For financial advisors, tax pros, and service-based professionals who want to sound real, not robotic.
This is Post #3 of our Thanksgiving Series for Trust-Based Businesses.
New here? Start with Post #1: Thanksgiving Marketing Ideas for Your Business (That Don’t Feel Salesy or Overdone).
TL;DR
Thanksgiving is one of the strongest trust-building moments of the year, and most businesses waste it with generic messages that sound automated. This guide shows you what to say instead: short, human, specific notes that feel real to your clients and aligned with the work you’ve done together. You’ll learn what to avoid, why personalization matters more than perfect wording, and how to send grounded Thanksgiving messages that strengthen connection, retention, and year-end momentum.
Why Thanksgiving Messages Matter
Thanksgiving is one of the few moments in the year when your clients are already thinking about gratitude, family, stability, and, honestly, the year they just survived. But most businesses waste it by posting the same generic line (“Happy Thanksgiving!”) that blends into every other message in their feed.
This guide shows you what to say instead: messages that feel personal, grounded, and aligned with the real work you’ve been doing all year.
Why Generic Thanksgiving Messages Don’t Work
Your clients can smell a copy-paste message instantly.
And during a high-trust moment like Thanksgiving, that hurts more than it seems.
Most advisors post things like:
- “Happy Thanksgiving!”
- “We are grateful for you!”
- “Wishing you a wonderful holiday!”
Nothing wrong with these… they’re just invisible.
Thanksgiving is one of the easiest trust-building opportunities of the year.
A single message can reinforce:
- why clients rely on you
- how your work directly supports their stability
- why staying connected matters heading into year-end conversations
But only if the message feels specific, honest, and non-performative.
What NOT to Say on Thanksgiving (Real Examples That Backfire)
Advisors worry about what to say.
But what not to say matters just as much.
Thanksgiving is emotional. Clients are thinking about family, aging parents, big decisions, and whether they’re financially prepared.
A clumsy message doesn’t just fall flat; it makes you look out of touch.
Here are the mistakes that cost you trust:
1. Messages That Are Too Long
If your message feels like a newsletter, clients stop reading.
If it doesn’t fit on one phone screen, it’s too long.
2. Generic Stock Photos
No more turkeys, leaves, beige backgrounds, or Canva-looking graphics.
They make your message look automated.
3. Salesy Pivots (“As we approach year-end reviews…”)
Nothing kills authenticity faster.
Thanksgiving is not the place to push Q4 strategy.
Save that for December, your clients will be more receptive.
4. Mass Messages With Zero Personalization
Clients know when they’re Email #347.
A tiny, human detail makes all the difference.
Why Personalization Matters More Than the Perfect Wording
You can craft the “perfect” Thanksgiving message, but if it feels generic, it loses power immediately.
Personalization is what turns a message clients glance at
into a message they actually feel.
And it doesn’t require long paragraphs, just one real detail:
- a reference to a recent conversation
- a milestone they hit
- a small acknowledgment of the work you did together
- “Hope you and your family are well” (simple, but human)
These signals tell clients:
“I see you. This isn’t automated.”
Personalized messages perform better in trust, retention, and year-end re-engagement, especially during a holiday built around gratitude.
6 Common Questions About Sending Thanksgiving Messages to Clients
1. How do you say Happy Thanksgiving to clients?
You don’t say just “Happy Thanksgiving.”
Anchor it to the relationship:
“Wishing you a warm Thanksgiving. I’m grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me—especially in a year when financial decisions felt heavier for many families.”
Why it works:
- Direct
- Human
- Acknowledges the emotional reality clients are living
2. What is the best Thanksgiving message?
The best message reflects something real about your work, not a template.
“Thank you for letting me be part of your financial decisions this year. It’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly. Wishing you clarity and calm this holiday season.”
3. How do you say thank you to customers?
Specificity always wins.
“Thank you for your consistency, your questions, and your willingness to plan ahead. It makes our work together meaningful.”
4. How do you say ‘thankful’ professionally?
Professional ≠ cold.
“I’m genuinely thankful for the opportunity to support you and your family this year.”
Or,
“Grateful for your trust; it’s the core of our work together.”
5. How to wish a client a happy holiday?
Warm, simple, grounded.
“Hope this holiday gives you time to rest, reset, and enjoy the people who matter most.”
6. What can you say instead of ‘Happy Thanksgiving’?
This is where you set yourself apart.
Option 1 — Gratitude with context
“Appreciate the conversations we’ve had this year. They made our planning stronger.”
Option 2 — Value-based
“Hoping this season brings clarity around the decisions you’ve been working through.”
Option 3 — Human + simple
“Wishing you a holiday that feels calm, warm, and meaningful. You’ve earned it.”
Short Thanksgiving Templates (Copy, Personalize, Send)
Zero fluff, zero clichés, just grounded, human messages.
Formal
“Wishing you a meaningful Thanksgiving. Thank you for your trust this year.”
Professional but Warm
“Grateful for the conversations we’ve shared. Wishing you clarity and calm this holiday.”
Short Email Version
“Thank you for your trust. Wishing you a peaceful Thanksgiving.”
SMS-Friendly
“Thank you for a great year. Wishing you a warm Thanksgiving with the people who matter most.”
Social Media
“Grateful for your trust, time, and the conversations that made this year meaningful. Wishing you a warm Thanksgiving.”
Alternatives to ‘Happy Thanksgiving’
- “Wishing you a restful holiday.”
- “Grateful for your trust this year.”
- “Hope this season brings clarity and connection.”
Thanksgiving Message Variations by Profession
Financial Advisors
“Thank you for trusting me with decisions that impact your long-term stability. Wishing you clarity and peace this Thanksgiving.”
Why it works:
It acknowledges the real emotional weight clients carry.
Tax Professionals
“Grateful for your preparation, collaboration, and consistency this year. Looking forward to supporting you as we enter a new tax season.”
Why it works:
It reinforces discipline, partnership, and trust, core to tax work.
Service-Based Professionals
“Thank you for choosing a local business and for the conversations that made this year meaningful. Wishing you a warm and restful Thanksgiving.”
Why it works:
Service-based pros run on connection and community.
A Few Grounded, Practical Tips
- Skip stock turkey graphics
They look automated. Clients notice.
- Avoid “On behalf of our entire team…”
Use “I.”
Your clients work with you, not your general inbox.
- Match the tone you use during reviews
Clients already trust that voice.
- Send 24–48 hours before Thanksgiving
You avoid the day-of rush and get higher engagement.
- Keep email to 3–4 lines
Your clients don’t have time for paragraphs. They barely have time for lunch.
Final Takeaway
Thanksgiving isn’t about sounding polished.
It’s about sounding real.
The more human, specific, and grounded your message is, the more trust you build heading into December, the month when conversations actually turn into decisions.
If you want your marketing to feel clear, consistent, and human, not rushed or generic, let’s talk.
