How to Send Thanksgiving Foreign Trade Emails in 2025 Without Mistakes? Targeted Audience + Sincere Wording, Customers Will Definitely Respond!

“Every Thanksgiving, I send blessing emails to all my clients, but the response rate keeps dropping…” A foreign trade friend’s lament echoes the confusion of many. Thanksgiving is a genuinely American holiday, Europeans generally do not celebrate Thanksgiving, and sending Thanksgiving wishes to clients in Germany or France may backfire.

Even more worrisome is that the monotonous, templated emails are undermining your marketing efforts. An experienced foreign trader confessed: “Mass-sent templated greetings are like the bulk New Year’s text messages we receive, making clients feel annoyed or ignoring them outright.”

1. Essential Thanksgiving Knowledge: Accurately Identify Customer Groups

1. Which countries celebrate Thanksgiving?

• North America:

  • United States: 4th Thursday of November (in 2025, November 27)

  • Canada: 2nd Monday of October (in 2025, October 13)

• Other countries celebrating Thanksgiving:

  • Liberia: 1st Thursday of November

  • Brazil: 4th Thursday of November

  • Grenada: October 25

  • Philippines: Previously paused celebrations, but has recently regained popularity as a commercial and cultural holiday

2. Which countries do not celebrate Thanksgiving?

• European countries generally do not celebrate Thanksgiving, including Germany, France, the UK, Italy, etc.. An experienced foreign trader emphasized: “There’s no need to send blessing emails to European buyers, and it may even cause resentment.”

• Most countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East also do not have Thanksgiving traditions.

3. Characteristics of Thanksgiving

• Family reunion holiday: American families will try their best to reunite regardless of distance, so work efficiency before and after the holiday significantly decreases.

• Start of a long holiday: The Thanksgiving weekend marks the beginning of the US holiday season, where many people take 4-5 days off including the weekend.

• Kicks off the shopping season: The day after Thanksgiving is “Black Friday,” which ushers in the Christmas shopping season.

2. Thanksgiving Email Strategy: From Broad-Casting to Precision Marketing

1. Customer screening principles

• Key targets:

  • Existing and potential customers in the United States

  • Canadian customers (note that the Canadian Thanksgiving date is different)

  • Customers from other countries that clearly celebrate Thanksgiving

• Avoid sending to:

  • European customers

  • Potential customers without clear cooperation intent

  • Customers who have clearly expressed disinterest

2. Email sending timing

• 1-2 weeks before the holiday: ideal timing, customers haven't started their vacation yet.

• Avoid holiday period: Customers are with family and likely to ignore emails.

• Black Friday: promotional emails can be sent, but should be separated from Thanksgiving greetings.

3. Differentiated email strategy

3. High-Quality Thanksgiving Email Writing Skills

1. Subject Line Design——Determines Open Rate

• Personalized subjects:

  • “Thanksgiving Greetings to Our Valued Partner, [Customer Name]”

  • “Thank You for a Wonderful Year, [Customer Company Name]”

  • “[Your Name]'s Thanksgiving Greetings & Exclusive Offer for You”

• Avoid: generic subjects like “Happy Thanksgiving” or “Thanksgiving Greetings” which are easily ignored.

2. Email Content Structure——Guide Customer Action

• Opening greetings: concise and clear, stating the holiday wishes

• Expression of gratitude: specific and sincere thanks, avoid vague “thank you for your support”

• Value offering: review cooperation results, provide industry insights or practical resources

• Personalized elements: mention specific cooperation projects or interaction experiences

• Call to action: clear suggestion for next steps but avoid hard selling

• Closing wishes: warm holiday blessings

3. Personalization Techniques——Make Clients Feel Sincere

A successful foreign trader who developed 5 American clients shared: “Abandon templated greetings, be more targeted, for example, review an impressive event with the client, the help they gave you, and express your thanks accordingly. It's best to also carefully plan the email layout.”

Practical personalization methods:

• Review specific cooperation: mention details or achievements of a project

• Quote past communication: cite customer suggestions or feedback to show your attentiveness

• Relate to customer business: provide relevant advice based on the customer's recent market activities or business changes

• Add personal elements: appropriately share personal holiday plans or team Thanksgiving activities

4. Sample Thanksgiving Email Templates

Template 1: Long-term Cooperative Customer Template

Subject: A Special Thanksgiving Thank You to [Customer Name/Company Name]

Dear [Customer Name],

As Thanksgiving approaches, I'm reflecting on the past year and wanted to express my sincere gratitude for the wonderful partnership between [Customer Company Name] and [Your Company Name].

