As the fall season quickly transitions into winter, business owners across the country should be thinking about those year-end greetings to clients, vendors and friends.

Most companies send off cards and goodies in December. But, in today’s politically correct climate many professionals get stumped. Should they forgo any mention of “Merry Christmas” for a more generic, safer version of “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays?” Should they wait and send “Happy New Year” wishes instead?

When the goal is to boost client relations, the last thing you want to do is offend someone who might be sensitive to the issue. Well, why not bypass the quandary altogether and tell everyone how grateful you are for their business and support during the time of year made for being thankful — Thanksgiving?

We all know it’s vital to keep in touch with clients, but sending them an e-mail or postcard about your latest offer or sale isn’t enough to keep people around for another order. The best way to increase customer loyalty is to be grateful — just thank your clients for doing business with you. Think about this: for every month that goes by when a client does not hear from you, you lose 10 percent of your influence with them. And, when clients don’t hear from us, they assume we don’t care (even if they don’t consciously say it). So, that makes those annual greetings even more important.

By saying thank you during November, the month of Thanksgiving, whatever you do will stand out from the crowd. That’s because everyone else’s cards and gifts will get lost in the flood of December mail. So act now to get more bang for your buck. And, when customers are thinking kindly of you, you may even snag a year-end order or two to boot. So, along with Tip No. 1 — send greetings during November, what else can you do to make the most of your thank-you efforts? Here are nine more ways to show your gratitude and make an impact on your bottom line:

Janice Malone, a marketing consultant and speaker, is the executive director of BNI Southern Alabama/Northwest Florida Region, which has chapters in your area. For more information, contact Malone at jmalone@bni.com or 1-800-781-9599.