11-29-2017, Forbes -- Opportunities to truly connect with people can be rare. Sometimes, these opportunities present themselves in a moment of vulnerability or because you shared the right story. However they happen, such moments tend to pop up during the holidays, perhaps because of a higher sense of emotion during these months. Sure, some emotions are centered around worry or stress because your family is going to drive you nuts, but others carry a sense of nostalgia or positivity.

It’s important that brands and individuals take a step back and make sure they’re engaging people in the ways that will help them form a real relationship with customers and anybody else who is important to them. Recently, Cheddar.com reached out to me to discuss how companies should be engaging audiences during the holidays. Here are seven rules of engagement to help you form real, lasting connections during the holiday season:

1. Give up short-term gains to build long-term relationships.

REI was closed again this year for Black Friday to encourage people to go outdoors instead of shopping. The company could clearly profit in the short term by staying open, but it chose to make a statement that some things are more important. In reality, this approach creates a more meaningful connection with people in the long term.

2. Account for emotions running high.

The holidays are a time to be with the people you love and who love you — if you’re lucky. Someone you know may have just gone through a divorce; others may have lost somebody they loved this year. So be aware of such losses, and try to give people a break or be there for them when you can.

3. Have fun with your campaigns.

Get creative with your messaging to amuse your audience and keep them engaged. Dollar Shave Club’s marketing is pretty much always entertaining, but a few years ago, the company did a fun campaign featuring people who wouldn’t use their product, like kids, bikers who haven’t shaved for years, and so on. That campaign stood out to me because it made the brand amusing to people who weren’t even their target market. I have a beard that I haven’t shaved in five years, but I ended up buying a subscription for a friend.

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