It is hard to believe that 2011 is coming to a close in just ten short days.  People are moving at a fast pace; finishing up the dangling strings of items on their ‘to do’ list.  The lists contain the usual mix of client work, holiday shopping and attending events. In the rush, I am often asked to identify the most important marketing activities they should do at the end of the year. Here are just a few:

• Thank your clients.  It is crucial to identify all of the individuals who have made your year successful.  Personally thank each of them with a phone call or hand written note.  Everyone likes to be recognized for the positive things they do for others.
• Send holiday greetings.  Send out holiday greetings (either printed cards or electronic communications) to your contacts list.  If sending a printed card, take the time to write a personal note to clients, referral sources or people you are grateful for.  Making it personal helps your greetings stand out amongst the crowd.
• Plan for next year.  Take out your business development plan and review it. Compare what you set out to do last January with what you actually accomplished.  Are there any surprises?  At this time, update your plan to reflect your new priorities so that you know where you want to be at the end of 2012.

Take advantage of this time of year.  Connect to the people around you in a positive way.  Make the interactions meaningful, this is not an exercise in adding more stress to anyone’s lives.  In fact, if there are too many people for you to reach to now, schedule your outreach in your calendar for the first month of the year.  Simply let them know that you intended to reach out in December but it is ‘better late than never’!

Happy Holidays!