The holidays are a time to get in touch with people you love and show them how much you care about them. As a school, you have the opportunity to show teachers, students, and parents how much you appreciate their presence.
Holiday cards and messages are the perfect tool to convey your best wishes while discussing your school’s mission and announcing new programs. However, it can be tricky if you’re new to it.
But there’s no need to worry because, with the right tips, you can draft a personal holiday message to parents.
How to write the perfect holiday message to parents
Before you get down to writing happy holidays, you need a structure.
#1 Keep it simple
Using well-celebrated occasions for your marketing campaign is always a good idea. You can use holiday messages to build lasting relationships—essential for building a foundation of trust with parents.
We live in a time where everything is complicated, which is why a simple gesture can go a long way. A simple Merry Christmas or Happy Thanksgiving message is a convenient way to reach out to parents.
Start your holiday letter with a seasonal opening or a similar holiday greeting. In this situation, you need to be careful. Take your parents’ beliefs into consideration. You should know them well enough to see whether they celebrate the holiday or not.
In any case, it’s preferable to keep things general. You can open with these:
- Merry Christmas
- Happy Holidays
- Happy Thanksgiving
- Happy New Year
#2 Stay generic
You can refrain from naming the specific holiday and instead use phrases such as “this season” or “the holidays.”
Show your audience that you appreciate their involvement and care about them. Personalize your message and express your feelings about their relationship with the school and their involvement in their child’s education.
Also, go ahead and add a few pleasant holiday-related terms. Try improving your letter by using phrases such as the following.
- Joy and happiness
- Warmest wishes
- Peace and joy
With these terms, you can remain general and maintain a holiday tone. It is advisable to take your time and personalize the message. You understand your parents’ wishes and concerns, especially where their children are concerned, so show it in the message.
#3 Keep it short
During the busy holiday season, your audience may not have time to read long letters. So, your season’s greetings should be short, sweet, and original. A few sentences are enough to put a smile on their face and bring a little joy and happiness to parents.
Remember that your audience can write back to your electronic messages if they are sent via social media or on your parent messaging app. This way you will not miss anything, because you will have all the communications in one place. It also gives you a chance to respond whenever that is requested.
#4 Show your brand identity
After the Christmas shopping, parents can finally relax and pursue other activities. This may include reading your Christmas or Thanksgiving card or personal message through your communications app. You can also engage and delight your audience with a personalized email that reflects your school’s brand identity.
Make your holiday greetings authentic. Associate your school and personal brand with the holiday season and express wishes that reflect your own and the school’s values.
#5 Make it sweet
Moving away from commercial communication and building a personal connection is a change of pace. You may include holiday greetings in your holiday marketing campaign, but keep them separate from commercial emails. Develop a cheerful attitude and make parents feel good.
Why should you put so much emphasis on emotions? Because they can control and motivate people.
You have a unique advantage when you communicate with parents with pleasant emotions. People usually recommend your school to others if they have a positive experience with its brand. This can build trust and make them believe in the school’s mission.
#6 Establish a community
Around the holidays, people look for support, kindness, and compassion more than ever. Show that you are there for them. You build community by sharing common values, ideas, and social behaviors.
Be compassionate and sympathetic to possible problems your community is facing. Pay attention to what’s happening in the world around them, and incorporate it into your approach where appropriate.
Some may be going through a tough vacation season. Let’s face it; the holidays can be a tough time for many. Or maybe they are experiencing an unusual or difficult crisis. With thoughtfulness and a few kind words, you show people you care about them and are there to help. Show that you care, and your customers will love you.
Use your school community to interact with parents, improve relationships, and grow your school. Getting to know your community will give you insight into your parents’ needs. As parents and students share their personal experiences and concerns, they actively contribute to the school’s growth. You can listen to them carefully and learn how to solve their problems.
Show them in your holiday messages that you are listening and doing your part to make them happy.
#7 Be thankful
Here’s an idea: Make a short video clip thanking parents for all they do to show them how much you appreciate them and enjoy their amazing kids. Share it via email or the school’s social media accounts to ensure everyone sees it.
