When i created my site i was indexed and ranking on the first page for local search queries within 10 days. I did my homework on how to get it done but if you're trying to get indexed for something vague like "web design" it could takes months or years to see your name on the top of a search engine. I've been up and running since December and I'm not even in the top 100 for "Houston Web Design" just because competition is so rough for that key word. This is why you have to choose less broad keywords but have them so that you know there are going to be pleanty of people searching for that term.

Then you go into social bookmarking... Digg, Del.is.ious, stumbled upon, blah blah blah the list goes on, then write for blogs and get link backs and start getting more visitors to your site and then you're on the train