If you’re serious about building a world-class sales team in the web hosting and cloud industry, you need to throw out the old playbook. Forget about hiring people who try to appeal to everyone or push as many leads through the pipeline as possible. That approach might bring quick wins, but it will never deliver the kind of consistent, game-changing results that define real success in this space.

Instead, the most effective strategy is to focus on depth, precision, and teamwork.

Mastering accounts is the foundation of success

The best salespeople aren’t just good at talking to clients—they’re masters at understanding them. They know more about their accounts than the employees who work there. And this isn’t just a nice-to-have skill; it’s essential in an industry where technical expertise and tailored solutions drive buying decisions.

If your team isn’t deeply familiar with their target accounts, they’re going to struggle. A top performer knows exactly:

• How their target accounts make money.
  Are they subscription-based?
  Are they chasing enterprise contracts or SMB volume?
• How their target accounts make money.
  Are they subscription-based?
  Are they selling to SMBs or enterprises?
• How they acquire customers.
  What’s their strategy?
  Paid ads?
  Partnerships?
  Are they dependent on organic growth?
• Who their ideal customers are.
  What industries and company profiles do they target?
  What problems are they solving?
• What their risks and priorities are.
  Are they dealing with outdated infrastructure?
  Growing competition?
  Leadership shifts?
• What their leaders are saying publicly.
  Have your reps listened to the CEO on a podcast?
  Seen what executives are posting on LinkedIn?
• What industry chatter says about them.
  Are analysts or experts flagging them as a rising star—or a company with vulnerabilities?

Your sales team needs to have this level of understanding because it’s the only way to have meaningful conversations with prospects. When a rep can walk into a meeting and surprise a decision-maker with how much they know, it builds instant trust.

I’m self-taught, but I’ve developed this methodology over the past few years and have occasionally received responses like:

“How do you know this topic? Were you in our leadership meeting?”

That level of respect isn’t earned through surface-level research. It’s built through dedication, curiosity, and an ability to connect the dots.

The truth is, you can’t spread this effort across 100 accounts. If you’re building a high-performing sales team, they need to focus on fewer accounts with bigger potential. Sales leaders need to empower their teams to prioritize depth over breadth and invest their time in high-impact opportunities.

The quarterback mentality: because selling is a team effort

The web hosting and cloud space is too complex for a lone wolf approach. Success here isn’t about a salesperson closing deals on their own. It’s about knowing how to bring the right resources into the process and orchestrating a win.

Your sales team needs to think like quarterbacks, not just sales reps. The best ones are incredible at internal selling. They know how to make the case for why a deal matters—not just to their own quota, but to the entire company.

When they spot a big opportunity, they don’t hesitate to get the right people involved:

• C-Suite Leaders: To bring strategic alignment and build trust with client executives.
• Pre-Sales Engineers: To navigate complex technical conversations and address objections.
• Customer Success Teams: To show the long-term value and support prospects can expect.

A strong sales team knows how to leverage every department in your organization. But for that to happen, they need to be great storytellers internally. They have to sell the vision to their own colleagues, whether that’s explaining the strategic importance of landing a key account in a new vertical or how a new client could become a flagship case study.

When your team gets this right, the result is more than just closed deals. It’s an organization that operates like a single unit, where everyone feels invested in winning together.

Why this approach works in our industry

Whether you are into web hosting, XaaS or Cloud sales, relationships matter more than anything. Companies are trusting you with critical parts of their infrastructure, and they’re not going to make that decision lightly. They’re looking for partners, not just vendors.

If you want to build a sales team that thrives in this space, they need to:

1. Go Deep – Empower them to do the homework and know their accounts better than anyone else.
2. Focus on the Right Accounts – Teach them to prioritize fewer opportunities with massive upside.
3. Work as a Team – Train them to quarterback deals by bringing in the right people at the right time.

In my experience, big wins don’t come from stretching your team too thin. They come from focused, strategic efforts that address real problems for your prospects and build lasting partnerships.

If you’re building a sales team for the web hosting and cloud industry, this is the approach that works. Every great sales organization knows it’s not about chasing volume—it’s about chasing value.

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In this post, we’ll look at what you can do when a client stops paying on time, the best strategies for handling late payments professionally, and how to protect yourself legally. Let’s dive in.

Understanding the Client’s Perspective

Before jumping into how to handle the situation, it’s worth taking a step back and understanding why a client might be paying late. In some cases, it could be a simple issue of forgetfulness or a temporary financial hiccup. However, when the behavior becomes habitual, it’s important to dig a little deeper.

