Getting a forum/community up and running

I've ran numerous forums, and what always helped me was:

Get your friends to post around on it before the actual launch. That way the blog is not completely empty.

- Post around on similar forums and try and plug your forum whenever possible and permitted.

- Run a competition

- Add a register box above your forum categories explaining the benefits etc.

- Be extremely active and helpful.

- Have a custom skin, and be unique.