Distinguishing yourself from the masses in business can be difficult. Customers are lost in a sea of mediocrity. In fact, if anyone can step up and set themselves apart, they could grasp the majority of the business. The market share that they seek could be theirs. While it sounds like a great plan, how can you realistically do this?

Although there may be no clear cut answer, one thing that can help is sending business Christmas cards. While it doesn’t sound like that novel of a concept, how many people actually do it? As a salesman, this could be huge for developing rapport.

Let’s think about this logically for a moment. For illustration purposes, imagine that you are a customer. You buy widgets on a regular basis. Like most customers, you’re not necessarily loyal to any one particular brand. You go with whoever is running a special or having a sale until you buy. Then one day you get a Christmas card from one of the businesses that sell widgets. You don’t really think much of it other than it gives you a positive impression of the company. That company now sticks out in your mind when you think about widgets. The next time you need to buy one, who will you go to? The company that actually took the time to make you feel special, or the one who could care less? The answer is obvious. You’ll choose the one that took time out of their schedule. This creates brand loyalty. While it may seem like a small thing, it can pay huge dividends in the long run.