do you have a reciprocal links directory on your website? most hosting packages offer these as a freebie script if not? I only ask cause of how you describe when your contacting the webmasters that you advise where yours are and suggest where yours could go on their site?

Building links takes a lot of effort and patience. I don't know what your site is related to, but I have had luck in the past offering links to sites that had similiar content to mine but where my content did not compete with theirs, say like in sales.

For example, if your site is about ebooks for sporting things like golf and fish, you could do google searches on golf and see what pulls up or fishing and see what pulls up. Look for people who will be as hungry for links as you. The first thing is to get a fair number of links in your directory so they don't look empty. Golf Instructors will be hungry for links if they have a site, and would probaby happily exchange with you. So is that small mom and pop merchant in your own home town who has put up a website about their Golf clothes, golf balls, etc., who would love to be added to a site that is golf related, etc., etc. It takes some time, but once you get enough links in your directory that are targeted, you'll start to gain some momentum yourself in terms of getting some reciprocal traffic and also in having enough links to register a blip or so for your own rankings. Try then contacting sites with higher PR ranking. Maybe the webmasters at the sites your going to know have a good ranking and they are snobbish? Thinking what benefit is there to them. Once you've got some leverage, then go to those, and resubmit your request. Maybe it will come out differently? Maybe they are just not minding the store, and never even saw your request. Don't get discouraged. Just make a plan, and be faithful to it. Good luck