         WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT PROMOTION?

  Promotion is simply the advertizing of a product or service.
Without promotion, few things get recognized as even existing.
If you REALLY like the ILink style of messaging...moderated, on-
topic messages which are free of scams and spams...you will want
to share this enviroment with others around you.  The more people
who get involved, the more enjoyable it is for everybody!

  Almost every product or business has some sort of promotional
agenda.  Everything from a storefront sign to those multi-page
newspaper inserts, to those things on TV called 'commercials'
are promotions.  Most companies spend large amounts of money to
promote their offerings just so consumers will try them.


         WHAT CAN I DO TO PROMOTE THE ILINK NETWORK?

  Promotion of ILink and it's member BBS'es is easy to do and is
often either FREE or far less expensive than most people think!
Here are some basic ideas to help you get started, but this is
far from a complete list of what could be possible!

1: Share your network message experience with friends, co-workers,
   family members, or other people you happen to meet.  Opportunity
   for inserting network promotion into conversation is almost
   endless.  For example:
     "I was reading the NATURE conference on the ILink network
      last night and I learned to identify the dirrerent parts
      of a bird!"

2: Info-flyers spread the word even when you aren't around.  For
   the cost of a piece of paper and a little ink, you can print up
   a one-page flyer with information on to contact the BBS system
   which you use for ILink access.  Go the extra mile and put your
   phone number on it for contact to help people get setup, OR put
   down the mailing address at the bottom of this document so they
   can inquire about ILink from me and I'll do my best to get them
   setup!   Most grocery stores have a 'bulletin board' for local
   people/businesses to put business cards and flyers, so print up
   several and put them up in as many stores that accept such.

3: Speaking of business cards, print the BBS name and phone number
   on a business-sized card along with the Sysops name and mention
   the keyword ILINK on there.  You can purchase business card
   printer sheets from most office supply stores, so printing them
   is easy to do also.  Carry these around in your wallet and hand
   them out anytime you mention the ILink network as in item #1.

4: Many 'talk/news' radio stations have some sort of show where you
   can call in and ask questions or exchange information.  Find one
   (or more) in your area, call in, and tell them something about
   the conferences you visit in ILink.  It's free and your audience
   obviously already has an interest in computer usage!

5: Can't find a call-in radio program?  No problem, many local TV
   stations have morning programs, so call up a station and invite
   their crew to visit your home and you'll show them the world of
   ILink messaging while they tape!  Or, you can visit them and
   bring some sample messages (with permission from authors).  If
   you aren't a Sysop, get your Sysop involved and maybe the crew
   can check out the operations of the whole BBS for the segment!

6: Got a local newspaper?  Get creative, write an article up, and
   submit it.  Again, get the Sysop involved and the whole BBS can
   be on many doorsteps one morning!

7: Ever call a BBS that -doesn't- carry the ILink network?  Upload
   an ILink information packet (ILNKyymm.ZIP) to them.  Each BBS
   that the network adds gives a potential for many new participants!


         I NEED HELP OR SOMEBODY I HAVE CONTACTED DOES!

  The very best way to help somebody else obtain access to the ILink
network is by sharing with them one-to-one about where/how your get
messages.  Personal experience sharing really DOES work and once you
have somebody interested enough in what you are doing, it is usually
just a matter of helping them through similar processes that you've
already gone through yourself.  If you have access to the Internet,
you can obtain many software programs needed to do messaging right
from the ILink webpage at either of the following URL's:

http://www.ilink.webhop.org
http://www.techware.dynip.com/public/ilink/index.html

  If you simply cannot spare the time to help somebody who is really
interested to get involved with ILink, please give them my mailing
address and have them contact me for more information or a software
disk of programs which they might find useful for access to ILInk.
It is so much better if you deal with people personally, but rather
than turn potential users away, please have them contact me at:

barry.martin@techware.dynip.com
