One great way to build up a reputation online is to participate in forums. It’s also a great way to market your products and network with like-minded people. The downside to marketing in a forum, however, is that people tend to be wary of new members with unverifiable information.
When joining a new forum, it’s important to give the readers and participants some information that will humanize you in this virtual world.
- Introduce Yourself. Most forums will have a section specifically for introductions or general discussion. It’s always a good idea to make use of this forum by letting people know who you are, your goals, and what you hope to provide/accomplish at the forum.
- Mention Your References. We often participate in other forums and move around. If you’ve built up a name for yourself in another forum, don’t be afraid to mention it in your introduction. Linking to those profiles may even help win you over with the new forum members. But, caution: make sure those profiles are legitimately yours.
- Create A Profile. Many forums allow you to create a small bio area called a profile. Take a few moments to update your profile with some tidbits about yourself, goals, and business. People actually do read them, and seeing that you enjoy canoeing (or other activity you enjoy) will make you seem more personable.
- Add A Signature. A signature is a line that shows up under each post you make in the forum. Some forum masters allow links, so you can link out to your website. If you’d prefer not to reveal your website, you could also add a quote or other quip to brand yourself on the forum.
- Use Your Name. Attaching a name to your post will help greatly in personalizing your messages and gaining trust. Addressing someone as “coolscreenname” can become tiresome. Even if you don’t use your real name, create a penname that people can relate to and can use to address you.
- Participate. Welcome other new members to the forum, answer questions whenever you can, add a different perspective to a question that may have been answered, ask questions, and get involved.
Building your forum rep doesn’t happen over night, but in time, people will come to see your contributions and think of you as trustworthy. From it, you may experience an increase in traffic to your website, more joint ventures, and even a boost in your sales and income.
To learn more about how you can boost your business with forums, Harvey Segal has written a nicely laid out (free) ebook called Forum Supertips.
