One often overlooked method of promoting yourself and your product/service is forums. No they are not in-your-face ads nor do they have to be SEO optimized, they are just a different way to promote. Forums can be highly effective as long as you keep a few things in mind.
When you go into a forum you are not at your own site so you can't treat it like it was yours. Instead you are in a community, remember that and be part of the community. There are many different forums with varying purposes and they all have their own rules. Yes I know ugh but there is a good reason for them, to make it fair for all.
It is a good idea to have a look around to see how they do things, when in Rome do as the Romans do. This is a group of people who work with each other so respect that. Two things that make a good forum are respect and credibility. Get to know the people, you will find many that can be helpful.
For your own good don't make bold brash statements that can't be backed up. These things can easily be found out and you won't seem very impressive when they are. No you don't have to agree with all that is said but if you do speak out to disagree, be prepared for a debate/discussion. Don't be starting fights to get your post count up and don't lower yourself to insults or name calling.
As you spend more time in your forum, you will notice that certain people always seem to get a decent reaction or start a great post. If you are wise, you will watch these people to see why. Look at more of their posts and see the reason is they have built up credibility. They truly walk the walk and that gets them lots of respect. There would be no harm in shooting for that yourself. Be the person that others like to listen to.
If you found a good forum you can really learn a lot. Some like to watch and learn, which is fine, others like to be part of the community. Either way there is a lot of benefit to be had.
So go to your forum(s), prepare to learn and hopefully even teach. Just remember no one owes it to you to listen. You owe it to them to make them want to.
Ross Charette has been online over 10 years now and is fascintated with the exchange of information. He can be found at http://weloveebooks.com and http://funforoutdoors.cleverdood.com