Always research your host:

1.Reputation is everything and the internet is making this easy to find out about your host. Check out WebhostingTalk. They have a search facility. Type in your hosts name and see if there are any complaints. If there is not, your host might be good or very new. Move to step 2;

2. Check out Domain White Pages. Type in the domain of your host and see when it was registered. If it is new, it is a new host and would be best to try and avoid the newbie hosters. If he is at least 1 year old, move to step 3;

3. Bandwidth is important. You get two types. "Good" bandwidth and "Not so Good" bandwidth. Let me explain. If you use bandwidth from say UUNET, you know that the "Peering" is good. If say you use say Cogent Bandwidth the peering might not be as good, and may be unrealiable. The price is vastly different. "Peering" is important. Think of it as having a telephone in your apartment and calling the guy next door. If you peering is good, your dialled call will not even leave the building, as all the lines in your building intercept "Peer" downstairs. However, if the "Peering" is bad, you call goes via the next state and back to the guy next door. The problem - The short the distance between your web page and your customer, the faster they will be able to see it - in theory. If you like the bandwidth, move to the next one;

4. When you write your email MAKE SURE you do NOT ask questions that are already answered on the hosts web site! This can immediately make a host fear you will not read directions and become a tech support 'nightmare' To verify info posted on their site, state the question as such... "I see on your site it says... Is this still accurate?" The majority of hosts appreciate a domain owner that will try to find the answers themselves before taxing tech support. Remember the following are not questions to be asked but rather they are answers to be found. Also note the time you send the email and the time it is responded to.

Dear [Host Name],

I am investigating virtual web hosting solutions for a [insert description of organization or site here]. I imagine [or I have] a site that would require [insert short list of site details here. Example: heavy cgi or PHP number of emails etc, if you have an existing site insert URL]. I believe your [name] Package will work for our site and would like to ask a few questions just to be sure.

Noting the package I am considering:

• Is there a discount if I pre-pay for a number of months in advance? If so what is it?
• What payment methods are available? How many months in advance am I required to pay? Is there a setup fee?
• Is there a trial period or money-back guarantee?
• May I visit other sites hosted by you? I would like to see the websites and email the owners.
• How long will it take, from the time I submit my order, for me to have access to the site and begin developing?
• Will I have my own IP number or is it shared?
• Do you host adult sites? [if you are not planning to have an adult site hosted it's best to be on a server that does not allow them because they use a great amount of resources and tend to slow down servers]
• Is there any way for us to set up a mailing list for announcements? If so, how many addresses are allowed per list and how many lists are allowed?
• Will I have 24 hour FTP and Telnet access?
• Will I have anonymous FTP?
• What version of Perl do you use? Does it contain a full set of modules?
• Do you offer a stats package? If so, which one? May I view an example? Will I also have access to the raw log files? Does the space used by the stats/logs count against my allotted disk space?
• May I view your Terms Of Service? [if their Terms Of Service contains small print or buried rules, ask a couple questions that apply to the 'hidden areas' and see if the person who replies to you is even aware of their servers rules -- this helps to assure that the staff is adequately educated about the servers they are supporting]
  

Please feel free to explain anything you think I might have missed. Let me know of any reason you would be suitable or unsuited for my site. [This is a great way to see how interested your host is in you, and its services!]