Message boards are a form of communication. Think of a message board the same way you'd think of a social party. If the party was from the PTA, you'd expect schools to be talked about. If the party was being given by an investment firm, you'd expect money and finance to be discussed.

What you would not expect at either of the above parties is for folks to enter the party and run around saying “buy my products” and “visit my store” without ever even saying hello to anyone at the party. What are the chances you'd buy from that person or even visit that store?

Here are several do's and don'ts for message board use:

Do introduce yourself to the group. Leave the ad behind on your introduction. Let folks know who you are, where you live and why you've come. Did you come to the group to learn from others? Did you come to contribute your own knowledge? Did you come to talk about one of your favorite hobbies? Did you come to hear how others view parenting?

Do contribute to topics that are of interest to you. I recently found a message board about picky eaters. My own daughter, who is now 23, was once a very picky eater. I jumped right in and began sharing many stories from my daughter's childhood.

Do develop a profile on the site you are visiting. Most sites allow you to fill in your name, your hobbies, where you live and often your URL. Take advantage of these profiles and share yourself with others.

Do create a signature. My own signature is usually just my URL. However a line or two under your URL is just fine, as long as the community you're visiting allows this. Always check the signature rules before creating your own signature.

Do read some of the posts to get a feel for the community. Some communities are more formal than others. Some communities are very laid back.

Don't post ads. There is nothing that will leave a bad impression like an ad. Some communities will both delete the ad, and also ask you to leave the community.

Don't post messages that say nothing. If you have nothing to say, wait for another topic. I've visited one community where the same person answers every topic with “I agree”, and then puts her signature there. Is it no wonder that she once posted she gets no sales from her networking efforts? The same is true for messages that say “welcome to the group”. I think the only time I've posted “welcome” is when the original poster shared something personal and I'm answering that personal part. Leave the “welcomes” to the group host.

If you are new to message boards, try http://messages.yahoo.com/index.html They have many boards there to choose from. Or try http://www.ivillage.com/messageboards?ice=iv,mp,rn,mb Again, they too have many boards to choose from. You can also do a web search for _______ message boards. Fill in the blank with the topic you're hoping to talk about.

When I first learned about message boards, I read for at least a solid week before I posted anything. I really wanted to understand the personality of the group. Since that day, I have met hundreds of people through message boards. I've made purchases, made sales, and made friends, all as a result of posting on message boards.