eJunkie ... I've seen you out in the community commenting on other people's submissions. Most of your comments seem insightful, concise, & supportive ... keep up the good work.
This will help you gain popularity in the community & also bring you some "street credibility". This type of networking may take a little time, but, in the end you may develop a fan base - combine this with some concepts that are good on their own merits, you should benefit from other members visiting your submission site more often.
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I've seen you have included links to your submissions when making comments on other people's ideas.
Some members are indifferent to this - they may or may not check your submission.
Most members look down upon this.
Some members will get irate about this and start threads on the topic and, worst of all, call you out as a Pimper and it can get messy ... you definitely don't want a habit of doing this type of promotion, because you never know when you'll come across someone whom adamantly (& loudly) opposes this.
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Spamming, as you know is even worse.
Typically, I ignore all spammers ...
I've only responded to one or two because they were newbies - but, I had seen that they were also trying to be positive in the community and probably didn't know any better about the spamming thing (I think you know what I mean).
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Hope these tips help

Thanks John, i appreciate that you always take time, and very elaborately answer every point.

Your tip about 'street credibility' & fan base make sense to me. And yes, too much linking in comment can get nasty indeed.

Also thanks for that final tip, i think, in hindsight, i am guilty of a couple of spams last few days :-)

Have to be careful about it!

Can't we have a kind of signature or sign off where we place our link to our latest submissions or something. That might solve this pimping aspect.

I think there should be a way where we promote and pitch our ideas... after all just ideas are not enough, selling & pitching them is also important. And that way at least we know we aren't commenting just to get a visit but we will understand it is more of advertising and stuff.

I don't know. But everything else about Quirky is otherwise great in my humble opinion.

I like your signature idea eJunkie!

I was wondering how to show my idea as well, I don't want to "pimp" it, but I would like to get it out there and seen without it being at the mercy of randomly being in the back D:

I would love to see the ideas of others, a catchy or appealing signature could lead me to a product I would have never seen otherwise (besides going through every page...)

Yeah Artemis, I agree with you.

We should be able to promote without being too pushy, pimpy or spammy.

JohnG was mentioning that Q would be soon coming up with some changes. Let's hope that would be able to help members promote their idea without crossing other members.

Couple methods: People change their profile pic to whatever they're promoting. They also include links in their bios to whatever they're promoting (either Quirky products or personal life stuff). Then on the blogs and community forums they always get a word in somehow to make sure their name/face pops up in every place possible. Try it, its easy!

Thanks Harrison, i noticed people doing that.

Yes, that sounds easy and can be done. At least it is an un-intrusive way to promote.

Thanks JohnG eJunkie,Artemis and Harrison for all these insights.
I am new to Quirky and did'nt know how to promote myself properly.

I will definitely use them!

Welcome Marylene, same here. I am also getting more clarity now.

Last few days I have been like groping in the dark, now there is some light :-)

I thank you all as well! New here and trying to be active in the community!
The problem is that new members like me see that other post their link when giving complements and we end up assuming that this is the way to promote your idea not knowing that we are pimping. This discussions are good because it helps understand the correct protocol
Thank you guys!!!!

Promoting and pimping are synonyms. Your question is a contradiction.

Hi Dave, so that means one shouldn't promote one's ideas here.

My question was how do we make others view, comment, rate or vote one's idea without having to make use of links when one comments or messages to other members?

I mean are there nuance ways of making people take action that you want them to do.

Was just curious. Because like Jorge said, we newbies come here, then find everyone's doing the same... so we think well this is how it is! But some are opposed to it, and rightly so. But still the practice continues!
It was in that context i was asking the question.

Dear E, Thank you for the info. I am a newbie. I did not know that what I was doing was considered "pimping" I certainly do not want to be regarded as someone who pimps my ideas. My comments were geniune. My apologies.

Hi Kimberly, welcome. And there is nothing to apologize. Even i am guilty. But as newbies how do we know? Esp when everyone seems to be doing so. Things are getting a bit more clearer now, thank god :-)

Crazy Idea here. For the time being, after making a "helpful" comment, why don't we just end it with our name/handle? and the 6 digit # of our idea?? Such as...

Typical Tammy #123456

Then, if anyone is interested, they can cut and paste your # to the search bar. Not that hard to do after all!

I'm a newbie myself, i believe almost 2 weeks in, and just by reading the forums, I feel that ANYTHING I do is going to be frowned upon by the "older" Quirks. I am trying my best to navigate this site, and might have made a mistake or two (don't think so though). I just follow what I would expect others to do. Sure, I've been spammed already, but I'm not ranting and raving about it. I delete the spam, respond to thoughtful input and try to keep a positive attitude.

I am totally addicted to this site, yet feel I only understand about 10%. Oh well, Live and Learn and maybe we can just help each other out.

Sorry, was that a rant?? LOL But what do you think about my original idea?
Thanks for your time!

HelloTypicaly Tammy.

Like you I have been trying to understand how to navigate this site and it has not been easy. I keep reading that it does not matter how many votes you get, that at the end of the day it is up to the Quirky team to decide if your idea is worth it or not. Am I grown to assume that then, it does not matter much if you promote your idea or not? I like your sugestion a lot but I am afraid that no matter how it is done any reference to your idea when voting will see it as pimping by the community.