Make your Thanksgiving even more meaningful by volunteering!
Thanksgiving cheer distributed to men in service. New York City turned host to the boys in service and cared for every man in uniform, c.1918. Underwood and Underwood, photographer. U.S. National Archives.

The countdown has begun, and for many of you, work is waning this week. This is the week of multiple massive dinners with varying combinations of family, football and basketball games as you gather for the meals, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. I love Thanksgiving time best, because it incorporates my four favorite things – family and food, shopping and sports!

In media sales, you have had a very busy last few months. You have used your CRM and prepared your 2014 budgets, worked on a holiday-related promotion, stretched to make your annual goals, and prepared for first quarter through a one-day sale or other focused effort.

The thought of four days off from media sales is heavenly, even if it means you have to sit across the table from Great Aunt Martha, who asks what you are doing now every time you see her, or get up at 5 a.m. to watch the kids so your spouse can try to get that highly-discounted tablet on Friday morning.

Recharging your batteries is very important. But there are some things you can do this Thanksgiving that will give you a break from your CRM, yet be productive:

• Spend extra time with family. Chances are you will be hosting or attending a dinner or two. When you are biting your tongue and not engaging in the political “discussion” being waged at the table, remember that the dying words “I wish I had spent more time at work” were uttered by NO ONE EVER! Regrets come from not spending quality time with family. Talk to the elderly members of your clan – they may not be at the table next year. Play games with the little ones. They grow up too fast. Ask everyone to bring their favorite family photo and discuss why it is their favorite. Don't miss this important time.
• Volunteer.  Help out at a dinner for those who don't have homes or families. Spend an hour ringing the bell. Put the names on the Angel Tree. Ask family members to bring last year’s coat and boots and donate them to a homeless shelter. Walk the dogs at the no-kill shelter. Visit a nursing home and listen as lonely residents share their Thanksgiving stories with you. Whatever it is that moves you, give back. You will realize how much you have to be thankful for.
• Exercise. The holidays are filled with cookies, cakes, and parties (translation: adult beverages!). We are all concerned about gaining a few pounds. Burn some calories up front by taking part in a Turkey Trot 5K or the special Friday classes at your gym. At minimum, take a walk – maybe with that member of your family you want to reconnect with.
• Work for a client. You will truly understand your client’s customers, products, and needs if you spend some time behind the counter of their business. Ask them if you can work for them for a couple of hours. Be sure you are in a place where you will really be helpful, like stocking shelves or greeting customers, instead of where you could slow down their sales, like behind the cash register you don’t know how to use. Your client will see a different side of you and you will see a different side of their business.
• Clean up your account list. Hopefully, you are able to access your CRM system from home. While in your easy chair with your favorite teams battling it out on TV, fire up your laptop and pull up your account list. Dump all those accounts that are going nowhere, promote promising accounts to a target status, and take a hard look at your secondary or smaller spending accounts. If you have a couple that didn’t spend much this year and sucked up your time and energy, perhaps a fresh perspective, like that of the new guy, would be beneficial…

You can choose to overeat and be a couch quarterback this Thanksgiving, or you can make it productive. If you do even a couple of things mentioned above, you will find that the four days were restful, yet bountiful.

One last thing – I am thankful for those of you who read these blogs. Being helpful fulfills me, and if even one thought speaks to you, it is all worth it. Thank you, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

By Kitty Malone, Efficio Solutions Manager of Client Services

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