These spiraling economic times are punishing everyone. Spirit’s being effected, as well as the bank book. Make time to make your customers feel good, to feel better. Find a way to improve things for them. If you can show how your product or service can make some of their problems go away,or put some money back in their pocket. This is an action that they will long remember. Being ethical is crucial to helping to ease the burden of another. Prime motivation should not be to improve your lot in life. People helping people in hard times is good Karma. Be the best person and business provider that you can be . Financial reward will coexist right alongside your emotional reward. Your customer may not be able to make a purchase at this time, but chances are that when their financial situation improves, you are the one they will come to. You showed true empathy for their situation and were willing to ease their pain above your own benefits. Small business sales and marketing skills does not give you a free pass to hard sell each time you approach a client. It’s much more important to lay the groundwork for a truly rewarding and beneficial relationship . A relationship that will endure good and bad times.