Going Beyond Basic Branding This Holiday Season: 7 Ideas for Volunteering
A brand is far more than just a typography map and color scheme. Your brand has a personality and a set of values, but it is easy to forget that. You should care about small things — like the quality of the images that you use to represent your business, the size and font on your logo, and the requirements of your style guide. However, when you become too focused on the details, you lose the big picture.
The holidays are the perfect time to show what your brand means. You create seasonal social media posts, give your web design a holiday twist, and show your customers how much they mean to you in an email newsletter.
But this is still not enough. There are still other ways that allow you to encompass your brand voice but break out of the norm. One of the best is volunteering.
The effects of volunteering last much longer and leave a much deeper impression of your brand than anything else. Plus, the experience will give you a little perspective of how lucky you are and how much you have to appreciate this holiday season.
Ideas for Volunteering
1. Gather Donations at Work
With your team, brainstorm a cause that you and your employees care about. Set up a campaign to involve your customers in gathering donations.
2. Serve Meals
Make sure that people in your community are able to eat this winter. This is not just about donations — organizations like homeless shelters and Meals on Wheels need volunteers to distribute food.
3. Bake Some Treats
If you are already baking some treats (whether for your family or to hand out in your store), make an extra batch. You can take these treats to people who will appreciate them the most, such as to your local rehabilitation center or mental health hospital. These are places that are often overlooked at the holidays, despite the fact that overdosing and suicide rates dramatically increase over December when people feel alone.
4. Sing
Gather all your employees to sing carols in your local nursing home. It doesn’t matter if none of you are great singers — a singalong with the residents is much more fun, anyway.
5. Offer Free Services
There may be people in your community who could benefit from your services but are unable to afford them. Invite them to a day where everything is free or discounted.
6. Bring Holiday Cheer
Just visiting people and spending the time to talk can make a big difference this time of year. For instance, you may like to pay a visit to your local veteran’s hospital or children’s hospital. Patients who are unable to be at home with their families for the holidays are likely to be feeling extra down.
7. Thank Others
If you are very limited for time, you can still make a difference. Send gifts to show your appreciation to those in your community who are working tirelessly to help others. Options include volunteers at your local animal shelter, firefighters, or employees at the local hospital who need to work over the holidays.
The holiday season is your chance to demonstrate the full personality of your brand. Whether your company is passionate about a particular cause or you just want to show that you care about your community, find a way to volunteer that reflects your brand’s values.
