While to many the holiday season signals a time of gift-giving and festive gatherings, it’s also a time when customers are actively seeking out brands that align with their values and evoke connection and warmth. This is where storytelling comes into play. When done well, holiday storytelling is a chance for brands to go beyond transactions and create deeper connections with their audiences. Let’s cover some practical ways that you can bring your brand’s story to life this holiday season and connect in a meaningful way, allowing this bond to continue beyond the season!

Holiday Storytelling Tips

We’ve seen it in the #ShopSmall movement - people seeking out brands that stand for something meaningful and align with their own personal values and way they perceive themselves. For small business owners, storytelling can help you stand out amongst your competitors during the holidays and allow your dream customer/client to gravitate towards your brand in a genuine way. When inundated with the latest collection of seasonal sales and ads, folks are looking for someone who is going to stand out and who is passionate about their work.

Share Your Why

There’s no better time than the present to reintroduce your brand’s origin story! What got you into the business to begin with? What’s the passion behind your calling? What was the “aha!” moment that led to the start of your journey? Sharing these founding stories helps to provide your audience with an intimate look into what’s driving your business behind the scenes. A few ideas of how to implement this include:

Frame the story with the season. If it makes natural sense to frame your story in the holiday context, go for it! You could explain how your first product was birthed during the holiday season, or how your family dreamed up the business during Thanksgiving dinner. Whatever the story may be, adding a holiday twist is smart.
First-person narration. If possible, speak in first-person to make your story feel more conversational with your people. Avoid having staff write it for you with a third-person approach - it should sound like it came from you and should further humanize your brand.
Above all, be authentic! If your business started out of your desire to solve a specific personal challenge or began as a family project, lean into that narrative and share the why. Authenticity is key.

Showcase Real Stories

You can create some fantastic added impact when you share your customers/clients’ stories! Don’t underestimate the power of real-life experiences from real people. If you can align their stories with common themes of the holiday season such as gratitude, giving back/philanthropy, and togetherness, that’s even better! A few ideas of how to implement this include:

Share across various platforms and through various mediums. You can repurpose a lot of this content across the board by sharing these in your social media posts and email newsletters, as well as testimonials on your website pages and even in short videos! Think maximum impact.
Highlight themes. Like I said above, it’s great if you can tie the story back to themes such as “holiday traditions”, “giving back”, or “family bonding”, allowing your audience to see themselves in your past customer/client.
Request reviews. This is quite easy for product-based businesses: Encourage reviews of your items from your customers, especially the products that are relevant during the holidays. Consider offering a small incentive to boost these efforts (maybe a discount code or early access to an upcoming holiday promotion). For service-based businesses, be sure to reach out to clients who would have a great story encompassing any of the above themes (if possible) and make it super easy for them to leave you reviews by linking them to your pages.

Shine a Spotlight on Community Impact

A great way to build a strong foundation of trust with your audience is to showcase how your brand gives back to your local community - this not only tends to resonate with audiences, but it shows them that they can depend on you and feel good about their purchase in the long run. A few ideas of how to implement this include:

Share what’s coming up! Whether you are sponsoring a local charity, donating a portion of your proceeds to a specific cause, or volunteering with your team, let your people know how and where you’re making this difference in your community! You can use engaging videos and photos to share these stories authentically.
Get your people involved. Encourage your audience to participate, whether that means attending a relay or a gala, or participating in a “buy one, give one” campaign where each purchase generates a donation. You can also create a social media challenge encouraging your folks to join in support of your cause, sharing their actions with a specific hashtag.
Highlight your why. Explain why your business is involved in these causes, tying your community efforts back to the business’s core values. By showcasing how your brand values community involvement, you will strengthen your audience’s connection to your overall story.

Celebrate Your Audience with Gratitude

There’s no better time than the holidays to thank your audience for supporting your small business and giving a little something away to express your gratitude. People want to feel valued above all and showing a sense of genuine gratitude is a powerful part of holiday storytelling. A few ideas of how to implement this include:

Feature your people. You may consider spotlighting some loyal customers/clients on social media or in your email newsletters - this not only makes them feel special, but it builds social proof for others, allowing them to see what happens when they are a valued part of your community.
Create personalized thank-yous. If you have a smaller loyal audience, a personalized email or a handwritten note can make a huge difference. For e-commerce/product-based brands, a simple “thank you for being a part of our family” or “thank you for making our holiday season even brighter” card included in all holiday orders can make a big impact.
Host a giveaway! An excellent way to thank your people while drawing in new interest and followers, consider hosting a social media giveaway. Prompt them to share a reason why they love your brand, or ask them to share a favorite holiday tradition for a chance to win a gift card or a holiday bundle of some sort.

Bring That Holiday Cheer!

An element that shouldn’t be overlooked is the infusion of seasonal joy and holiday cheer, obviously! :) Be sure to infuse your content with a sense of this celebration and share stories that reflect the shared holiday experience, no matter what holiday they celebrate - the chaos of last-minute shopping, the enjoyment of gatherings with loved ones, and the joy of giving, to name a few. A few ideas of how to implement this include:

Focus on the visuals. Photos and videos that showcase holiday decor, festive packaging, or an overall cozy vibe help immerse your audience in these vibes!
Create light-hearted content. It’s wise to share funny or heartwarming holiday stories from your team, such as their favorite holiday memories or traditions. This makes your brand feel more human and approachable, and allows your audience to get to know the people behind the business.
Engage your audience. Encourage your people to share their own holiday favorites or participate in holiday-themed challenges. Creating a hashtag campaign that encourages customers to share their favorite experiences with your products or services around the holiday time will inspire viewers and help with your own content creation, supplying you with more pieces to share.

Product-Based Biz: Don’t Forget to Circle Back!

If you’re an e-commerce or product-based business, don’t forget to tie the messaging back to your products! Share how your product fits within the holiday context without going into sales overdrive - ask yourself how you can naturally infuse it and share how any given product improves your customers’ lives during the season and beyond. You may also be able to do the same if you are a service-based business! Don’t be afraid to get creative. A few ideas of how to implement this include:

Create a holiday gift guide. Link back to your products in a larger gift guide blog post or social post, showcasing other products in addition to yours to provide further value to your audience without pushing sales heavily. This is a thoughtful blend of storytelling with some subtle product promotion.
Offer seasonal suggestions. Similar to the gift guide idea, integrating product recommendations by suggesting thoughtful gift ideas or ways that your products can enhance holiday traditions/moments is helpful.
Be subtle. If you’re a food brand, you might choose to share a holiday recipe where your specific product takes center stage. Or, if you’re a clothing brand, you may choose to wear your holiday collection in a family photoshoot. It’s all about selling the lifestyle, not just the product. If your customer can see themselves in the lifestyle, they will see themselves using your product.

This year, take time to reflect on what makes your brand special and necessary for your clients/customers, and be sure to consider unique ways to celebrate your audience and convey some holiday cheer in the process of your holiday marketing. Holiday storytelling is ultimately about creating connections that outlast the season, turning seasonal buyers into loyal supporters. By weaving holiday stories into your overall marketing efforts, you’ll create a memorable experience that ultimately drives your people to be a part of your brand’s journey. Watch how this connection lays the foundation for a future of lasting relationships and loyalty!