It did focus mostly on online PR, however, so perhaps others could provide deeper coverage on this question on areas I know of but have not tried (or no longer use). For example:
- trade shows
- schwag
- guerrilla marketing
- speaking at events (supposedly can work wonders if you do it right)
- publicity stunts (think Richard Branson)
- becoming a press contact who's quoted a lot
- producing an event for your industry / sector yourself (worked wonders for Carsonified!)
- presenting your product in a remarkable way (think of how Google presented Chrome with the comicbook approach - get inspired by Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud - http://www.scottmccloud.com/ - or see http://xplane.com/ for a more corporate look)
- paying for word of mouth (risky)
- on the street promotion (booths, etc)
- leveraging networks like LinkedIn
- sponsorships
- cross promotions
- affiliate marketing
- e-mail list marketing (not spam)
- lead development and phone calls (surprisingly effective in many areas, though I don't do it as it's not relevant to my sector)
- writing a book on your topic (works better if you're a consultant OR you're happy to be the "face" of your product)
- social objects (look at Hugh MacLeod's career as of the last 3 years)
- be interviewed
- do your own interviews of people in your industry for your company's blog (see FiveRuns' blog for this in action - it's been very successful)
In terms of books, some personal recommendations (as in, I've read them and they rock):
- Dirty Little Secrets of Buzz by David Seaman (this is like dynamite)
- Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden
- Any of the "Guerrilla Marketing" books by Jay Conrad Levinson
- Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson.
Fleaflicker's sole source of promotion the first two seasons was Google AdWords. Fantasy football search terms are always popular; one user would invite a dozen of their friends to play after they discovered the site.
I tried other methods but that provided by far the best return.
I spent a lot of time E-mailing bloggers and journalists. The reply rate is very low but if one person actually reads your message writes about the site, the payoff is huge. Obviously don't spam when you do this. Research the journalist you're pitching to and make your E-mail memorable. It's kind of like a cover letter when applying for a job.
What type of Adwords bidding strategy did you use? Since fantasy football search terms are so popular, I imagine that your adwords campaigns could get expensive.
They were very expensive ($1-$2 per click during peak season) but it was worth it. A print ad costs a few thousand dollars and you're not guaranteed any visitors.
One thing I learned about print ads is the price is very very negotiable. Start with a price so far below their asking price that you feel embarrassed. The list price for magazine ads can be several times greater than the price they're willing to settle on, especially as deadlines approach.
Another good option is to advertise on small niche sites. There are a lot of "mom and pop" fantasy sites with cheaper advertising and the exact audience I was looking for.
That is about the rate I expected. I agree, it is still a safer bet than print or banner ads.
I've been a big fan of Fleaflicker. Congrats on your success.
Don't forget the little guy bloggers (they may be the big guy soon) as you never know who the big guys read or feed they subscribe to.