Business from forums like this

[interactive]

Just wondeirng how many of you hosts really get clients off of forums like the offers forum on here and dare I say, that other forum. Any comments would be great (just a curious person).

[Locke]

Well, I never have personally advertised off of forums, so I can't offer that.

However a community I am a mod of, TutorialForums.com has an ad for a hosting company called MileScape, and according to them, they get quite a bit of traffic and a good amount of new clients from TF sometimes, however, I can't back that really, I could always ask Dave, but I'm pretty sure they do. If so, TF is only 11,000 or so members, so if it has decent exposure, it could be effective, just depends on how you market I suppose.


EDIT: However, we ran locally in San Francisco, CA up till last month, when I moved our operations to TN, and we still have all our clients. What we did, was get a few ads in the movie theatre promos, and we managed to get 3-4 weeks of billboard time around the bay area, which is NOT inexpensive. I personally find those more effective, but a forum might be more, since it covers more than just the people around you :)

[JeremyV]

I don't advertise as in say, posting specials, or responding to every single request on WHT.. but keep it in my sig and will occasionally respond to someone if it looks like I can help them. But overall, you really can't compete with most of the kiddies on there who expect the world for nothing. I have gotten a few clients from responding to a request, a few others from visitors from the sig... but nothing real significant.

[DarktidesNET]

Very few (probably 5), but only one an actual request.

Most of ours come from friends of other clients of ours.

[net-trend]

Well on the "other" forum we had a permanent special so that picked up quite a few people. But i'd have to say I get more customers elsewhere than from forums.

And i'm sure there are those whose customers mainly came from the "other" forum only.

You gotta love the hype...:)

[spingen]

Can't expect all that much from signups from a forum. Sure we have had approx 6 signups from WHT alone but it doesn't compare to conventional means of advertising. I suppose it might be a little bit higher I could sell transfer for 10 cents/gig, maybe my sole while I am at it, but that is not going to be happening anytime soon.

[Living Media]

I think I've gotten three clients from that other forum. The timing of their respective signups was about right, and they didn't say anything and I didn't ask (except in one case), but based on when they signed up and the syntax used in the WHT threads and then in support tickets, I think I've identified three WHT-sent clients.

And considering how infrequently I answer any of the advert threads, I think that's a pretty darn good ratio.

Most of my clients come from word of mouth / client referrals. I don't expect to get a whole lot of business from any forums. The various communities I participate in are as much for my learning experience as advertising, so even if I didn't get any clients, I get information.

(Boy, was that a badly parsed sentence. I need more coffee.)

[JeremyV]

On the other hand about forums... I run a pretty large non-hosting, and even non-computer related forum. And in my sig there I have a link with a coupon code for them to use. And have had quite a few signups. It isn't a super steady stream, but pretty good for a very non-targeted forum.

The only drawback with that is people tend to contact me directly via PMs on the forum with support issues as opposed to emailing or submitting a ticket. That somewhat complicates things, but it isn't terrible :)

[Living Media]

Good suggestion...I hadn't thought of that. Thanks, JeremyV!

[Robert]

I always feel that a webhosting company should at least obtain 5-10 members a a forum as customers. That way, they recommend you and you don't have to be there recommending you and your services.

[suppleSupport]

Hrmmm...

It's pretty tough to beat all those hosts who give the world for nothing on requests/offers forums... Although I refuse to do that I have received a couple of signups by replying to requests mainly because of our reputation. For instance, I replied to a semi-dedicated request three weeks ago. The guy said he'd like to go with us but we were just too expensive for him... he signed up with another host, had a bad experience, then two weeks later emailed me again and asked if my offer still stood. That's $125/mo right there :)

Another thing... if you get even one good review on that other forum it'll convert to several signups a day for several days :D We've gotten 40+ signups this way.

[Living Media]

elevation, I haven't given anyone anything but the standard plans and pricing, and still I've gotten clients - not many, but a few. I just don't bother replying to the threads where people ask for peace on earth, seven million dollars, and a little red wagon for pennies (or for free). There have been more threads where the posters have gone with someone else; but still, the name's been put out there, and no price-cutting was involved. I don't want to start down that slippery slope either. :)

[Chicken]

There are so many factors that might affect whether you will, or will not, get signups from posting offers, that it is hard to lump everyone into the same boat. Reasons why you might not:

1) Your offer is off from the typical market need of the forum.
2) Your offer didn't stand out enough.
3) Your company isn't well known yet.
4) You aren't a well known member yet.
5) Slow week.
6) Etc.

I suppose a better example of what I'm talking about is advertising on hosting directories. One might think that by advertising on a site whose sole purpose attracts people looking for hosting, you'd get clients just by listing your company and plans. It just isn't so.

I've noticed that doing some advertising can help. If your banner was at the top of the forum and you posted offers/specials, you'd probably find more interest in your offers (one way of standing out), and on several forums I've noticed that this generated threads asking about the host. Many times (such as here and other forums), the price for posting an offer in the ad forums is certainly right, thus you might as well :D

[beley]

Since this forum is mostly hosts I don't think that many people would be getting sales, unless they offered dedicated or reseller plans. On the "other" forum though, a lot of people make sales. However, they have to low-ball to get them... I'd rather not have the business than have to drop my prices to where I'm not making a profit and where I'm not able to provide support to my clients.

[Chicken]

We will be getting some end-user traffic soon, so it would be interesting to see if any of you do get signups for end user plans.

[vito]

I haven't had a chance to take a close look at the Offers Forum here, but if it's like the one at WHT, I would think that it would be difficult to compete with the rock bottom prices you keep seeing day after day. Personally, I think if you keep your nose clean, and if you "put yourself out there" with lots of posts in the "general" forums, you will get noticed, and end up with enquiries.

I see certain hosts at WHT who have never advertised in the Offers forum, yet manage to garner new accounts, and respect from others. All they have to do is run a tight ship and pour their hearts into their business. Sounds so simple, huh? ;)

Vito

[Rewdog]

I've stopped advertising hosting on forums, because I want to represent myself rather than a hosting company with all I say and do. I want to be able to relax and enjoy my forum experience without worrying about people turning around what I say to flame a company I work for. Also HHO is a forum mainly for hosts, which isn't my target audience so there's no point of me advertising here..

[Dapon]

I have never gotten a client off of a forum in 5 years. I come here to keep up on what the industry is doing and what direction it seems to be heading.

Thats not to say I wouldn't take clients from them, I jsut haven't so far. IMO the customers that come to these forums are shopping for the cheapest price and the most everything. That is not who I target. They are only loyal to price, and as soon as someone offers something cheaper they will leave.

I do learn a lot from reading the posts and enjoy some of them, but it is not a way for me to get business.

[Protollix]

I have received a couple signups from forums. I have yet to receive a single signup as a result of posting a special or ad on the forums, but rather from helping other user out and other "normal" postings on that other forum.

It still doesn't hurt to post specials and respond to requests on the forums, if for no other reason than name recognition. Once someone sees your company name enough, they tend to recall it when thinking of the service you provide :)

For example, whenever I need hardware for my personal computers I always check newegg.com as I have seen their name so much it's like an automatic response (to check their site).