1and1 Hosting - Raising the bar
First, I have to admit. I'm a terrible customer. I'm a demanding perfectionist who rarely feels that he is getting his money's worth. This is especially true of hosting providers. In the past four years, I've had to change providers at least six times because I felt that I was not getting what I paid for. This brief commentary is somewhat of a treat for me as I finally get to say something good about a hosting provider!
First, I have to admit. I'm a terrible customer. I'm a demanding perfectionist who rarely feels that he is getting his money's worth. This is especially true of hosting providers. In the past four years, I've had to change providers at least six times because I felt that I was not getting what I paid for. This brief commentary is somewhat of a treat for me as I finally get to say something good about a hosting provider!
A little over two years ago I was reading up on the latest technologies in one of my favorite publications, eWeek, when I ran across a nice, full-page ad from 1and1 offering an introductory offer of free hosting for three years. Wait! What! No way! This has got to be too good to be true! Off to the trusty computer I go...
Sure enough, it was the real deal. 1and1 was indeed offering free web hosting for three years to introduce its new public sector hosting service. Well, like any good cash-strapped college student, I stepped right up and got me a piece of the pie. I've got to say, the pie was good too!
After roughly two years of hosting with 1and1, with minimal problems I should say, I started to notice that I was getting dangerously close to the bandwidth allowance my free package had to offer. No big surprise there; these things happen when you're trying to establish an online presence and you offer free downloads. It was time to upgrade my hosting.
At the time, there were no great specials going on at 1and1 so I decided to shop around. That was a tremendous mistake! What I got was a course in how *not* to run a hosting service. I will be polite, this time, and not name and companies, but let's just say stay away from cheap reseller hosting accounts! The uptime is nowhere near what they promise and every time you turn around some idiot is running a script that bogs the server down to a crawl.
After a couple months, a chunk of wasted cash, and several moves back and forth between providers, I finally conceded that 1and1 was indeed the best host I had come across thus far. As luck would have it, I had received an email from 1and1 announcing a great promotion for their free preview package holders (obvious marketing trick, but good timing in my situation). They were offering their top shared Linux package for half the price. Ok, that sounds like a good deal, and it was, but what about next year? Well, this is where it gets even better. Not only did I get the package at half price, but they guaranteed that price for three years with free upgrades!
I might not be the brightest light bulb in the box, but I know a good deal when I see one. So, as I'm sure you've already figured out, I signed up. What I got was a whole lot more than what I bargained for, and honestly, could have hoped for. Almost instantly after upgrading, I noticed that my sites were running faster. I'm assuming that paid customers are placed on less crowded servers.
Then, the first upgrade came. My space and bandwidth were doubled at no extra charge. I thought to myself, cool, I'll take it! A couple weeks later, I was browsing the 1and1 site comparing features for a potential client when I noticed that the package I have had been bumped to ridiculously high levels. Even though I was getting my money's worth at the time, I felt a little bitter that I wasn't getting the full package spec. After all, I was promised that I would get every package upgrade.
Just like any other nightmare client, I promptly dialed billing to give them a piece of my mind. Apparently, the billing agent was no stranger to difficult clients like me. Within a few minutes of talking to me, he got me defused and assured me that my package would be brought up to spec within four weeks. That was two weeks ago. He explained that it was taking more time than expected to upgrade all their current accounts to the new account specs. He really surprised me when he said that I'd actually be getting more than what was currently listed on the site. What?! Ok then! Thank you for your time! Needless to say, I was left feeling very positive about that support call.
Here's where we get into the numbers... When I logged into my account today, I was greeted by some very generous numbers for the package I have. I discovered that I now have 30,000MB of storage and 1,500 GB of transfer on a shared hosting account that normally runs $19.99/mo! Wait! That can't be right! Those are VPS specs! Yup, you read right. 30GB of storage and 1.5TB of transfer for under $20/mo. PLUS, with 1and1, I only pay $5.99 per domain, per year.
Now, let's be real here. Those numbers are great and all, but other providers offer similar specs. What sets 1and1 apart? For starters, uptime! With every other host I've used, uptime was a major issue. This is not so with 1and1. I can count on one hand how many times in the past two years my site was not available and nearly every time it was related to an ISP router, not 1and1! Also, one of the things I've really grown to appreciate is their one-of-a-kind control panel. It's a little slow, but it more than makes up for it in streamlined administration. This is especially true of the domain administration. Even complete n00bs have no problem navigating the 1and1 control panel and managing their package like a pro.
Again, I'm not the easiest person in the world to impress, especially when it comes to hosting providers. Nevertheless, 1and1 has really raised the bar of what a good hosting provider is in my mind. They are now the benchmark by which I will measure all hosting providers. If you are in the market for a good, reliable, affordable hosting provider, I cannot say enough positive about 1and1.
