It's official: We survived 2009. However, you're probably not spinning around in your office chair, throwing confetti in the air to celebrate. That's because though you may have survived, 2009 was an especially difficult year for business. And one major business casualty in the last year was customer-business trust. Damaged by the Madoffs, AIGs, and GMs of the world, and forced by a down economy and growing unemployment to pinch every penny, many customers are simply finding it difficult to hand their trust over to those with whom they do business.

That said, this year offers an opportunity for a fresh start. And while cutting prices or updating your marketing plan might help get the job done, Maribeth Kuzmeski says that 2010 is the year of the connector. She is the author of The Connectors: How the World's Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life. Kuzmeski says the connections you make and the relationships you build will be the true game changers.

“After all the debacles of 2009, people want to know who they are doing business with. Relationships are more important than ever, particularly when it comes to doing business. And thanks to social media, mobile technology, and the ever-expanding Internet, it's easier than ever to connect with others.

“But while everyone else is devoting their attention to the social media craze, it's time for you to slow down and consider what really brings success,” Kuzmeski continues. “Is it tweeting 100 times per day or having 500 businesspeople in your LinkedIn network? Possibly, but it really depends on whether you are truly connecting with those folks. Those who are able to master impactful connections with others will be the ones to triumph in 2010.”

Listed below are tips on how you can make more meaningful connections in the coming months:

* Improve your social networking skills. In today's business world, social networking can't be ignored. We promote products on Facebook, network through LinkedIn, and get our news updates via tweets on Twitter. And while social networking is a great way to connect, it can be easy to forget that what you are aiming for are meaningful connections. And making meaningful connections via social media can sometimes take a little extra work and a different approach.

“Just like your real-life relationships, you should be picky about who you make connections with online,” Kuzmeski says. “Choose to connect with people who have similar interests or who are working in your particular field. And when someone you know, want to know, or need to know connects with you online, you should always reciprocate.”

Don't let your online connections get lost out in cyberspace. Find ways that you can connect through other avenues like conferences, retreats or occasional in-office visits.

* Remember: It's quality, not quantity. While the connections you make through social media are important —especially when you can transform those connections into relationships — you have to be careful not to get caught up in a more, more, more mentality, where you are constantly striving to get more friends on Facebook or to tweet more often during your day.

Kuzmeski says that you can actually be more successful if you use the time you spend going to the extreme in the social media arena to instead revamp the connections you already have by making them more meaningful and personal. Concentrate your efforts on turning your connections into more personal relationships. Your goal should be to make connections that you actually see outside of your computer screen. And since sales conversions are more likely face-to-face, consider hosting an event for your followers.

Kuzmeski notes Twitter users call this a ‘tweetup.' For example, at conferences, Twitter is used by attendees to arrange to meet after the show for discussion, cocktails and parties.

“This year, make a concerted effort to focus on the quality of your business relationships,” Kuzmeski says. “And don't press yourself to make so many social networking connections that you end up in a situation where you can't keep up with and strengthen them or where you are neglecting those with whom you already have quality relationships.”

* Be a voicemail non-conformist. If you've worked in business for any amount of time, then you've probably played a game of phone tag or two (or twenty). When we attempt to connect with people over the phone, we're usually faced with having to leave a voicemail. However, just because you're connecting with a voice mailbox doesn't mean your connection can't also be meaningful.

“Treat your voicemail messages just like you would an actual conversation,” Kuzmeski says. “Keep them short and sweet and stay on point. Practice your message before calling to make sure it is compelling. Say something unexpected that may get the listener's attention. And have lots of energy and enthusiasm when you call. Be sure to give the recipient of the message your reason for calling and a reason why they should call you back. And always clearly state your contact information.”

* Build your own “Harvard Network.” People who have gone to Ivy League schools like Harvard typically look out for one another. They connect with each other, hire each other, and refer potential clients to one another. The same can be said for many of the most high-status schools in the nation. It may even be true that these alumni networks are more valuable and important to the success of graduates than the education they received. So what do you do if you didn't go to a prestigious school? The principles are the same for any network of people.

“Those with similar interests, backgrounds, commonality, and relationships will look out for each other, work with each other, and help each other,” Kuzmeski says. “If you don't already have a network, find one. Join a community group, alumni group, or industry group and get involved. Create advocates and make yourself a known entity in the group through your activism.”

* Create your powerful connections list. In order to form new and more powerful relationships, it's a good idea to first begin by determining who are, and who can potentially become, your most powerful connections.

“Create a list of at least 20 potentially powerful connections," Kuzmeski says. “Now you know who to reach out to. It isn't 1,000 people. It is a manageable 20 who will in turn connect you to others. But who wants to connect with you? Lots of people do; it simply takes finding out what's in it for them.”

* Leverage your connections. Effectively leverage your business network by creating a large enough network, regularly staying in touch with them, and helping them get to know you, what you do in your business, and the kinds of people you work with. But most of all, concentrate on getting to know them and developing a relationship focused on them.

“Thankfully, for salespeople everywhere, strategies for leveraging themselves exist," Kuzmeski notes. “It takes a plan, but leveraging current relationships can be the miracle answer to the typical grind of prospecting. Advocates, centers of influence, and your customers will give you referrals and introductions that are critical to expanding your reach and incremental sales growth.”

* True connections happen eye to eye. Just because there are a lot of new and improved ways to connect with people, it doesn't mean we should rule out good old-fashioned face-to-face contact. If you want to really connect with people, it is important to make it a priority to schedule face time.

Think about those on your powerful connections list, people you truly care about — the ones who will mean the most to you in the year ahead — and then make it a point to see each one.

“You have to make the time,” Kuzmeski says. “Whether it means clearing out a couple of weeks out of the year to devote to traveling to see clients, or even breaking early from a conference to catch up with an important colleague, you should make it a priority. You need to establish a solid in-person relationship with people in order to gain their trust. And once you've done that, you can use all the other tools as a way to continue your relationship throughout the rest of your busy year.”

* Make amends when you mis-connect. It's bound to happen at some point: You send an e-mail about a client (intended for one of your employees) to the client. Or you tweet something that at the time seemed funny and edgy, but instead offended a few of your followers. Or you forget to follow up on a referral you've received because they got lost in your e-mail inbox for three months. What do you do? Mark these connections down as technology casualties and move on?

Kuzmeski says that option is a big mistake. Whenever you've made a mistake — online or otherwise — you should take immediate action to rectify the situation. Take down the offending tweet, send out an online apology, and certainly pick up the phone to apologize personally.

“Simply recognizing you were wrong and offering an apology will go a long way in helping you re-establish any trust that you've lost,” Kuzmeski says.

No matter what method you choose to use to make connections this year, the important thing is that you keep connecting, Kuzmeski says. “Making impactful connections brings sales, leadership power, and personal success. And it is the best way to build a business effectively, efficiently, profitably, and quickly.”

Maribeth Kuzmeski is the founder of Red Zone Marketing, LLC, which consults to Fortune 500 firms on strategic marketing planning and business growth. For more information, please visit www.redzonemarketing.com and www.theconnectorsbook.com.