In this particular case, the client may be moving on to a new service provider or a new developer, especially if they’ve begun re-developing their websites elsewhere. Clients sometimes feel justified in pulling away from a service they no longer value, especially if they believe they can get a better deal or faster service elsewhere. From the client’s perspective, if they’re no longer using the hosting or if they no longer find your services valuable, they might feel less inclined to keep paying on time.

On the other hand, this doesn’t mean your business should be left in a vulnerable position. You’ve provided a valuable service, and if they still have ongoing contracts with you, they’re still responsible for payment. A clear understanding of the client’s motives can help you approach the issue more strategically and professionally.

Using Tools to Ensure Payment

In some markets or countries, traditional methods like sending overdue invoices by post can still be effective in prompting clients to pay. While many businesses rely on digital communication, emails can sometimes land in spam folders or be easily ignored. For example, YourHosting.nl, one of the larger hosting providers in the Netherlands, sends physical reminders for unpaid invoices, often with a small percentage increase added as a late fee, how I know this? Well I once forgot to pay a renewal on a domain. This method provides a more tangible reminder for clients, which might make them more likely to pay attention and settle the balance.

On the other hand, some hosting companies escalate the issue by sending overdue accounts to collection agencies. While this approach can force clients to pay, it also brings additional costs and complications, both for the business and the client. Before taking this step, you should consider whether it’s truly worth pursuing, especially for smaller amounts. Legal action or collections can escalate costs and damage the relationship with your client, which may not always be in your best interest.

A more modern and cost-effective solution could be sending payment reminders via SMS or WhatsApp. Given that email inboxes are often flooded with messages, it’s easy for your email to go unnoticed or fall into the unread or promotional folders. An SMS or WhatsApp message, on the other hand, tends to stand out and is more likely to get the recipient’s immediate attention. It can be a less intrusive yet efficient method to remind your client about the overdue payment and potentially recover the amount more quickly than waiting for them to check their email. If this approach proves ineffective, you can still escalate the matter by sending a postal reminder or involving a collection agency, but SMS and WhatsApp can serve as a first line of defense in a timely, cost-effective way. Also there are plenty of automated providers you can connect into your billing solution.

The Legal Side of Client Contracts

One of the first things to consider when a client is paying late is the terms outlined in your contract. Whether you’re working on a monthly hosting agreement or a long-term contract, the specifics of late payments should be clearly defined.

If your contract states that payments are due on a particular date each month, and there’s a clause regarding late fees or suspension of services for non-payment, then your client is legally obligated to honor those terms. However, if your contract doesn’t address late payments or the consequences of non-payment, it’s a good idea to consult with a lawyer to determine the next steps and to update your contract for future clients.

Legal protection is essential, as it will guide you on how to handle a client who may refuse to pay. For example, can you charge interest on overdue payments? Can you suspend services? How long do you need to wait before taking action? A solid contract gives you a framework for dealing with these situations and protects your rights.

Options for Handling Late or Non-Payment

If your client is consistently late with payments or hasn’t paid at all, it’s important to consider your options and how best to proceed. Here are the main steps you can take:

1. Sending a Final Notice

The first step should always be a clear and professional final notice. It’s important to remind the client of the outstanding balance and specify a deadline for payment. A final notice should be firm but polite, outlining the consequences if the payment is not made within the given timeframe.

In your notice, you might include a warning that services will be suspended if payment is not received. You can also let the client know that late fees or interest will apply after the payment deadline. Being upfront about the consequences can motivate your client to act quickly.

2. Suspending Hosting Services

If the client still fails to make payment despite the notice, suspending the services can be an effective next step. However, before suspending services, you should give them a clear 3-day notice to settle the balance. This allows the client a final chance to pay and avoid the suspension.

Suspending hosting services doesn’t mean you’re terminating the contract— it just means that the services are temporarily halted until payment is made. It’s important to note that if the client has control over their DNS and is technically capable of moving their websites elsewhere, suspension may be the most practical solution to enforce payment. However, be sure to mention that if services are suspended, you’ll charge a reactivation fee to cover administrative costs.

3. Taking Legal Action (Small Claims Court)

Taking legal action is a last resort, but sometimes it may be necessary to ensure that you’re paid for the services rendered. If the client continues to ignore your payment requests and the amount owed is significant, small claims court can help you recover the outstanding balance.

When considering small claims court, it’s essential to review the remaining months on the contract and calculate the amount owed. In small claims court, you may be able to claim the full remaining value of the contract, depending on the circumstances and the specific details of your agreement. However, before going down this route, be sure to weigh the potential costs and risks, such as the possibility of damaging your professional relationship with the client.

