Tips for starting BV website design business?

gillenium · #1 05-19-2009, 02:06 AM

I am starting a personal branding/marketing business, with a niche of small businesses and start-ups. One of the products I will be providing is website design and want to use BV to design them and then train my customer how to do their own simple updates and maintenance.

Is anyone else out there doing the same or something similar that could give some insight and tips on some logistics? Here are a few of my questions (that I know of for now):

1. Should I sign up for BV using my customer's contact info right off the bat? Or get everything rolling myself and then transfer it to them when it's finished? (Can you change/transfer ownership?)

2. Can I run each site through VodaHost's affiliate program?

Any ideas or shared experiences would be very appreciated!

Thanks,
Scott

www.helpingusellu.com
www.otterskin.com

Karen Mac · #2 05-19-2009, 05:03 AM

Most of this you should put in a support ticket as far as the transfers go. Its not technically correct to set up the ACCOUNTS yourself.. if you do they cant be run thru your affiliate ID. Your customers should sign up and set up the account.

Vasili · #3 05-19-2009, 05:17 AM

You have got to be kidding, right?
You are asking advice on how to build a website and the mechanics of marketing along with a request on how to manipulate core principles that govern VodaHost Terms of Service without even being able to digest, understand, and comply with them (let alone find them) yourself???

Personally, if I were VodaHost I would prefer you looked elsewhere rather than brazenly picking brains of others and trying to find a way around the Rules! But that's just me .... because I believe this Community for the most part is ethically on the same page.

But, to answer you questions:
No, you cannot enter "client" information and create an account: IP's are recorded, and it will prove impossible for you to pretend to be someone else.
No, Account Transfers are prohibited.
No, you cannot "run each site" through the affiliate program, again as if to pretend to be a client as the IP screen will prevent such. (actually if you do go ahead and create an account using client info, the program will not associate it as a valid referral even though the account is established -- the client gets the account, but you lose commission and stand to be flagged as a violating affiliate)

A Post That Might Help You Understand More > http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk/307945-post4.html

Professional Branding, Marketing, Advertising
Professional Internet Design & Innovation

gillenium · #4 05-21-2009, 06:45 AM

Wow Vasili. That's pretty harsh to assume and judge me that I am blatantly trying to "manipulate core principles that govern VodaHost Terms of Service" and further to flag me on the Moderator's Watchlist without a clarification post or some kind of direct reply first to see if that was truly my intent to find a way around the rules, when in fact my intent is quite the opposite!

Further, I asked nothing about how to create a website, nor did I ask anything about how to market my services. Reading back through my post, I'm not sure where you even got that impression? The first couple lines were just a little background on what I'm doing to lead into the questions that I have. Worse yet, you call into question my ethics and integrity to the very community that I respect and whose ethics, advice and insight I deeply value and appreciate!

My sole intent as a relative newbie to BV (I've only created two personal sites with BV and I'm a huge fan of BV) was to gain some logistics insight on how to properly and efficiently go about using BV and VH to design websites for others from some of the experienced, knowledgeable and respected veterans such as yourself. I spent quite a bit of time searching through various topics for this information prior to posting my question, but couldn't find what I was looking for.

Unfortunately, it didn't cross my mind to check out the Terms of Service as it sounds like it details things regarding account creation and transfer. I will definitely review this information before getting started. The ToS probably didn't cross my mind because it wouldn't have (I assume) provided more of the personal experience and logistical ideas for efficiently using the BV and VH services from the business-to-consumer standpoint (rather than the consumer direct standpoint).

Vasili, I do appreciate your answers regarding the technical process of how an account is created with the individual computer IP's recorded. Sounds like I'd have to have my customer identify the computer they would use to do the simple updates to their site with and use that computer to assist them in setting up their own account, correct?

Regarding my question on the affiliate program, the e-newsletter site I use has an affiliate program that does allow me to set up multiple accounts for designing e-zines for my customers. Once I have set up accounts for 5 of my customers, I then earn a cut on each additional account I create for new customers I am working with. Even better, once I set up 5 accounts, my account is then free. I have a question submitted to VodaHost support with this very question and have not heard back from them yet. So it wasn't about "pretending to be the client" rather, it was how (if possible and acceptable) to utilize the VH affiliate program in a similar manner.

Vasili, I sincerely hope that I have been able to clearly and effectively communicate to you my honest and forthright intent. You've helped me out with a couple questions in the past and it's important to me that we are both on the same page here.

Thanks Again,
Scott

navaldesign · #5 05-21-2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillenium

Sounds like I'd have to have my customer identify the computer they would use to do the simple updates to their site with and use that computer to assist them in setting up their own account, correct?

The only issue here is that VH's affiliate program tracks IP addresses and "cookies" visitor computers the first time they visit the site. Therefore, if they use a computer that has already done so NOT through your affiliate link on your site, you get no commissions.

Real turnaround: it is allowable that you submit a support ticket BEFORE the customer signs up, with his details. This way, if the affiliate program doesn't assign you your commissions, you may claim them.

PS. Request accepted and fullfiled.

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