You have a bunch of ideas, side projects, prototypes, ...
You share them with your friends, family, co-workers, ...
Everyone loves them, but the ideas often fizzle out there, and you're on to the next thing. If you can relate, you're probably an expert at impound marketing.
im·pound mar·ket·ing
to shut up (an idea or product) in a pound or enclosure. [1]
I personally know a lot of impound marketers. I'm a bit introverted myself. The idea of self-promotion feels awkward --- but that distaste only stems from approaching it awkwardly. The real goal is to share and interact with others, and test ideas quickly so you can focus on the good ones.
I'm taking a class taught by Brian Halligan who started HubSpot and advocates "Inbound Marketing." The idea is to forgo traditional "outbound marketing" strategies that pay to spam prospects, and instead focus on creating useful/interesting content that attracts your target audience to you.
The concept of inbound marketing makes a lot of sense --- not just for advertising a new product --- but as a general way-of-being for getting feedback, sharing ideas, and finding collaborators. I think we're all aware that the times we put ourselves out there and go the extra mile to reach and interact with others, the mutual rewards multiply for everyone involved. So why not take advantage of online networks to amplify your voice and attract like-minds.
So this is a call to action for fellow impound marketers. Harness the tools of modern connectedness to share your ideas and prototypes, because we might want to hear them. And at least your mom will be proud.
[1] (usually referring to a domestic animal)