I got banned from Reddit for spamming. Here's my "Comeback Plan."

Hey folks,

Well, it finally happened. I made the classic rookie mistake and got myself banned from a key subreddit, r/EtsySellers.

I was so excited about the AI tools I've been building for e-commerce sellers that I just dropped a link without thinking. I didn't engage, I didn't provide any upfront value, and I rightfully got the boot from the mods. It was a stupid move, but honestly, a super valuable lesson.

It taught me that you can't just treat a community like a traffic source. You have to actually be a part of it.

So, instead of giving up on Reddit, I've decided to treat it as a "redemption arc" experiment. I'm documenting my plan to get back in their good graces, and I'd love to get your thoughts on it.

Here's my 3-Phase "Reddit Comeback Plan":

Phase 1: The Ghost (1-2 Weeks)

Create a new account with a clean slate.
My only job is to lurk and listen. Read the rules, understand the culture, and identify the community's real pain points by seeing what questions get asked over and over. No posting, no commenting. Just absorbing.
Phase 2: The Helpful Member (2+ Weeks)

Start commenting on posts where I can genuinely help.
Answer questions, give feedback on shops, share small tips without asking for anything in return.
The goal: build up at least 50-100 "comment karma" as proof that I'm a contributing member, not a drive-by spammer.
Phase 3: The "Value Bomb" Post

Only after completing the first two phases, I'll make one, high-value standalone post.
The plan is to lead with my story (confessing the ban), and then offer my free "Etsy Description" tool as a peace offering to the community. No mention of my paid product. The entire focus will be on giving back.
This is a much slower approach, but it feels like the right way to build trust. It's an interesting challenge in patience and value-first marketing.

So, what do you think? Is this plan solid?

And I have to ask, has anyone else had a marketing channel blow up in their face like this? How did you recover?

Would love to hear your stories!