No matter how you size it up & slice the traffic cake, you'll eventually run into the same thing that has been preached for years when it comes to no budget, do-it-yourself marketing - "FREE IS FREE FOR A REASON". While Yes, you can get results utilizing free (Time vested) methods of marketing / adverting, however you must realize that 95% of free methods have a very slow growth rate.
While I would love to think (Even after 3 years of researching internet marketing) that there was a sure fire (SUPER FAST) way to not only generate traffic, but also conversions, The fact of the matter remains that you get what you pay for (or don't pay for).
If you are utilizing free methods make sure that you are engaged in at least 5 different steady campaigns (Min. 4 hours per day), Testing at least 1 new campaign every day (Min. 1 hour), & Utilizing any additional time to customer service & site updates. While this simple (Yet Obvious) formula works every time, it's still a slow building process with only you doing the footwork.
Marketing (Like gambling) is a numbers game. You're always taking chances at long shot strategies to win that pot of gold. The more shots you are able to make, the better your chances are of winning the pot, maybe even small chunks of the pot at a time. This is where paid help comes into play. If you can afford to invest, do it. The more you hire = the more getting your name out there & speeding up the growth process. No matter how I size it up, x2 people (Or services) outputs more potential return than 1 person.
I know I've basically just said what some consider common knowledge & still leaves you with the questions of, Ok, But what are the best free resources?, Ok, But what are cheap & cost effective resources with the highest return?, Ok, But what are all my options?
Sadly what might work for one person, might not work for another. We each have to do our own research & testing within the lines of our target market niches & or collaborate with a firm that can do it for us.
There are literally thousands of ways to market yourself (Free & paid) that can be found using search engines or purchasing an "Internet Marketing" guide from a reputable source. For me to just quote 1 & say it's the best would be a lie (Especially not knowing your business model or target markets), while it might be the best for me, it may not work at all for you.
I hope that's at least a tad bit helpful. Good luck everyone!