Improve your school brand with your holiday message by incorporating your school’s logo or mascot into the template and designing the card, email, or parent message in the colors that represent your school.
Teaching children is a team effort that involves all members of the school community, including teachers, parents, administrators, and school staff. Try highlighting the contributions of individuals who have played critical roles in helping the students grow.
#8 Draft an invitation
With a holiday event invitation on social media or the school website, you can generate excitement about school holiday celebrations and concerts while encouraging parents and families to participate. Include the time, date, and location so parents and kids know when to show up and where to go. Use multiple channels to get this information out, include your school website, school social media, and parent messaging apps.
#9 Use a newsletter
Keep your school community up to speed on what’s happening this holiday season by creating a short video newsletter with information about concert dates, charities, and other holiday events. Be sure you post this on social media and the school website.
#10 Provide updates
You can provide short seasonal updates and show what kids are doing during the school vacations using a simple narrative tone. It’s also a quick and easy way to keep in touch with parents and children throughout the holidays. Includes photos whenever possible to add a more inviting and personalized touch.
#11 Offer fun facts
Sharing amusing holiday trivia is another simple approach to keep parents engaged during the holidays. Include details such as how many years your school has hosted its annual Christmas pageant, how many canned items students donated to charity, etc.
#12 Announce fundraisers
Post short clips with a Christmas greeting on your website and social media to give parents, students, and alums the information they need to participate in school fundraisers. Add data and personalize your video with festive holiday colors or your school’s logo.
#13 Use images & videos
Writing a “happy holidays” message is a great way to convey Christmas wishes this time, but videos and photos can make it even more fun.
Incredible things happen on campus every day. However, parents cannot always see the faces behind their children’s accomplishments. So, use the holidays to gather key figures at your school and record a fun and friendly holiday message.
#14 Send out emails
Email is an effective communication method for parents and children. You can easily send your holiday wishes via email if you have limited time and resources.
Avoid putting marketing material in your Christmas card; save that message for the weekly newsletter.
Don’t forget to personalize your message to make parents feel like it is tailored just for them!
Animated GIFs are gaining traction in emails since they’re entertaining, quick to create, often small, and much more fun and engaging than a traditional newsletter.
#15 Keep communication lines open all year
Communication is never a one-time event. Use social media to stay in touch with your community during vacations. Share a picture from last semester, share info on Instagram and Facebook, and use your school website to keep the dialogue going even when students are not on campus. Social media posts can be scheduled in advance so that they are created while school is in session and not while you are on vacation, but still engage parents during the holiday breaks.
This will give your school that special touch that families and students expect and even crave from your school.
#16 Talk about your school’s mission
Remind your school’s student body of its general goals and the principles it upholds. This is your chance to announce upcoming events and projects that will help the school meet its objectives. It will also provide another chance to provide examples of times when you are actually succeeding at your school’s mission and goals.
#17 Highlight accomplishments
Consider mentioning notable accomplishments from current programs that help students reach their full potential and show parents how far they’ve come compared to the last holiday season.
Use stories to show how students are challenged, what opportunities are available, and how students are participating.
#18 Use various formats
Send your holiday wishes in a variety of formats. You can send a printed copy of the message home to the children, email it, send a targeted message through your communications app, or post it on the school website.
Regardless of which method you choose, select the one you believe will increase the number of people who read the message. It depends on your audience. And if one method doesn’t seem to work well one year, try another method the next year.
#19 Use your school website & social media
There’s no doubt that sending a personalized holiday message is a thoughtful gesture for all parents and students. However, you should absolutely leverage your school’s website and social media platforms because we live in a digital world, and most people live on their phones and computers.
Of course, that may be easier said than done because you may not have a top-level website or Facebook account that can help you build an intimate community. There’s no need to worry because, with the right website service provider, you can completely transform your online presence and create the right platform to promote your brand and boost enrollment.
We at School Webmasters can give you everything you need, from web design and management, to your school communication’s app, and social media management. Just call us at 888-750-4556 or visit www.schoolwebmasters.com to request a quote and join our long list of satisfied clients.
For more school communications tips, check out these blogs:
- 7 strategies for effective school communications
- What is your school website hired to do?
- 5 school communications goals for the year
