In the midst of all this talk about holiday discounts, free gifts, attention grabbers, and contests, it’s so easy to forget about the reason you got into this business in the first place.
That thing that’s at the heart of your business. Your “why.”
I know you have a heart for the customers you serve and the clients you help; you wouldn’t have started a business without it. But do the people who support you by purchasing your products and services know about it? Do you show it? Or has your why gotten lost in the monotony of your day-to-day operations?
Make room in your holiday content plan to express your gratitude, talk about your why, and give your audience a glimpse into your heart.
Here are a few ideas for doing that.
What do you usually do to give back during the holiday season? Do you partner with a local food drive? Give some of your proceeds to a charity that aligns with your values? Volunteer at a children’s hospital? Whatever it is, maybe this year you take one of your newsletters to talk about it, or be intentional about posting it on social media.
There are a lot of ways to give back to the community, but I urge you to do something that is authentic to you and your business. Random charity work that is out of character almost always rings insincere. Make sure you’re not doing it for the clicks or the profit – you’re doing it because you want to.
There’s a reason that customers are choosing to purchase your products or work with you over big business. And that’s YOU. Customers want to get to know you and what’s important to you. For many of us, that includes family.
Everyone loves seeing families come together during the holidays. So many people have family traditions for Christmas, and they love hearing about the traditions of others – it makes them feel closer to each other. And when they feel closer to you, they want to support you more. So leave some room in your content plan to share some of your family’s holiday adventures or traditions.
I think one of the number one ways to show your heart no matter what time of year is to share your why. You got started in business for a reason.
Why did you create your product, or choose this brand to partner with? Why do you have a heart for the service you provide? What is it about your clientele that makes you excited to help them? Why do you choose to grow your own business instead of working in corporate America?
Your why is likely one of the reasons that your most loyal customers keep supporting you instead of Amazon, but does everyone in your audience know what that is? Your why is the heart and soul of your business, and the holiday season provides you with a platform to be able to share that why unabashedly.
I don’t care if you have only one customer, only one subscriber, only one follower. I’m sure you’re grateful for them – especially if they’re the only one you’ve got! So make that gratitude post. Send an email that says nothing but thank you. Write thank you notes to your most loyal clients. Find a way to express your gratitude for everything you have this holiday season, even if everything seems to be falling apart. Everyone is grateful when they are shown gratitude and appreciation.
The holidays are about so much more than promotions and campaigns. And while they are often your most profitable time, it’s not all about the profit. So don’t forget to make room for some heartfelt communications in your holiday content plan!
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With over 15 years of experience, I've worked with countless small businesses just like yours. I can provide you with the tools and resources that will help make marketing less overwhelming.