There is only one negative I've found with 1and1 and it's not even really a negative. They're a bit restrictive on script execution. If you think about it, in a shared hosting environment, this is a good thing, and this also explains why the only time I've noticed the server actually being down was during a scheduled hardware upgrade. Now, who's going to complain about a free upgrade in performance?
If you would like more information on 1and1 and the packages they offer, I encourage you to visit their site. Just as a point of reference, I'm running on the Developer Package. I think you'll find that it's a more than adequate package for moderate to heavy traffic sites.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
...How Much Do You Charge For "X"?
...How Much Do You Charge For "X"?
This is a question that comes up a lot on sales calls and one that you want to handle with care. As I've stated in other posts, questions are always driven by thoughts and never happen by accident. There is always a "context" from which the questions come and your ability to understand the context will improve your odds in developing the right answer. When I suggest that we work to create the "right" answer I don't mean that we are trying to fool anyone. Frequently, when we a...
This is a question that comes up a lot on sales calls and one that you want to handle with care. As I've stated in other posts, questions are always driven by thoughts and never happen by accident. There is always a "context" from which the questions come and your ability to understand the context will improve your odds in developing the right answer. When I suggest that we work to create the "right" answer I don't mean that we are trying to fool anyone. Frequently, when we are addressing questions there are multiple answers and we just want to make sure that we have a higher likely hood of picking the right one.
In relation to price questions, it is always important to answer the question "in context". So usually, in order to understand the "context" in which the question was asked you'll need to ask more questions. Also, you'll often find that the question "how much do you charge" is really not the real question. Starting a dialog with the prospect about what they want will move them away form price and get you better information. Using a "reflector" or reverse will help you understand the real question.
Of all of the "reflectors" or reverses that we teach in relation to price one of the simplest has turned out to be one of the best. When asked about price try "...it depends". This simple phrase has an uncanny way of handling an awful lot of the price questions you'll get. Price often depends on a lot of things like:
When do you need it?
How many do you need?
What kind do you need? (good, better, best?)
Another great reflector, particularly effective on the telephone for inside sales people is "while I'm looking it up did you select that item for a reason?". Often times prospects calling in for a price on an item, hear it... and hang up. Engaging the prospect and getting better information will not only help you build rapport but eliminate a lot of those "get a price and hang up calls".
Talking about price before understanding what your prospect is trying to accomplish is sales suicide. Use some of these simple reflectors and you'll get better results!
This is a question that comes up a lot on sales calls and one that you want to handle with care. As I've stated in other posts, questions are always driven by thoughts and never happen by accident. There is always a "context" from which the questions come and your ability to understand the context will improve your odds in developing the right answer. When I suggest that we work to create the "right" answer I don't mean that we are trying to fool anyone. Frequently, when we a...
This is a question that comes up a lot on sales calls and one that you want to handle with care. As I've stated in other posts, questions are always driven by thoughts and never happen by accident. There is always a "context" from which the questions come and your ability to understand the context will improve your odds in developing the right answer. When I suggest that we work to create the "right" answer I don't mean that we are trying to fool anyone. Frequently, when we are addressing questions there are multiple answers and we just want to make sure that we have a higher likely hood of picking the right one.
In relation to price questions, it is always important to answer the question "in context". So usually, in order to understand the "context" in which the question was asked you'll need to ask more questions. Also, you'll often find that the question "how much do you charge" is really not the real question. Starting a dialog with the prospect about what they want will move them away form price and get you better information. Using a "reflector" or reverse will help you understand the real question.
Of all of the "reflectors" or reverses that we teach in relation to price one of the simplest has turned out to be one of the best. When asked about price try "...it depends". This simple phrase has an uncanny way of handling an awful lot of the price questions you'll get. Price often depends on a lot of things like:
When do you need it?
How many do you need?
What kind do you need? (good, better, best?)
Another great reflector, particularly effective on the telephone for inside sales people is "while I'm looking it up did you select that item for a reason?". Often times prospects calling in for a price on an item, hear it... and hang up. Engaging the prospect and getting better information will not only help you build rapport but eliminate a lot of those "get a price and hang up calls".
Talking about price before understanding what your prospect is trying to accomplish is sales suicide. Use some of these simple reflectors and you'll get better results!
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4 Miscellaneous Email Marketing Advices
4 Miscellaneous Email Marketing Advices
If you are like most new marketers you just dread logging into your autoresponder and seeing that you have lost list members due to them unsubscribing. Well I am here to tell you three good reasons to look forward to getting unsubscribes.
The first is that you are actually using your list. The only way that I have ever seen to not get an unsubscribe is to never send an email. If you are not going to use the list why go to the time and effort to build it. So congratulate your self when you get the unsubscribe because you are actually using your list.
The second thing is that someone is opening your email. To unsubscribe they had to at least open the email and click the unsubscribe link. The good thing is that your headline worked and got them to open your email. Now if you are using dishonest headlines, (You have won, your account status, and other headlines along those lines) this is not a good thing and you are reaping what you have sown. If you are using a solid headline that matches your email and it gets opened this is a good thing. Your headline is doing its job.
