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Well here in the part of the world I live it's an absolutely stunning winter's day. The sun is shining ... there's a gentle breeze ruffling the palm trees ... and it's warm!

It's one of those days when it's just great to be alive and I'm going to be out there in about 2 hours enjoying all those things that I'm missing while I'm here in the office.

And you know what? I'm going to give you permission to get out there and enjoy some time away from the computer too. Yes, I know you have a ton of work to get through ... I know you're busting your nuts to put food on the table ... I know you don't want to take some time off right now ... but who said anything about taking time off?

I don't recall mentioning that you could take time off ... I did say that you could get away from your computer but that's not the same as taking time off. Oh no ... I don't want you to take some time off ... I want you to get out there and meet the people you're trying to get to buy the products you're selling.

Why should you do that? The answer is simple ... while you've been stuck in front of your computer for the last year or more you've been losing touch with some of the most important people in your life. While you've been pounding the keyboard your target market has been out there enjoying life and now is as good a time as any to get out there with them and see what they're doing.

So put your computer to sleep ... push your chair back ... and get up and walk out the door. Don't forget to grab your car keys on the way because you're not just heading down to the local strip mall ... you're going to be heading to a couple of different shopping malls ... you know ... the big multi-storey complexes where people go when they want some retail therapy.

Even before you get there take a look around. What sort of cars are people driving? What clothes are they wearing? What are they doing while they move about? Are they texting ... are they hitting Facebook ...are they looking in shop windows?

When you know what people do while they're out and about you can target your advertising copy more effectively. Life moves on and if you're like some webmasters I know ... guys who rarely leave the house ... then in no time at all you're going to be out of touch with the people you're trying to sell to and when you're out of touch your ability to resonate with your market begins to fade ... and we all know what happens then.

Now let's head into the shopping mall ... yes I know it can be hard to handle crowds but it's for a good cause so stick with it.

Now you're in there with all those people start listening to the conversations that are going on around you. Listen to the way people are speaking ... listen to the words. Ignore the subject matter ... just listen to the way they communicate. Are you speaking their language?

While you're listening watch what people are doing. Try to spot what people are looking at when they stop and look into a shop window ... check out what's going on inside the shops too because that can tell you a lot about people and it can tell you a lot about what's working in marketing too.

Stop and buy yourself a drink or a coffee and find a seat somewhere you can sit and watch the crowds go by. Look at the way they move ... are they looking beaten or confident? Do they appear to be well off or are their clothes a little on the shabby side?

Think about what you're seeing and start composing some marketing lines in your head. Focus on one person and think about how you would compose a headline to appeal to that person to buy something that is important to them. Think about how you would compose a headline to appeal to that person to buy something that was not so important.

What could you say that might make that tired MILF over there with the screaming kids buy a sex toy? What could you say that might make that old guy who can't keep his eyes off a cute babe be interested enough to buy a membership in the mature site your promote?

Find your local adult shop too and spend a little time in there. What are they displaying? What are people looking at? What videos are walking out the door and what videos are being ignored?

And after a few hours go home and think about what you've seen ... think about where your target market has moved to and what you have to do to catch up with them ... and at the same time plan for your next trip out to see what the real world is doing.