The year-end Holidays come and go and businesses get snowed under with year end gifts from their clients. In some ways, gifts at year end all seem to be lumped together in the client's mind. The new trend is to find year-round cost effective ways to thank your clients.

Did you know that when companies are doing well they don't thank their customers? When things are slow, companies start to court their customers .... sometimes that's too late.

You need to keep your name in front of your customer constantly. Gifting is one way to do this. It does not have to be elaborate. Small gifts (what gift basket professionals call "warm call gifts") would be a perfect way to keep your name in front of your customer. Make gifting a year round, not year-end time to say thank you for their business. This will help secure your relationship with your customers and get referrals.

Attitudes for D.A.T.I.N.G. your customer:

DAZZLE your customer!
ANTICIPATE their needs!
TREAT them the way you want to be treated.
INNOVATE in every area of your business including your policies.
NUTURE the relationship with your internal customers (employees/vendors/suppliers) so that everyone can satisfy your external customers.
GUARANTEE that you stay in business by following these simple rules.