promoting your stuff

First, I wish to make it clear that I like the idea of promoting lots of things in lots of ways here. I like the idea of promoting:

workshops

convergences/conferences

books

DVDS/videos

web sites / blogs

products

kickstarters

groups

and lots lots more

Some web sites (and especially forums) want to make it seem like there is nothing in the world except for that one site. I, on the other hand, like the idea that permies.com is packed with information about every other permaculture and homesteading site in the world. And I fully embrace the idea that this site is a community for a certain flavor of odd ducks, while there are a thouand other sites that serve other flavors of odd ducks. We are one community out of many. And we like knowing about all the others.

The ways that we have to be able to tell more people about your stuff:

you can create a thread

you can write lots of good posts and put a mention in your signature

we can run banners

we can put links to stuff on our static pages

we can put a mention in our daily-ish email

we can put a mention on our social network stuff

we have a book/dvd/workshop/conference promotion engine (where we give some stuff away once a week)

we can create new forums

you can give stuff to the staff and they might review it

lots, lots more

I have to admit that I'm a bit shocked when people ask for promotion help and they haven't even created a thread about their stuff. Or created an account at permies. Or know anything about this site other than "send an email to paul wheaton and tell him to promote our stuff." So I'm creating this thread in a feeble attempt to help guide people to getting started. I hope that lots of people will comment on this thread to ask questions or give advice on how to promote your permaculture and homesteading stuff.

From another thread, I pointed out the following:

Here is a conversation I've had about a dozen times:

me: I'll tell me daily-ish email peeps. Currently about 26,700 people

them: that's a lot. i would offer to reciprocate, but I only have 300 people on my mailing list.

.... so here is what I am now thinking: I get it - I can reach a lot more people than you. And I'm totally willing to promote your stuff without anything in return. I guess it feels like giving somebody a thousand pounds of help, and they can give 2 pounds of help back, but they choose to give zero. It leaves a weird, creepy feeling.

And this is how most of the relationships go. I help. The end. Oh well.

I have to admit that I am getting a bit bitter about helping folks only to see their web site says "here's a list of the best permaculture sites" and permies.com is not on the list.

At the same time, there are people who ask for promotion help and their web site is loaded with stuff about permies, and my videos, and some of my podcasts, and a mention of my past kickstarters and .... well, we tend to find more ways to promote them!

We promoted something recently for a teeny tiny organization. And I just came right out and asked: could you put a link to permies.com on your home page? "No, we don't want to put links to commercial entities on our site." First, it seemed kinda weird to call this a commercial entity since permies.com technically runs in the red. Second, I pointed out the links to facebook and twitter on their home page and I said that permies.com is a social media site much like those two. They were not convinced. Cassie is now working on getting us social media links that would fit in with twitter and facebook and the like.

My intent is that when people ask for more promotion, I will send them this thread. I want them to gain an understanding of all the things I can do, plus what might be a few things so that we can "build a relationship" rather than just use my resources to promote their stuff.

Here are a few other threads that are kinda similar:

me promoting your kickstarter
promoting your stuff on permies
how to promote your site on permies.com

Just wanted to say THANKS for this site and all you do!#! The organic, sustainable, bio-dynamic, REAL FOOD-REAL FOOD-REAL COMMUNITIES movement needs many more people like you. Collaboration is where it's at. The technique and methods are here, we just need more win win partnerships, ventures etc. Education to the willing and good food are just a couple of benefits to the spiritual journey called farming! Again Thanks and PEACE.

Yes...Yes...Yes...I love this site and Paul you hit it on the head!!!  Relationships is the key to building a warm community.  I will be glad to link to this site and amazing people.  Glad to be connected.

I was just pointed to this thread. Very helpful! There sometimes seems to be a fine line between spam and honest promotion. Also, what is useful for permaculture. I tend to prefer things that help me do it myself, rather than being pointed toward a ready made system for purchase.

Leigh, I agree that there is a fine line between spam and honest promotion.

I feel it is okay for a person to put the website or business in the signature otherwise it could be considered just advertising.

Paul said, "you can write lots of good posts and put a mention in your signature

me: I'll tell me daily-ish email peeps. Currently about 26,700 people

It's a bit bigger now.  

r ranson wrote:

me: I'll tell me daily-ish email peeps. Currently about 26,700 people

It's a bit bigger now.  

I think the daily-ish is currently around 47k. Monthly-ish is around 112k.