In today's highly competitive world of online marketing, it helps to have a strategic plan to stand out from the crowd. There's no doubt you have to be competitive in order to survive this market, but there are things you can do right now that will give you an edge over your competition.
Start learning all you can about your market and apply what you know. People are always looking to have their questions answered or find information about something of interest. Your job as an online marketer is to position yourself as someone who knows the answer or can show them a better way of doing things.
If you've never used forums, this may be a good place to start. There are thousands of people looking for help on a variety of issues. If you're doing internet marketing, don't come off as another pitchy salesperson, answer their questions and give them "real" information that will help them out.
Be real and people will appreciate you for it. There's no problem with directing people to your blog or website either. If they have additional questions or want to learn more about what you offer this is a great way to get them to visit your site. Because let's face it, without a constant flow of traffic you have no business.
You also have the option of including a signature box at the bottom of your post. This is where you can put your business information. In addition to forums, you can also use social media sites to connect with others and share your knowledge.
If you have something of value to offer others, then by all means share it. Creating a strategic online marketing plan involves helping others first. The more people get to know, like and trust you, the more likely they will do business with you and/or buy from you.