, there is nothing a free host can logically offer as remuneration. More space/transfer for one that doesnt need it is pointless, and you certainly cannot give money back/add a month since they never paid for it, unless you are P2H, where you can give a month of free posting or whatever.
If you are P2H, well then that wouldnt apply I guess, but if people are going to need X amount of space and X amount of transfer, then they should have some way of getting that.
I would like to use exphost as an example (hopefully Stu wont mind). He offers up to I think 10GB/100GB, but you start off with far less and upgrades as needed. Say you start people with 200mb/3gb and then expand as people need it. I think this would show people that you are willing to work with them, but more experienced webmasters will know that you arent catering to the warez hopefuls right off the bat with a huge offer.
Another tip, support. Any host whether free or paid should have timely support by individuals capable of handling questions. If you start to have a large client base, get more people capable of handling cases, but responsible enough to do so on a voluntary basis and not stop by once a month. Even a reply such as "This topic is out of my expertise, please be patient as I submit this to whomever I need to" or along those lines. Having a support section in your forum that goes unanswered for weeks on end will not keep clients and will likely dissuade people from joining if they peruse the forum and see issues are not handled. People will state "You get this for free, dont complain" my response if if you offer services, you should still be professional enough to take care of clients, ESPECIALLY if you require another form of 'payment' such as ads or posting. Instead of giving money, they are giving something much more valuable: time, and that can never be replaced.
One last thing I can think of off the top of my head: Never put the "99.9% uptime guarantee". Should you fall below that, there is nothing a free host can logically offer as remuneration. More space/transfer for one that doesnt need it is pointless, and you certainly cannot give money back/add a month since they never paid for it, unless you are P2H, where you can give a month of free posting or whatever.
WebIntellects-R
Member
I think you need to check your competitors and have approximately the same offers
WhiteSystem
New Member
I think that if you're smart and have a good strategy you do not have to match plans from your competitors, I have the hope that people understand that if this is your first time on the web, you will not need much space (puff, 100GB? for what?), let alone much transfer (1000GB? what is the point?), no no no, if you're new to the web then you need to start a 500mb space, maybe 1GB to 3GB of transfer and no more!, then if your site grows, upgrade your plan!...
The problem is that kids come offering unlimited resources, or extremely large amount of resources (we know that even for a single dedicated server this is impossible) at very low prices, and after a few months, the company dies by obvious reasons.
I recommend you provide small plans, providing good support guarantees, as that is what people are buying more than the service (since we all offer the same kind of service: Hosting), focus on your marketing strategy.
The trick is not matching your competitor's plans, as we fall into the same vicious cycle, no, the trick is to give something that others do not give
.
Regards.
The problem is that kids come offering unlimited resources, or extremely large amount of resources (we know that even for a single dedicated server this is impossible) at very low prices, and after a few months, the company dies by obvious reasons.
I recommend you provide small plans, providing good support guarantees, as that is what people are buying more than the service (since we all offer the same kind of service: Hosting), focus on your marketing strategy.
The trick is not matching your competitor's plans, as we fall into the same vicious cycle, no, the trick is to give something that others do not give
.Regards.
And how would one decide whoa competitor is? Would it be one that has been around several years, or simply one that pops up from a teenagers bedroom, that will offer the absurd amounts of space and transfer. Technically this one month wonder is a competitor.
I would say most stable hosts have the moderate packages that they start people off on. Should they need more, they are usually willing to work with plans for clients.
I certainly wouldn't class some kiddy host as a competitor, nor those that offer unlimited web space/bandwidth.
Our base package would consist of 100MB web space, 1500MB bandwidth, five of each feature and Fantastico. A simple no frills service.
Yes we are, using Ruby on Rails.
