As the holidays approach, many of us find ourselves in a tight spot. It’s a spot we’ve been for a long time, it seems, but this time of year, it’s an especially tight squeeze.
- We want to get out of our own physical space, but we want to be cognizant of the risks of going Out There.
- We need the opportunity to reconnect with those we love, but we also want to protect them from any risks at all.
- We hope to celebrate a season of togetherness, but we don’t want to stress each other out with mismatched expectations.
While every situation is different, of course, the universal solution is helpful here, too: communication.
Know Your Audience
No matter the holiday – Halloween, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas – there’s a good chance you like to spend it with your favorite people. Apart from the Sogolytics team, of course, though, you and I have some different favorite people. What might make perfect sesnse with my friends and family might fall flat with yours. What’s the best way to have this conversation? Is this a phone call, a Zoom date, or a socially distant meet-up for coffee? As with every single survey distribution choice ever, understanding your audience is the key to knowing when and how to ask the questions.
Don’t Wait
If you wait too long to have the conversation, that’s sometimes worse than not having it. If you leave it too late, nobody will actually have time to make plans. They’ll see your better-late-than-never outreach as an afterthought rather than a priority.
We’re all busy, but you can hardly pretend that it’s skipped your mind. Oh, a holiday coming up? Imagine that. And a holiday unlike any other in recent memory? Surprise! Even if you’re just sending a ‘thanks anyway’ type explainer text, don’t leave it too late.
Ask the Right Questions
Again with the caveat that your questions depend on your audience, your traditions, and the timing of your conversation, these basics should help you get started:
1. What’s important to you during this holiday season?
2. How would you feel comfortable celebrating?
3. What safeguards would you like to have in place?
4. If things change, what’s Plan B?
5. When do you want to finalize these plans?
A Survey? Really?
Should you actually send a survey to ask your nearest and dearest these questions? If you’re dealing with thousands of people, that’s something to consider… but also, why would you be dealing with thousands of people? Make time to actually talk to those closest to you. Send cards and other surprises to everyone else.
