tedster - 9:03 am on Aug 1, 2009 (gmt 0)

I'd say strengthen your website's content and features, and then get the word out about the improvements. Think of it as more like conventional marketing or public relations. Network with others in your field, or in related fields.

If your site has the goods, then it will also attract the links when other's learn about it. But if you only try to cobble together links that you can control, then you often run into trouble - or just fall short.