I've been in business now for 7 years as the owner of a virtual company. That means that roughly 97% of my clients have come to me with no face-to-face contact. I prefer to conduct most of my marketing from the comfort of my own home, rather than getting dressed, driving to a networking event, struggling to find a parking space, forking over $30 or so for the event, and proceed to be uncomfortable because I really don't want to be there.

Several years ago I thought moving that moving to the big city and networking with the "big girls" was exactly what I wanted to do and would be the bonanza I had been seeking to grow my business. Hindsight is always 20/20, and as I reflect on that experience, I realize that I just don't network in person effectively -- not because I don't know how, but because I just don't care to do so. Face-to-face networking is hard work for me, as it requires me to put on my "extrovert" face and go out and "meet and greet" the crowd. I've been told that I do this well, but I find the experience to be tiring and draining because it's not something that I do naturally, nor does it tap into my gifts and talents.

Fighting my "inner introvert" has always been a struggle for me, as I tend to end up in careers and situations requiring much face-to-face contact. If you read many business books, most have the same message: the way to get clients is to build relationships with them. This usually means attendance at networking events or professional association meetings, visiting with clients at their offices, volunteering on boards of charitable organizations, etc. Those strategies are quite effective, but what strategies would someone use to build relationships virtually with people?

Here are 7 strategies I've used over the last 7 years to help me build virtual relationships and get more clients online:

1. A relationship-building website. Creating a website that is content rich for your target audience is key. When a visitor arrives at your site, she wants to know that you feel her pain, understand her problem, and have a ready solution to help her. Having page after page of information about how wonderful you does little to reassure her that you are the solution to her problem.

Some ways that your website can convey that you can solve the problems of your visitors are by providing testimonials from clients, case studies, free articles, free reports, online assessments, online surveys, and links to other online resources that might help.

2. Email newsletter. Creating and publishing an email newsletter on a regular basis is one of the best marketing moves I've made to date in my business. The format has changed from year to year, but here's what I find that works: put "you" into your newsletter. If you plan to publish your newsletter every Thursday morning, for example, then create a schedule for yourself so that you can do so. Shorter newsletters that can be read (or skimmed) quickly are the best. Make sure that your newsletter's subject line is compelling (and use personalization if your email broadcast system has that feature) to ensure that a greater number readers choose to open and read your current issue.

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