In the closing weeks of 2016, the media is focusing on what the Democratic Party needs to do to rebuild after its 30-state loss to Donald Trump – and speculating on the various causes, from Russian hackers and fake news to James Comey and Anthony Weiner. But what they are missing is what the Republicans and President-elect Trump should be doing to capitalize on their upset win of the White House, and their ability to continue building a governing majority in both houses of Congress in the coming years. The inauguration is in three weeks; here are four things President-elect Trump can do over the next month or so to make sure he's off to a good start in 2017:

First, reassure Americans. Americans who did not support Trump – but also many of those who did – need to know that while he is a disrupter in many ways, he also has the capacity to be respectful and presidential. One suggestion: consider doing what George H.W. Bush did and begin his inaugural address with a prayer. The transition team has announced that the Trumps will follow tradition and spend the night before the swearing-in at Blair House and then attend services at St. John's Church in the morning. But a prayer for wisdom and guidance, while asking God's blessing on the American people, would be humble, respectful and resonate with an audience estimated to be in the tens of millions.

George Washington began a tradition that has been continued by every president since – he established that inaugural addresses elegantly speak to national unity and common ground. According to Politico, sources on the transition team say they are considering "highlighting struggling schools, dangerous bridges, and outdated planes and ships for the military. The concept under discussion is then to pivot to a non-ideological solidarity to fix those issues together," which is a change for Trump – and a good one. Recall the "I alone can fix it" language of his convention address, and the reaction that provoked. Having an inaugural that rises to a higher level of eloquence and invites all Americans to join him would give peace of mind to many.

Sources also say that Trump may not use a teleprompter, something not done since the Reagan years, which is fine. As long as the incoming president sticks to his carefully prepared remarks on paper – and doesn't depart on an ad-libbing description of, for example, his experiences on election night, as he has been doing repeatedly on his thank-you tour. I'd save the extemporaneous fun for his first press conference or even the first address to a joint session of Congress. The bar is high for inaugural addresses, it's in Trump's best interest to rise to the occasion before a world-wide audience.

Second, take nothing for granted – especially not the votes of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The coalition that Trump built to win the election will continue to create new partnerships in Washington. The potential exists for the Sanders-Warren wing of the Democratic Party to support his positions on trade; for the Jewish lobby to support his opposition to the Iran deal; for labor unions to support his stands on rebuilding infrastructure. Trump's often-unexpected policy stances will create unanticipated alliances.

For that reason, Trump should not do what Politico's sources say he's considering: skipping the traditional congressional luncheon in the Statuary Hall of the Capitol immediately following the swearing-in, and instead wading into the crowd on the National Mall or joining in the parade, rather than just viewing it. It's tempting – I get the appeal of a citizen-president wanting to turn his back on the D.C. establishment – but he could go to lunch first and then work the rope line along Pennsylvania Ave. From all reports, he's planning on hitting the ground running, and he'd be turning his back on some willing supporters by refusing lunch.

Third: deliver, deliver, deliver. Trump won't have the luxury of the excuse President Obama used for years, which was gridlock in Washington. With Republican control of the House and Senate, Trump needs to get results quickly or risk being seen as a blowhard. While he's said that repealing and replacing Obamacare is a big priority, that may take months or even years to unwind. Instead, I'd start with a Supreme Court nominee (he's already floated a list of names, and could announce a nominee in the first week) and immediately have House Republicans introduce an infrastructure bill (Democrat John Delaney's Infrastructure 2.0 Act from the last session would be perfect). It's an economic win for everyone. Another thing the new administration should get behind is tax reform – specifically, lowering the corporate tax rate – which already has Speaker Paul Ryan's support and would be jet fuel for the economy.

Finally, double down on digital media. Trump has about 39 million combined followers across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, according to Politico, and Sean Spicer, his new White House communications director and press secretary, says Trump's ability to communicate with those followers "allows him to add an element of a conversation that's never occurred." He's right. If Republicans want to keep the winning coalition they built in 2016, they need to keep the conversation going right now – not blow it off until, say, next summer. Or hand it off to lower level anonymous staffers, as President Obama and Hillary Clinton appeared to do.

The biggest market to capture: young Americans. Pew Research reports that Democrats' advantage among young people declined in 2016; Clinton received a lower share of the vote among those ages 18-29 than Obama did in either 2012 or 2008. There's an opportunity there. As long as the White House is first checking the factual accuracy of Trump's tweets and posts, it's a great way to bypass the mainstream media and connect directly with young Americans in a way that could build an even bigger community. Republicans should consider Trump's digital network as a form of community organizing that will allow them to reach people who might never click on whitehouse.gov in a lifetime.