In recent days, I've been speaking with a lot of business owners who, quite frankly, are a bit nervous about the current state of the economy.

Perhaps you've been feeling a bit of that uneasiness, too. Don't worry, you're not alone.

There is no question that there are some major economic changes happening right now, most of which are out of our control and many which are leaving us with uncertainty about what is going to happen in the future.

Now, more than ever, though, is when you need to embrace your existing customers and reach out to your prospective customers because if you don't, there are other businesses that will.

Your customers need to know that you are there, that you care and are looking out for their best interest. Times like this is when you especially need to be harnessing that power of appreciation that we talk about so frequently here.

Now is when you should be sending them just a simple note of thanks for their business and their loyalty.

If your business has been directly effected by the credit crunch, let your customers know that you and they can get through this together.

Continue to build strong relationships. If you've been considering implementing a customer appreciation program in your business, and have been on the fence about it, it's times like these when it's more important than ever to start.