Mr. Marketing: Be thankful for what you have

Being in business shouldn’t only be about making money.

As the holidays bear down on us, it’s a good time to take stock of who we are and what we have.

Whatever your beliefs, whomever you celebrate with, and wherever you find yourself, be thankful for what you’ve got. It’s better than being disappointed for whatever you’re missing.

Still, as you plan to over-indulge on the 26th consider the following:

We eat approximately 7.5 billion pounds of turkey annually, mostly this month. We’ll also inhale 750 million pounds of cranberries; 2.4 million pounds of sweet potatoes; 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins; 1.8 billion bushels of wheat (stuffing and rolls); and 841,280 tons of green beans.

86 percent of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving.

45 percent of Americans eat Thanksgiving dinner at home. Forty-two percent visit a relative’s house, 6 percent are with friends, and the rest dine at restaurants.

91 percent of Republicans, 87 percent of Democrats, and 83 percent of Independents eat Thanksgiving turkey.

12 percent plan to go shopping over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Holiday shopping will start in earnest on Black Friday. While 40 percent of shoppers began their efforts before Halloween, the official Christmas shopping season starts when Santa comes down New York’s Fifth Avenue in the Macy’s parade at 9 a.m. (PST) on Nov.26.

Consumers are expected to spend $620 billion by yearend, with some merchants making half their annual profits during November and December. Seventy-five percent of consumers will shop online from small merchants, spelling opportunity for alert business owners.

And I almost forgot – between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day we’ll send out 2.1 billion holiday cards to family and friends. Most will arrive after Dec. 15, meaning you’ll stand out of the crowd by sending yours out early.

Like cheering for our favorite football team and watching “It’s a Wonderful Life,” these have all become traditions.

How did these traditions get started? In the words of Tevye, from Fiddler on the Roof, “I don’t know – but it’s a tradition.”

As the year wraps up, consider starting your own traditions. Take time to appreciate those who care about you and those who have tried to help you improve your life this year.

Most importantly, be sure to take time to help those around you who need help now, and during the rest of the year.

With that said, I wish you a season of profitable marketing.

Happy holidays from everyone at the MarketBuilding Team!