The holiday season is a time when customers are frazzled, trying to get a million things done and be a million places at once. Savvy business owners, who forever keep in mind that their role is to solve customers’ problems – often before the customer even realizes they ARE problems – know that now is not the time to sell.

Now is the time to soothe.

Now is a terrific time of year to remain in the customers’ line of sight, and in the best possible light. It’s not too late to spread some holiday goodwill, and by doing so, get some goodwill for your business. This time of year, business slows down for almost everyone – make the best use of that time by connecting – and reconnecting – with clients and customers.

The time you spend making personal connections, without trying to sell anything, will, in the long run, help you sell your products and services throughout the year.

Here are some tips to stand out this season and be a last-minute goodwill ambassador.

While holiday cards are nice, yours are bound to one of many customers are receiving. Try something different. Make a phone call instead. Obviously, you can’t call every client on your list, but it’s worth it, while business slows down this time of year, to sit down and spend some quality time to make a friendly call to some of your best clients. Show them the personal touch – it will pay off big later on.

Consider an e-mail blast: one that doesn’t sell anything at all. Just a simple, positive, grateful message for their business throughout the year. An e-mail can be created in under an hour, and sent in a day. In today’s marketplace, with consumers constantly blitzed with “calls to action,” and messages to “buy, buy, buy,” a concise, thoughtful greeting will be remembered. Keep in mind, however, to avoid specific holiday references, as your customers may not all celebrate Christmas. Some light a menorah, and others celebrate Kwanzaah, and other winter holidays.

When building lists of whom to contact, think of clients and customers with whom you’ve been out of touch – this time of year is a good time to reconnect with those you haven’t heard from in a while; people are much more receptive to getting back together with you.

Don’t limit your thinking to consumers, either. The holidays are a good time to connect with business partners, and potential business partners, as well. Significant and profitable connections can be made, just by making a call or by sending a message.

We hope these suggestions work for you. In the meantime, the entire staff of AJ Ross Creative Media wishes you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season.