Christmas cards are dead, people, and social media is how it's done now. The festive season is about to kick off and you'll probably post a token ‘Merry Christmas’ message on your business page on Christmas Eve... like you did last year. Well here’s your friendly reminder to give your Christmas post a bit more thought and show your customers some love. Why? Because a good Christmas shout out to your customers does more than spread festive season cheer. It shows customers that you’re passionate, you care, and your customers are the most important part of your business. And that sort of message always strikes a chord. So let's get to it. Here’s your 5-bullet guide to a Christmas ‘Thank You’ post that gets serious engagement.

1. A photo of your staff. Or a video!

Social media is a visual channel and you need a personal image to accompany a personal post. One with key staff is fine, one with all staff is better again. One with staff and customers will work a treat too. Of course video is extremely effective in social media so don’t be afraid to turn on the webcam and pour your heart out. As we’ve mentioned before, video is prioritised by Facebook and Instagram in followers’ feeds because it gets better engagement. If you need a crash course, check out our previous blogs for tips on taking great photos and videos for social media.

2. Some memorable moments from the year.

In your caption, reflect on your year and mention a few highlights. Those times when you were reminded of why you do what you do. When your product or service made a massive difference to someone’s life...or just lit up their day. It’s a great opportunity to show the world the passion you have for your business and the pride you take in making customers happy.  It won’t go unnoticed!

3. A funny story

There’s never a bad time to share a laugh, but it's totally appropriate in a Christmas post. Get in on the festive cheer by sharing a funny anecdote from the year gone by.  It could be related to a hardship you had to endure (personally or as a business), a staff or customer nickname, or maybe a crazy customer who, sadly, no longer drops in(?!). Sometimes staff and customers can bond over shared hardships and inconveniences that, over time, can be seen in a funny light. Maybe it was a renovation that was a massive inconvenience that dragged on waaaay too long. Or perhaps a freak flood or other weather event that shut you down for a few days. How about a police investigation in the area that made things super exciting for a few days? You get the idea… There’s comedy in all those angles, so cast your mind back and share something you can now smile about.

4. A heartfelt Christmas post message

Impersonal, corporate ‘Merry Christmas’ messages are the worst. “Happy holidays and best wishes from ABC Finance.” Cringe! Remind your customers that you are a business run by humans. Even if you are a big global brand name. Be open, friendly and even a bit vulnerable. Your customers will love you for it.

5. A personal sign off

Usually you wouldn’t ‘sign off’ a social post, but you can make an exception here. Try something along the lines of ‘Merry Christmas from Jill and the team’ or ‘All the best from Andy, Bec and Eric’.
This post is your Christmas card to your followers so a friendly sign off won’t feel weird in the slightest. And, here’s the thing with a personal sign off; because it’s written personally and one-to-one, your audience will feel compelled to reply personally too. When done sparingly, it works! It’s the perfect way to end an interactive facebook post that gets serious engagement.