Isn’t it a little sad that marketers must be concerned about offending clients if they wish them a Merry Christmas? The truth is whether your business shares Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, you might offend some. However, the facts are that more people use Merry Christmas than Happy Holidays. So, is it okay to wish your customers Merry Christmas?
Shopping Online
In today’s world, most people vet companies before making a purchase. When folks are searching for holiday products, what words do they search for? To get an idea of what people preferred, I completed two searches on Goggle Keyword Planner, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. Here are the top search results.
AdWords Keyword Planner Partial Results
Keyword Searches Per Month
Merry Christmas 1 to 10 Million
Christmas Holiday 10 to 100 thousand
Happy Holiday(s) 100 to 1,000
I don’t profess this article to be all-encompassing. It’s not a scientific treatise. It’s an indication of the mindset of people. Folks, including your customers, search happy holidays less than 10% of the time compared to Merry Christmas.
Do Customers Prefer Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays?
If people are searching for Merry Christmas at a rate that’s 90 % higher than Happy Holidays, doesn’t it make sense that the majority of consumers prefer Merry Christmas? Again, this isn’t a whitepaper, but the search numbers don’t lie. Will you possibly offend someone by saying Merry Christmas? Yes. Will you put off more by saying Happy Holidays? Probably. Will a large percent of your clients appreciate and respect you for saying Merry Christmas? I think so. Should you wish your customers Merry Christmas?
What about Collateral Material, Emails, and Advertisements?
I asked a friend who is a VP of marketing for a large firm how she reacted when she received a Holiday card as compared to a Christmas card. She shared that it didn’t much matter to her. However, for her organization, she steered clear of Merry Christmas and stuck with Happy Holidays for their advertising and collateral materials. Was that the best strategy? It was for her.
What’s the Best Answer for you?
The best answer for you is to consider how your customers will react. I don’t have the best answer for you, your customers do. What do your clients want to hear this Christmas, Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays? So, should you say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? As for me, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season.
How Can I Help You?
I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me.
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