5 Corporate Holiday Messages – Dos and Don’ts

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There is nothing more stressful than holiday shopping, except maybe figuring out the right holiday timed message to send as a brand or corporate leader.

During the last two months of the year, with holidays upon holidays (and this year in December many are back-to-back), how do you communicate? What do you communicate? Do you send messages at all?

Below are a three dos and two don’ts for corporate holiday messaging both for brands and executive leaders.

DO Thank Employees and Customers

The most important DO for the holiday timing is to let employees and customers know how much you value them. The brand and business both would not be growing or thriving without either.

  • Leverage social media channels to send a quick and cute Thank You video message or animated note out
  • Have leaders in the company personally thank their employees either in-person or virtually
  • Consider company-wide holiday gift – something small that anyone can enjoy
  • Leverage email marketing to send a special holiday newsletter to subscribed customers thanking them for their business and letting them know they’re valued, and their thoughts are important (Maybe toss in a special holiday coupon just for email subscribers too.)

DO Promote Any Community Involvement or Events

There is nothing better than giving back to others. During the holiday season if the company is involved in any community or charity events like food drives, gift drives, or volunteering, share those moments.

  • Use social media to share photos of employees volunteering or participating
  • Share milestone moments on social and in email with customers and employees when the company has donated to a charitable organization or gathered an incredible number of food or gift items
  • If the company is sponsoring any events, share that too – again social and email are your best platforms here, as well as press if the involvement has a meaningful impact

DO Share Special Brand Offers or New Products

Finally, the holidays mean holiday shopping. The last DO for any brand or business is to share those special end-of-year discounts, special sales dates, and new products.

  • Leverage social media and email to promote all three
  • Share coupons and discount reminders in email newsletters
  • Leverage paid marketing campaigns to drive shoppers on-site or online during sales dates and to promote new products (Think Instagram, Facebook, display and banner ads, and even Google discovery and traditional PPC ads)
  • Use exciting video content to tie in the joy and thrilling feel of the holidays around your brands’ products and online or physical environments

Do NOT Share Personal Financial Achievements or Growth

If your brand or business had a great year, that’s wonderful, but keep that to yourself. Never promote a personal or brand’s profit increase publicly, especially if products are not on the easily affordable side. Moreover, employees who learn about large differences in salaries or compensations (end-of-year or performance bonuses), could become easily disgruntled and unhappy.

Instead, if the business sees fiduciary success, let employees know you’re grateful for their hard work and contributions which has helped the business to see a profitable  year. That’s it. All the details needed.

Do NOT Use Charity or Politics to Promote Sales

The biggest no-no (honestly all year, but especially during the holidays) is to never use a charity or political situation or event to push a sale or promote the brand.

What we mean by that is creating a false connection. In other terms, don’t try to hard-sell products by jumping on the popularity of a charity or political element or trend. If the brand or product is not providing value or meaning in relation to either, it’s a no-go.

Closing Remarks: Stay True to Your Brand

At the end of the day, the way a brand or corporate leader handles holiday messaging will be unique to the business’ mission and person’s values. REI for example goes dark on Black Friday. They’re a shopping brand, but they so strongly believe in disconnecting and enjoying the great outdoors, that they go “black” so to speak, giving employees the opportunity to relax, refresh, unwind, and get active with nature.

So to end with a final tip, stay true to your brand. As a business. As a person. If the message doesn’t match the company’s vision and mission, or your personal ones, then skip it. Choose what feels right, and your audience will respond to the authenticity.

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