How to Talk to Your Audience During the Holidays
The holiday season has arrived, and for many people, that can often mean tuning out and cruising through the remainder of the year. In the next few weeks, more and more people will be on vacation and projects will be pushed into the new year. But that doesn’t mean your business, organization, or campaign has to go silent.
While it’s commonly believed that the holidays are a time when a lot of people “check out,” it’s also a time when a lot of people are at home. Often, they are reading, watching TV, or consuming other forms of content. So, while they may not be working, this holiday season is still an opportunity to communicate with them.
Be helpful
Americans get a lot of phone calls, texts, emails, and physical mail leading up to election day, but once that’s over it often feels as if all attention is directed towards the holidays. The sequence of Thanksgiving followed by the December holidays can mean that organizations communicate less, aside from Black Friday sales or wishes of a happy New Year.
Instead, try and differentiate yourself from this typical holiday silence. If you are an elected official or public entity, consider offering something useful to constituents or residents during this busy time.
Consider sending constituents or residents a small calendar that they can put on their refrigerator that includes important holidays, local events, or notable dates for residents to be aware of. This is both useful and a free advertisement for the work you are doing to serve them. The calendar can include, for example, days when the trash will be delayed for a holiday or when there will be a local New Year’s parade. Make sure to put your name and/or logo on the calendar. It’s a nice personal touch that your constituents or customer base will see every day when they open their refrigerator, and it will reinforce your brand and name recognition.
If a calendar is not preferable, you could send a small postcard wishing your constituents a happy New Year. Or send an invite to an upcoming town hall that you’ll be holding in the new year. You could also send a postcard that includes information like where you can drop off food donations or volunteer opportunities at a local food kitchen.
If a calendar or postcard doesn’t make sense, find something or some way to help the people you serve – even if it's on a small scale. Going the extra mile to be of value at a time when people are busy or stressed is a great way to build your reputation and create a connection. You aren’t asking for money or going silent – and that kind of small gesture can go a long way.
Share stories
In addition to being helpful, another way to build and foster a relationship with your constituents or customer base is to share personal stories. Constituents love a personal family holiday photo with a shared story from an elected official.
These kinds of personal anecdotes are what people connect with most – whether it’s insight into the lives of their elected representative or into the town they call home, people enjoy personal stories. At a time when social media posts can feel contrived, this is a way to offer something personal and ask for nothing in return. It often helps build a relationship with your target audience and can create a connection in the future.
Give back
Another great option is to give back to the community through a holiday fundraiser, food donation, turkey trot, etc. Depending on your office or entity’s positioning, pick the most feasible event. Collecting canned goods is an easy way to get out into the community and rally support for the charity effort. You could have food donation buckets set up at participating locations. Those buckets could have your name or logo on them, and you could ask for local media outlets to mention the food drop-off locations on-air, getting some free press while giving back.
If you have a little more money, time, or manpower, you could host a turkey trot or special event around the holidays to raise money, food, or gift donations. You could invite local TV stations to capture the heart-warming event where people drop off goods, exercise with their friends and family, decorate a tree, or much more, all in the name of giving back. Find an event size or scale that works for your organization – if you are short on people and cash, a food donation drive is much more manageable than attempting to plan, host, and staff a major event.
Conclusion
The holidays are a busy time. Campaigns, organizations, and businesses often go quiet or send constant emails to get people to spend more money. Instead of asking for something, you can set yourself apart by providing value, sharing stories, or giving back to your community or the people you serve.
Find what makes the most sense for your candidate, business, or organization and prioritize this kind of communication during the busy holiday season. Hosting annual events or providing free items is a great way to build long-term name recognition and it can become a tradition that many in the community rely on and respect.
