Happy Holiday Business Messages: Authenticity Leads to Sales

The “Happy Holiday” business messages have been arriving for a couple of weeks now and will continue until after the New Year begins. This year, it seems to be a more common trend that more of these messages seem to lack authenticity.

Here are some of the standard snippets from holiday business messages received this Thanksgiving so far, with company names removed:

1. Hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday…
2. May your Thanksgiving holiday be filled with joy and warmth...
3. Giving you thanks for your business in 2025…
4. We hope you enjoy time spent with your loved ones, great conversation, and delicious meals this Thanksgiving holiday…
5. Warm Thanksgiving greetings and wishes to you, your coworkers, friends, and family…

However, then these messages are followed a few lines later by asks, offers, and requests, such as these:

1. The holidays are a time when we like our employees to enjoy their time with family too. Here is a link to provide a gratuity for the service they provided to you…
2. Please complete the survey included about your goals for the coming year; it will only take a few minutes and will help us better serve (sell) to you…
3. Today only, we will give you an extra 10% off Black Friday prices. Act now!...
4. Included is a link to give us a review for delivering great service in 2025. Please take a minute and provide a positive review…

A customer's perception is your brand's reality. If a customer pays your company a large fee to deliver a service, are you not paying your staff what you should be and now making the customer feel bad? You suggest relaxing, but then want me to complete your survey? On rare days off when the kids are home from school and the plan is to step away from work, to do as you are suggesting which is to fill my heart and home with warmth and memories, but now is when you want a review or to buy something? Put yourself in the shoes of the customer who is left thinking that your happy holiday communication was 100% self-serving.

There is no better example of a simple, authentic holiday message than Corona’s ad from thirty years ago, which cost them $50,000. Each year, when it appears around Thanksgiving and runs through the New Year, you look forward to seeing the lights turn on in the palm tree and the peace of the ad. It doesn’t matter if you are Gen X, a Millennial, or Gen Z—it makes you feel nostalgic, brings back positive memories, and helps you look forward to the warmth of the holidays. There is no call to action, just a message to be safe and responsible, showing genuine care for you and others. You think of them afterward as you smile and find yourself whistling the song.

Remember that ad the next time you send your business holiday messages. It is far better to not want anything in return—no sales, no donations, no tips—nothing but perhaps a smile on your customer’s face. You ask your customers non-stop to buy more from you. On the holidays, simply be thankful they do and let them know honestly. Thank them for their loyalty. Wish them a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable holiday. It is never a bad idea to invest in your brand's authenticity by sharing a genuine, thoughtful, and timely holiday message. Then, tee up your next marketing or sales campaign and start thinking about conversion metrics again.

Hope you and your family have a memorable holiday season and a wonderful 2026!

For additional sales tips, sales insights, and revenue growth best practices, visit Justellus’ Sales Growth Blog.

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