Advertising

[jdshells]

What are your most productive advertising methods?

 

[Matthew]

Word of mouth for us.

 

[wise]

forum advertising and buying other companies

 

[Matthew]

Buying other companies can be good or bad depending on how good the buyer is and how that transition goes. Hopefully you have had good experiences with that. My experience was good and things went smooth, but I have heard of others where things go completly wrong.

 

[wise]

yes you have to be very careful. We never pay full before clients have transferred - some sellers try to trick you into buying "non-existant" clients or they steal the clients away with them after the sale!

 

[jdshells]

Thats bad busniess ethics to steal customers back after the "sale" has happened. I have seen this happen before with another provider.

 

[Will]

I think "business ethics" is an oxymoron, myself.

 

[jdshells]

That is a fact. Some people are just that way. Sad....

 

[monaghan]

I often read the "Clients for sale" posts just for the humour. The best ones are the ones where people are offering "selected clients", why not just post "These are the worst customers we have and our overselling is costing us a forune to host these clients for such a low price as they actually use the resource we've sold them"

 

[monaghan]

Back on topic now

I find word of mouth is the best, 90% of my customers have come from word of mouth, they tend to be prepared to pay for deliverable packages rather than expecting you to compete with thr 5Gb for $1 type offers and from my expereince they will ask less support questions and stay with you rather than jumping ship when the next offer comes along.

Your current customers are your best advert

 

[Matthew]

I agree 100%. Current customers have been a great source of new clients for us and tend to be very loyal too.

 

[imported_etechsupport]

Yep, IMO referral program and viral marketing is a way to get prospective customers.

 

[eukhost]

I think word of mouth is the most effective way to advertise your business. Tell those who you come in contact with what you are in business for yourself. They will tell others and such thing will go on and on. Sooner or later some one will take a look at what you are doing.