The third good reason to be glad to get unsubscribes has to do with personality. Now here is a shocker (said with sarcasm dripping from the keyboard) Not everyone is going to like you or your writing style. Those that don't will unsubscribe. The good thing though is that if they don't care for your style you will never build a relationship with them. If you can't build a relationship with them they will most likely never buy from you. So each unsubscribe will make your list more targeted to people who actually like your style and are more likely to respond favorably to your offers that meet their needs.
So now you have three good reasons to no longer dread seeing that people have decided to unsubscribe from your list. Rejoice in the fact that you are actually making your list stronger and more profitable for you in the longer run.
If you are like most new marketers you just dread logging into your autoresponder and seeing that you have lost list members due to them unsubscribing. Well I am here to tell you three good reasons to look forward to getting unsubscribes.
The first is that you are actually using your list. The only way that I have ever seen to not get an unsubscribe is to never send an email. If you are not going to use the list why go to the time and effort to build it. So congratulate your self when you get the unsubscribe because you are actually using your list.
The second thing is that someone is opening your email. To unsubscribe they had to at least open the email and click the unsubscribe link. The good thing is that your headline worked and got them to open your email. Now if you are using dishonest headlines, (You have won, your account status, and other headlines along those lines) this is not a good thing and you are reaping what you have sown. If you are using a solid headline that matches your email and it gets opened this is a good thing. Your headline is doing its job.
The third good reason to be glad to get unsubscribes has to do with personality. Now here is a shocker (said with sarcasm dripping from the keyboard) Not everyone is going to like you or your writing style. Those that don't will unsubscribe. The good thing though is that if they don't care for your style you will never build a relationship with them. If you can't build a relationship with them they will most likely never buy from you. So each unsubscribe will make your list more targeted to people who actually like your style and are more likely to respond favorably to your offers that meet their needs.
So now you have three good reasons to no longer dread seeing that people have decided to unsubscribe from your list. Rejoice in the fact that you are actually making your list stronger and more profitable for you in the longer run.
3 Reasons Why You Should Love Unsubscribes
3 Reasons Why You Should Love Unsubscribes
If you are like most new marketers you just dread logging into your autoresponder and seeing that you have lost list members due to them unsubscribing. Well I am here to tell you three good reasons to look forward to getting unsubscribes.
The first is that you are actually using your list. The only way that I have ever seen to not get an unsubscribe is to never send an email. If you are not going to use the list why go to the time and effort to build it. So congratulate your self when you get the unsubscribe because you are actually using your list.
The second thing is that someone is opening your email. To unsubscribe they had to at least open the email and click the unsubscribe link. The good thing is that your headline worked and got them to open your email. Now if you are using dishonest headlines, (You have won, your account status, and other headlines along those lines) this is not a good thing and you are reaping what you have sown. If you are using a solid headline that matches your email and it gets opened this is a good thing. Your headline is doing its job.
The third good reason to be glad to get unsubscribes has to do with personality. Now here is a shocker (said with sarcasm dripping from the keyboard) Not everyone is going to like you or your writing style. Those that don't will unsubscribe. The good thing though is that if they don't care for your style you will never build a relationship with them. If you can't build a relationship with them they will most likely never buy from you. So each unsubscribe will make your list more targeted to people who actually like your style and are more likely to respond favorably to your offers that meet their needs.
So now you have three good reasons to no longer dread seeing that people have decided to unsubscribe from your list. Rejoice in the fact that you are actually making your list stronger and more profitable for you in the longer run.
If you are like most new marketers you just dread logging into your autoresponder and seeing that you have lost list members due to them unsubscribing. Well I am here to tell you three good reasons to look forward to getting unsubscribes.
The first is that you are actually using your list. The only way that I have ever seen to not get an unsubscribe is to never send an email. If you are not going to use the list why go to the time and effort to build it. So congratulate your self when you get the unsubscribe because you are actually using your list.
The second thing is that someone is opening your email. To unsubscribe they had to at least open the email and click the unsubscribe link. The good thing is that your headline worked and got them to open your email. Now if you are using dishonest headlines, (You have won, your account status, and other headlines along those lines) this is not a good thing and you are reaping what you have sown. If you are using a solid headline that matches your email and it gets opened this is a good thing. Your headline is doing its job.
The third good reason to be glad to get unsubscribes has to do with personality. Now here is a shocker (said with sarcasm dripping from the keyboard) Not everyone is going to like you or your writing style. Those that don't will unsubscribe. The good thing though is that if they don't care for your style you will never build a relationship with them. If you can't build a relationship with them they will most likely never buy from you. So each unsubscribe will make your list more targeted to people who actually like your style and are more likely to respond favorably to your offers that meet their needs.
So now you have three good reasons to no longer dread seeing that people have decided to unsubscribe from your list. Rejoice in the fact that you are actually making your list stronger and more profitable for you in the longer run.
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