I particularly appreciate [specific cooperation project or achievement, e.g., “your timely feedback on our product design” or “the successful completion of the XX project”]. Your [specific quality, e.g., “attention to detail” or “professionalism”] has been invaluable in [specific result achieved].

To show our appreciation, we'd like to [specific way of giving back, e.g., “offer you an exclusive early access to our new product line” or “send a small gift as a token of our gratitude”].

I hope you enjoy a joyful Thanksgiving celebration with your loved ones.

Warmly,

[Your Name]
[Your Position]

Template 2: New Customer Development Template

Subject: Thanksgiving Greetings & [Targeted Resource Name]

Dear [Customer Name],

Happy Thanksgiving! I know this is a busy time with the holidays approaching, but I wanted to briefly reach out with a heartfelt thank you for [specific cooperation or interaction].

I've been following [recent updates of the customer’s company, e.g., “your recent expansion into the European market”] and thought you might find our [related resource, e.g., “latest industry report on consumer trends”] helpful.

I've attached the report for your review. It includes [1-2 key points from the report], which I believe could support your [related business goals].

No need to respond now - just enjoy the holiday with your family. I'll follow up next week to see if you have any questions.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Position]

Template 3: Dormant Customer Reactivation Template

Subject: Thinking of You This Thanksgiving Season

Dear [Customer Name],

As we approach Thanksgiving and reflect on the things we're grateful for, I wanted to reach out and let you know that I was thinking of you and our past collaboration.

Our partnership on [specific cooperation project] was particularly memorable because [specific reason]. I recall [specific details or interactions].

I understand that business needs change, but I wanted to let you know about [your company’s new developments or products], which might be relevant to your current priorities.

To welcome you back, we're offering [attractive limited-time offer or resource]. This is exclusively for returning partners like you.

If you have a moment amidst the holiday preparations, I'd love to hear how things are going on your end.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Your Name]
[Your Position]

5. Practical Tips and Experiences from Veteran Foreign Traders

1. Multi-channel Combination Strategy

An experienced foreign trade manager suggests: “Don’t limit yourself to emails, combine with WhatsApp greetings, or even global phone calls. Old-school clients particularly appreciate such sincere approaches.”

• Social platform blessings: post official greetings on LinkedIn and other platforms.

• Personalized videos: mobilize the team to record 15-second client-exclusive greeting videos.

• Small gifts: give regionally characteristic small gifts based on client preferences.

2. Content Marketing Integration

• Create Thanksgiving topics: like Coca-Cola, create Thanksgiving-themed social media campaigns to encourage user participation.

• Provide practical content: share Thanksgiving travel tips or holiday planning advice to offer extra value to clients.

3. Follow-up Plan

• Post-holiday follow-up: follow up appropriately within one week after Thanksgiving, but avoid mentioning holiday content.

• Black Friday linkage: organically combine Thanksgiving with Black Friday promotions but keep it moderate.

• Long-term nurturing: treat Thanksgiving as part of long-term customer relationship cultivation, not an isolated event.

6. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Blind mass sending: sending Thanksgiving wishes indiscriminately to all clients, especially European clients.

2. Templated content: using monotonous templates lacking personalization and sincerity.

3. Over-promotion: including excessive promotional content in holiday greetings causing resentment.

4. Improper timing: sending blessings when customers have already started their vacations, causing emails to be buried.

5. Cultural insensitivity: not understanding the cultural background and sensitivities of Thanksgiving.

Conclusion

The core of Thanksgiving foreign trade marketing lies in precision, sincerity, and value. A veteran foreign trader aptly summarized: “Since you’re sending blessings, put in some true feelings and a little thought, so that customers remember you – that is the most important!”

By accurately identifying customer groups, carefully designing personalized emails, providing real value, and adopting multi-channel combination strategies, your Thanksgiving greetings will no longer be buried in the spam folder but will become a powerful lever to drive orders and deepen customer relationships.

This Thanksgiving, prepare every email with care, making it the warmest and most professional presence in your clients’ inboxes, laying a solid foundation for year-end performance surges and next year’s cooperation.