2. Advertise it sensibly - that means no spamming forums/news groups.
Sensible targeted messages work best - especially word of mouth. Yes, it
takes time - but your network will be more respectable because of it,
and respect means users.

3. Choose staff well. While people who can maintain the perfect server
uptime and prevent any attacks on your server, this won't help you get
other people on your network. You want someone who is an excellent
communicator, someone who can get other people talking - someone good
with people. In fact you want lots of people like this (of course, a
tech guy is useful too).

4. Be prepared to make compromises. You will have to make decisions
about the direction of your network eventually and if you refuse to
budge on an issue you will quickly end up with a user count of 1. Be
prepared to give up something as important to you as the name of your
network. A network name is important; but having a solid community is
more important. Take opportunities to merge with similar networks if
they arise (but make sure you consider the merger fully - a disastrous
merger will effectively put you back at square one).

5. The users on your network are what determines the network. Be good to
them - but be firm on people who break the rules - setting unwanted
precedents will be hard to undo in the future. Reward those who help
out. This doesn't mean give everyone who spends time in #help an o:line.
  It means thank them for their contributions, and take their feedback
and act on it!

I hope this helps for starters. There is no fast route to growing a
community from scratch - be prepared for hard work, and lots of it.

Chris

--
Chris Jenkinson
ch...@starglade.org