The next few weeks can be a great time to build relationships and keep in touch with your best clients. The rewards can be very real, as one client shared with me:

In early January, I got a call from a COO of a major client I hadn't spoken to in about 4 months. He started by saying he was so touched that I had taken the time to write a personal note on his Christmas card.

Then he asked us to work on a really high-profile project that's worth approximately $750,000 in legal fees. Maybe we would have gotten the work anyway, but that note obviously helped ensure we were "front of mind" when he decided to pick up the phone.

I'd say that's a pretty good return for a 44-cent stamp, a $2 holiday card and about 10 minutes of effort!

If you'd like to make an impression on your best clients this year, here are some tips for making the most of your holiday contacts:

Holiday Cards: 1. If you're sending holiday cards, add a handwritten note of at least two to three sentences. It takes only a few minutes to add a personal message, but it goes a long way in making your card stand out and letting the client know that you value the relationship.

If you aren't going to write a personal note, my advice is to skip the card altogether. Don't leave a good client with the impression that the relationship is not worth a few minutes of your time.

If you look at your holiday card list and you just can't imagine writing all those people a personal note, prioritize the list and whittle it down to a manageable size.

2. Mail your cards either early or late. If your card arrives on December 22, it will be lost in the deluge of other cards. If you just can't get your cards in the mail by December 15, mail out Happy New Year cards in the first few weeks of January instead. Or do what one of my clients did: Mail out your holiday cards -- the ones with Santa on them -- in February, with the message "It's been that kind of year..."

3. Consider skipping your firm's cards and buying a few dozen cards that are "you" -- whether because of the charity they support, the whimsical nature of the card or the theme. It's a $30 investment that can show your individuality and distinguish you from the crowd.

4. Consider sending your family holiday card if you feel comfortable doing so. Many client relationships have been taken to a new level with the conversation that a family card can generate.

Client Gifts: 1. For key clients, skip the generic gifts such as fruit baskets or gourmet brownies and select gifts that match the recipients' interests -- whether that be cooking, gardening, traveling to exotic locales or '60s music. There is a book or magazine subscription out there for just about any interest (just check out Amazon.com).

Or send them a personal favorite -- a book (some of mine this year: The Geography of Bliss; Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently; and The Help) or a board game (Apples to Apples is one of my favorites) -- and share why it's meaningful to you.

For out-of-town clients, consider sending a gift that is unique to your home town -- BBQ sauce from Kansas City, green chili salsa from New Mexico, beignet mix from New Orleans. Even "generic gifts" -- such as chocolates or wine -- can be personalized if you share their origins. For example, explain that the wine was from a winery you visited on your vacation or the chocolates are the result of your quest to find the perfect dark chocolate.

Don't know what your clients' interests are? Consider making your first business development task for the new year finding out. Ask questions and keep track of the answers; then use that information next year to select thoughtful gifts.

3. The fact that your firm doesn't reimburse you for client gifts shouldn't get in the way of your sending them. If you have 10 good clients and you send each of them a $25 gift (the gift limit at many companies), that's a total investment of $250. That seems like a modest sum to invest in important client relationships.

Holiday Events: 1. Consider planning an outing with clients to a holiday concert or play. One of my clients takes her clients to see The Nutcracker and invites them to bring their children along.

2. If you are trying to figure out which of the numerous business-related holiday invitations you should accept, target those at which you will have an opportunity to connect with clients or prospects.

3. If the last week of December is a slow time for you, consider inviting a good client or referral source to share a leisurely lunch.

Bonus Tip: Make a New Year's Resolution: If you've been looking for an excuse to get in touch with someone you haven't talked to in a while, use your New Year's resolution. You can start the conversation with something flattering like:

"My New Year's resolution is to get back in touch with some of my favorite former clients. You're at the top of my list. How are things going?"

Don't let the holidays slip by without taking advantage of the special opportunities they present for deepening those personal relationships that are at the core of successful business development.

This year, set aside some time to use the holiday season to make a lasting impression on your clients. You'll reap the rewards well into the new year.