I highly recommend using discussion groups to promote sites. They have a great potential because they offer a way to connect with your target audience.

Discussion lists are so specialized today that you can target just about anyone by participating in the correct groups. There are thousands of groups out there which provide a wide variety of consumers with focused interests. You can search for specialized discussion groups from sites such as:

Topica (Searchable Directory of E-mail Discussion Lists)

Google (Find Newsgroups that are of interest to you)

After finding discussion groups or news groups that contain the consumers you want to reach, you then need to participate in them. Actually, I should say you need to contribute to them. There is a difference. Ask relevant questions, provide informative answers to questions that are being asked or just give some good opinions. Here's the most important part. . . *Always* send your signature file!

How many URL's have you clicked on just by reading different e-mail discussion groups? If you're like most people, quite a few. You need to develop a good signature file or two that explains your business and provides a sort of teaser to entice people to your site all in a single sentence or line. Include your URL or email address or both. Here is a sample below:

John Q. Public
mailto:johnqpublic@aol.com
Internet Marketing Consultants
303-688-1331 | http://www.imcd.com/
__________________________________
"Connecting Your Business to the World"

I hope this helps!