There are three kinds of people in business: those who are good with numbers and those who aren't. See? Who says numbers can't be fun! In the spirit of the season, let us give you some fun, and possibly useful statistics:

21.5
Average number of Christmas cards expected to be received per American household this year. (U.S. Postal Service)

212 billion
Number of pieces of mail in 2005, an increase of 5.6 billion pieces over last year. (U.S. Postal Service)

462.5 million
Number of times shoppers visited retail web sites during the week ending Dec. 4, 2005—an increase of 33% over the same week last year.

1,000,000
Number of pixels originally available for ad space at $1.00 per pixel. These tiny ads have attracted world-wide attention and inspired copycats.

15%
One in seven people (15%) say they will be getting rid of unwanted gifts by selling them on the internet. (Nielsen/NetRatings)

47579
ZIP code of Santa Claus, Indiana. Each spring, a contest is held for children to design the famous picture postmark that will be used that year. The winning design is made into the official Santa Claus postmark for that season only, and only available December 1^st thru the 24^th. After Christmas it is placed into the "Holiday Hall of Fame," along with other past designs, and into stamp collections all over the world. 

Economizing the 12 Days of Christmas
Effective immediately, the following economizing measures are being implemented in the "12 Days of Christmas" subsidiary:

The partridge will be retained, but the pear tree, which never produced the cash crop forecasted, will be replaced by a plastic hanging plant, providing considerable savings in maintenance.

Two turtle doves represent a redundancy that is simply not cost effective. In addition, their romance during working hours could not be condoned. The positions are, therefore, eliminated.

The three French hens will remain intact pending the outcome of the Bird Flu pandemic.

The four calling birds will be replaced by an automated voice mail system, with a call waiting option. An analysis is underway to determine who the birds have been calling, how often and how long they talked.

The five golden rings have been put on hold by the Board of Directors. Maintaining a portfolio based on one commodity could have negative implications for institutional investors. Diversification into other precious metals, as well as a mix of T-Bills and high technology stocks, appear to be in order.

The six geese-a-laying constitutes a luxury which can no longer be afforded. It has long been felt that the production rate of one egg per goose per day was an example of the general decline in productivity. Three geese will be let go, and an upgrading in the selection procedure by personnel will assure management that, from now on, every goose it gets will be a good one.

The seven swans-a-swimming is obviously a number chosen in better times. The function is primarily decorative. Mechanical swans are on order. The current swans will be retrained to learn some new strokes, thereby enhancing their outplacement.

As you know, the eight maids-a-milking concept has been under heavy scrutiny by the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.) A male/female balance in the workforce is being sought. The more militant maids consider this a dead-end job with no upward mobility. Automation of the process may permit the maids to try a-mending, a-mentoring or a-mulching.

Nine ladies dancing has always been an odd number. This function will be phased out as these individuals grow older and can no longer do the steps.

Ten lords-a-leaping is overkill. The high cost of lords, plus the expense of international air travel, prompted the Compensation Committee to suggest replacing this group with 10 out-of-work congressmen. While leaping ability may be somewhat sacrificed, the savings are significant as we expect an oversupply of unemployed congressmen this year.

Eleven pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming is a simple case of the band getting too big. A substitution with a string quartet, a cutback on new music and no uniforms will produce savings which will drop right to the bottom line; overall we can expect a substantial reduction in assorted people, fowl, animals and related expenses. Though incomplete, studies indicate that stretching deliveries over 12 days is inefficient. If we can drop ship in one day, service levels will be improved.

Regarding the lawsuit filed by the attorney's association seeking expansion to include the legal profession ("13 lawyers-a-suing"), a decision is pending. 

Did you hear what they heard?
(A communications message in the form of a favorite carol.)

Said the manager to his office staff,
"Do you see what I see? Do you see what I see?
In the marketplace for our wares?"

"Do you see what I see? Do you see what I see?
A want, a need, an opportunity.
It will bring us profit and leads.
It will bring us profit and leads."

Before you enthusiastically set out to meet your goals for 2006, ask yourself if your employees are really on board. Do they clearly understand where your business is headed? Do they know specifically what they as individuals or team members need to do to help your company succeed? Are they motivated and well trained? Will you provide regular updates so they know where they stand throughout the year?

Employee communications, whether formal or informal, is a key element in employee performance, motivation, and satisfaction. Your commitment to helping your workforce "see what you see" will provide results as the year unfolds.

If you need help with employee communications planning or projects, call M45. We might not be able to make your employees sing, but we can get you all on the same page. 

What's in Santa's Bag for You?
Santa recently called us with a dilemma—what gifts could he give the many businesses that wish for success in 2006? Here are the suggestions we sent Santa:

1. PR is much more than sending out news releases—Editors and reporters are busy people, and a call to M45 will help you put together a great story featuring your products/services.
2. Launching "a thousand ships" is easier with professional assistance—M45 has helped clients launch hundreds of products through planning and execution of individual tactics, and we're ready to do the same for you.
3. The promotion of technical products/topics requires its own language—At M45, we enjoy learning and communicating about technical topics, and will quickly come up to speed in order to make your communications ring true to your audience.
4. Expanding your business takes serious thought and planning—When working with a client to research, plan, implement and integrate an acquisition, M45 understands the strategic importance of the process for you as well as for new employees joining your company.
5. Graphic design requires knowledge in more than just "art"—M45 designers are professionals not only in artistic techniques, but are also experts in the broader principles of communications and media. They are ready to work with you to turn your vision into reality.
6. "Googling" a search request is only the first step in a research process—Most businesses require more in-depth research than what is available for free on the internet. M45 can help you with primary and secondary research in order to refine your communications plan.
7. Event planning is more than arranging a simple party—Idea generation, planning, logistics, advertising and total coordination are just some of the elements that M45 is ready to provide for your next successful event.
8. Measuring communication results is essential for future success—M45 can help you measure the results of your communication activities, and use those numbers to fine tune your message and plan future tactics.
9. Success is a team effort between a client and its suppliers—M45 takes pride in helping our clients develop long-term strategies and grow their business.
10. Honesty and a strong work ethic are vital for every business success—When you work with M45, you'll find that we share similar values concerning trust and ethics. You can always expect and will receive a high level of honesty and hard work from us.

If Santa doesn't bring you everything you wish for this year, call on the professionals at M45 to deliver!