4. Alternative Solutions: Payment Plans or Negotiation

Before resorting to suspension or legal action, you might want to consider offering the client an alternative solution, especially if you want to avoid escalating the situation further. A payment plan, for example, could help your client pay off the outstanding balance over time. Alternatively, you could offer a discount for paying upfront or by a specific date.

In some cases, the client might be facing financial difficulties and needs more flexibility. A negotiated payment solution may allow you both to avoid conflict while ensuring you receive payment. If you decide to go this route, be sure to document any new agreements in writing to avoid misunderstandings.

Handling Website Files During Suspension or Termination

When suspending or terminating hosting services, one of the more complicated aspects to consider is the website files. While it’s essential to keep backups of the files, you need to understand your legal rights and the client’s rights in terms of ownership.

If your contract specifies that the client owns the website files upon payment, you may need to provide the files upon request. However, if the client has failed to pay, you may have the right to retain the files or even delete them if the services are terminated for non-payment. In these cases, it’s a good idea to hold onto the website files in case the client wants to retrieve them in the future, but this should be clearly outlined in your contract.

It’s important to communicate with the client about the situation and provide them with the opportunity to retrieve their files before termination if they wish. Even if the client has already moved their websites to a new developer, holding onto the files can serve as proof that you provided the service and maintain a professional approach in handling the issue.

Managing Client Relationships Going Forward

While it’s important to handle the immediate issue of non-payment, it’s also worth thinking about how to prevent similar situations in the future. Here are a few strategies to consider:

1. Clarify Payment Terms – Make sure your contracts clearly outline payment deadlines, late fees, and suspension policies. If necessary, require upfront payment or use longer-term contracts that don’t leave you vulnerable to late payments.
2. Set Boundaries with Difficult Clients – Learn from this experience and establish clear boundaries with clients. If a client is causing consistent issues or taking advantage of your flexibility, don’t be afraid to enforce your terms or move on to more reliable clients.
3. Professionalism is Key – While it can be frustrating, always strive to handle the situation professionally. You’ll avoid damaging your reputation and be better positioned to maintain healthy client relationships in the future.

In summary

Late or non-payment can be a serious issue for any hosting business, but it’s important to approach it thoughtfully and with a professional mindset. By having clear contracts in place, communicating your expectations to the client, and using legal channels when necessary, you can protect your business and ensure you’re compensated fairly for the work you’ve done.

Ultimately, it’s about balancing the needs of your business with maintaining professionalism and protecting your reputation. Whether you choose to suspend services, negotiate a payment plan, or take legal action, the key is to address the issue head-on and make informed decisions that safeguard both your financial interests and your business’s long-term health.

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Sectigo, a leading provider of digital security solutions, aims to ensure a smooth transition for Entrust’s customers, many of whom have previously collaborated with the company. The deal will effectively double Sectigo’s enterprise client base, adding to the 150 million digital certificates it issued last year.

Industry experts note that this acquisition aligns with a broader shift in digital certificate management. With browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox advocating for shorter certificate lifespans to enhance security, IT administrators face increasing challenges in managing their digital assets. Improperly handled certificates can lead to significant service disruptions and vulnerabilities that cybercriminals may exploit.

Meanwhile, the sale marks a strategic pivot for Entrust, which is now focusing on developing cybersecurity tools designed to resist threats posed by quantum computing. This shift reflects a growing concern in the industry over the need for quantum-resistant encryption methods to safeguard digital transactions in the future.

Sectigo has assured Entrust customers that existing contracts will be honored and services will continue uninterrupted during the transition. The company is working closely with Entrust to develop a long-term roadmap, with further details expected to be announced within the next 90 days.

The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed, but the deal is expected to strengthen Sectigo’s position as a dominant player in the digital certificate space while allowing Entrust to focus on its next-generation cybersecurity initiatives.

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What’s driving their growth?

In a market as saturated as web hosting and domain registration, growing at this pace is no small feat. Namecheap has managed to stand out by staying true to what they’re known for: affordability and innovation. Early in the year, Spaceship made headlines by offering unlimited $4.98 .com domains—a price well below cost. While that promotion is over, and prices have risen to $6.98, they’re still among the most affordable in the industry, which keeps customers coming back.
Beyond pricing, Namecheap has built its reputation on solid service. From intuitive tools for website owners to dependable customer support, they’ve positioned themselves as a go-to for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking for quality without breaking the bank.

A rare look inside

One of the refreshing things about this announcement is the transparency. It’s rare for private companies in this space to share financials, so it’s nice to see Namecheap being open about their progress. It gives a sense of just how well they’re doing and sets a positive example for others in the industry.
Congrats to the Namecheap and Spaceship teams for a successful 2024. If they keep this momentum going, 2025 might just be the year they smash past $400M.

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