Is it possible that we do not connect well with our prospects and clients if we do not know a little bit about their daily life experiences? I got to thinking about this after one of my mastermind partners made a comment about watching television. She said that she watches a few popular shows sometimes, just so she will understand the references that are made. This makes a lot of sense.

I was a classroom teacher for many years. I taught various grade levels during that time, all the way from Kindergarten through high school. I would always immerse myself in the culture of the age group I was dealing with, and it made me better able to relate to my students. They never had to explain jokes to me, and sometimes I was the one who started the conversation. One of our favorites was the show ‘Super Nanny’. When one of my fifth graders would not stop talking, I asked him if he needed to spend a few minutes in the naughty chair. It brought us all closer together.

What are your prospects doing in their spare time? Is there a magazine you could be reading or a forum you could visit to make sure you are in the loop? Think about how you can better connect with your target market by knowing more of what they care about.

Many times we feel that politicians do not understand us and can’t make the big decisions for us because they do not walk in our shoes. I have felt that way about healthcare. While I was teaching in the classroom I felt that the administrators working in the office building downtown could not relate to what I was going through because they had not been in the classroom for so many years. I believe the same can be true in our businesses on the Internet.

If you can’t sit down and write whenever you want to, it will be extremely difficult for you to connect with your list. Writer’s block is something we don’t hear about very often any longer. Twenty years ago, when I wanted to pursue a career as a professional writer, I found it difficult to sit down and write. After a short time, I believed that I was suffering from writer’s block and would always have this problem. Now that I write daily and have developed an online business based almost exclusively on my writing, I can honestly say that I am never at a loss for something to write about.

What’s the difference between what I do now and what I did long ago? I believe it is based on the fact that I am now writing on topics I know something about, can choose the time of day I write, and that I continue to repurpose my writing on a regular basis.

You can think about this in a number of ways. If someone asks me to write about something I am not interested in or do not know much about, the writing becomes a chore. I often write articles for my students, and typically I am not very knowledgeable about their topic. For instance, I wrote about making soy candles recently, and this was a tedious task for me to complete. I had to do some research to learn something about this topic, and then I had to write something that would be interesting to the people who would read it. When I write about my interests it goes very quickly and is something I look forward to doing.

I have also discovered that I do much better when I write early in the morning. I write down my ideas the day before, and when I wake up and sit down to write, I can bring those ideas to life. It also makes me feel like I have accomplished something early in the day before I must take care of other areas of my life.

Repurpose everything. This means that nearly everything I write will be used for another purpose. I turn every idea into articles, short reports, blog posts, teleseminars, forum posts, and content for my membership sites. This way you get two or three times as much content from just one piece of writing.

Find out what time of day is best for you to be most productive. Write about the topics you know and are interested in. Repurpose everything you write into at least one other format. This will ensure that you never have to deal with having writer’s block.

Are you excited at the news you are sharing with your list? You must exaggerate what you say and write when you are working online, because the majority of your prospects will never meet you in person. You will want to tell everyone who you are and what you have to offer. This is a form of storytelling that works well on the Internet.

Don’t be afraid to brag about what you are doing and how it will benefit others. You can easily create a ‘buzz’ online by blogging, sending press releases, and sharing information about what you are doing on Facebook and Twitter. Build excitement with everything you, no matter how small it may seem to you at the time. I call this the ‘Kindergarten Effect’ because you will be just as excited in sharing your business news as a Kindergartner is when they have show and tell.

I first did this with an email I sent several years ago. I carried on about an experience I had had that made a point about my online business. I posted to my blog about what had happened as well. With 48 hours people were emailing me and leaving comments on my blog, bringing lots of excitement to the situation. Don’t be afraid to be dramatic or controversial; this just adds to the buzz that will be created.

As you continue to build your relationship with the people on your list, be sure to share your very best tips and secrets with them. If I try something new, and it works well, I share this immediately with my list. The same goes for resources, websites, software, and anything else that would be beneficial to them in growing their business online. Many times I receive information that is not available to the general public yet. I love being the first one to pass on this information to the people who are counting on me to keep them in the loop.

This weekend I received information on a free report that teaches you how to use Squidoo lenses to generate traffic and leads for your business. I was able to send this report to my list so they could get started right away. All weekend long people wrote to me to thank me and to tell me how much they appreciated this information.

If you are recommending something that you are an affiliate for, be sure to let them know that as well. This will keep you in compliance with the new FTC ruling that went into effect on December 12.

Sometimes we assume that because our clients found us on the internet that we must continue to work with them only online. Nothing could be further from the truth! You can build great rapport with your list by taking them offline as quickly as possible.

As soon as someone signs up for one of your products, courses, or services, send them a postcard or an envelope with a small gift. These ‘lumpy’ packages are lots of fun, and can contain anything from an eraser to a notepad. The point is that you are reaching out to them in a way your competitors likely are not.

Better yet, pick up the phone and thank them personally for their purchase. Ask them if they have any questions about what they have just ordered. I started doing this early on, and was amazed that many people had never received such a call. Many of them went on to spend more money with me during the next 30 days. This was because they felt I was accessible to them and would be more inclined to help them to achieve their goals.

Everybody loves a secret.  This goes back to our childhood, when knowing a secret made us feel more grown up. Why not share secrets with the people already on your list? This can be a very effective way to build a relationship with your prospects so that you can connect with them on a deeper level.

Starting an online business seems like a mystery to many of the people on my list. They may be frustrated with the process or struggling with the technology. The marketing is completely different from anything they have encountered previously. When I share some ‘insider’ or ’secret’ tips they feel like they are part of the inner circle that will help them to achieve the success they are working towards. You can do the same exact thing when you share tips or secrets about your niche.

When people first signed up for your list, they were looking for specific information or an answer to their problem. As new marketers you tend to forget why someone originally signed up on your list, or you may change your message over the first few months.

Be as specific as possible when you are asking someone to opt in to your list. Find out exactly what they want and expect from you and then deliver it to them. Ask yourself who your target audience is and what your USP (unique selling proposition) will be.

As long as you stay focused on your niche and your market you will find that people want to hear from you on a regular basis and want to do business with you as well.