December is ticking along, and might be wondering, what else you can do to get some sales across the finish line by year-end. The holiday rush is in full swing, and you’re in the thick of it all, feeling the pressure to make these final weeks count.
What are you going to do about it?
You’re not going to keep up. You’re going to dominate.
This is your last hurrah before the year closes, and we’re bringing in two ecommerce marketing veterans who know exactly how to finish the year strong and make the most of these final weeks:
- Dylan Jones, Founder of Buddies Snacks Company and Chief Marketing Officer at supplement brand Podium, brings bold risk-taking and hyper-creative brand-building expertise to the table. His strategies are tailor-made to help brands maximize December opportunities to end the year on a high note.
- Will Critcher, Partner and CMO of KEY Sparkling Water, previously spearheaded innovative growth strategies at Death Wish Coffee, driving significant ecommerce and brand success. His expertise in navigating competitive markets and delivering results makes him a key voice in the conversation on holiday sales strategies.
Here’s how you squeeze every drop of revenue out of this holiday season.
*Some responses in this blog have been edited for clarity and brevity*
Polar: Before diving into tactics, let’s get the metrics right. What overlooked KPIs should businesses analyze post-BFCM to steer December strategies?
Dylan: “The biggest metric is new customers to returning customers. Is it greater than, less than, or equal to the previous year? And why? It’s not usually just because of your performance or creatives—there’s a slew of reasons why.”
He advises, “Start with operations. Did you release a new product, like a new flavor or collection? Isolate the levers you’ve pulled and look at what brought in your first customers, whether it’s by code use or basket mix, to steer your December strategies and customer mix."
Will:
“You have your compass metrics and GPS metrics.”
"A compass shows you’re directionally going the way you want, while GPS tells you exactly where you need to be. For instance, email list growth is a compass—are we growing? Good. But engaged subscribers are your GPS because they drive 80% of your revenue. A healthy 25% of your list being engaged is a solid benchmark. The goal should be to not only maintain but also steadily increase that percentage as your list grows."
Polar: With all the data from November campaigns, how can brands pinpoint the most actionable insights to segment and engage holiday shoppers?
Dylan: “Operationally, by the start of the quarter, you should have your BFCM plan ready. A lot of brands, even the big ones, end up firing from the hip based on trends, but knowing your code sets and isolating your promos is key."
“If you’re running a deep sale, make sure your codes are tied to the right creative for a full funnel experience.”
he adds. “For influencer-heavy brands, switch up your codes for the season—something like ‘Christmas Dylan’ instead of just ‘Dylan.’ It shakes up messaging, avoids white noise, and reminds buyers they can save. Think of it like changing outfits, it keeps things fresh and adds depth. If you’re launching a new all-black collection, tie your codes to that drop, like ‘AllBlackEverythingLili.’ It’s small, but it keeps engagement high and messaging sharp. Think of seasonality and switch things up—new collections, new codes, and new messaging that tie into your product drops.”
Polar: How do you leverage niche platforms or unconventional partnerships to lower CAC during December’s ad price surge?
Will: "The usual suspects are podcast advertising, particularly through brand interviews, and leveraging earned media in general is a cost-effective way to manage rising ad prices. Email acquisition is a huge one, as is maximizing SMS acquisition. Converting leads into customers is crucial for offsetting acquisition costs and, depending on the vertical, can even help brands achieve first-order profitability."
Polar: Can inventory scarcity be gamified or framed as a feature to drive demand rather than a liability during the holidays?
Will: "At a previous beverage brand, we used a stock market pricing model where the price of limited-time offerings (LTOs) dynamically adjusted based on demand. It’s a little tricky to set up, but it helped us sell through seasonal products like pumpkin coffee quickly. Bundles are common, but finding a unique twist like dynamic pricing can make it more exciting."
Polar: How can businesses effectively target procrastinators without alienating early shoppers? And how do you ensure that loyalty and timing don’t clash?
Dylan: "For procrastinators, target them with non-DTC offers like Amazon or retail coupons. If they’ve been opening and clicking emails without buying, they’re likely shopping elsewhere. Don’t over-email and try lightning deals on Amazon or Target offers. If retail sales spike, you’ve found your retail shoppers.
For early shoppers, reward their support. Don’t hit them with deeper discounts later. It’ll frustrate them and cause customer service issues. Segment them out and show appreciation for their early purchases."
Polar: What are some examples of successful December campaigns that avoided discounting altogether and instead focused on other value propositions?
Will:
“I’m generally anti-discounting unless it’s a highly creative strategy, like for Black Friday or Cyber Monday.”
“Instead, I focus on adding value through freebies and branded swag. For example, instead of spending $10,000 on discounts, you could invest in branded merch or sample boxes. Freebies are a great way to show off your product while maintaining its perceived value. At Death Wish, we even turned surplus swag into ‘mystery boxes,’ which were bundled items sold at $15 each. It not only cleared out excess inventory but also engaged customers in a fun and unique way, proving far more effective than traditional discounting.”
Polar: How can subscription models be leveraged to maximize lifetime value from December shoppers?
Dylan:
“People will churn.”
“So it’s really about how profitable you can be while that person hangs on. Test a tiered subscription: first month, 10% off; next, 20%; then 25%. By month four, no discount but a free gift. Even when churn hit in month five or six, we made 3x of what we expected from a typical customer."
"We also flipped it: steeper discount upfront, then decreasing with a free gift by month three and saw lower churn. As profitability increased over time, the cost of the gifts, shipped with existing orders, was negligible.
Work backwards: if churn usually happens in month two, what will keep them longer? How can a discount or incentive get them to a third order? That extra $40 later makes any early discount irrelevant.”
Polar: Maximizing holiday conversions is essential, but so is capturing valuable first-party data for retention. What’s the smartest way to tackle both short-term and long-term goals at once?
Will:
“The low-hanging fruit is email.”
“Any ecommerce brand that is not using Klaviyo is probably doing it wrong. Using Klaviyo with Shopify ensures every order collects an email, even if customers don’t opt into marketing. This allows you to segment holiday shoppers and identify if they’re new to the brand, used a discount, or are deal-motivated. Follow up with these segments in January or February for repeat purchases. If they don’t convert, adjust your strategy with another deal or discount. These insights also help create lookalike audiences for future campaigns, especially in the next holiday season.”
Polar: How can ecommerce brands use psychological triggers like FOMO in unconventional ways during the holiday rush to boost conversions?
Will: “FOMO works best when tied to limited-run items or exclusive value adds rather than predictable discounts. Instead of starting with 10% off and ramping up to 25% by Black Friday, which savvy shoppers will see right through, you could introduce unique value adds each day, like a special freebie on Monday, a different one on Tuesday, and so on. This encourages shoppers to act quickly and can even drive multiple purchases throughout the holiday season. The key is creating urgency without resorting to traditional discounts, which often feel overplayed and less compelling to today’s shoppers.”
Polar: With inboxes full and attention spans short, how can email and SMS campaigns stand out?
Dylan: “Just make sure you’re following good principles on email. Hyper-intentional CTAs. Use every proper alt-text. No over-punctuation or over-capitalization in subject lines. Segment based on intent, browsing, past purchases, and focus on the one reason you’re emailing this cohort today. SMS is easier. Short messages. MMS is expensive but great for creative testing. At the end of the day, it’s all about nailing creative. Control what you can control by testing the ad with the highest CTR on email. Test in small cohorts, and let your team experiment.”
Polar: With increasing customer interaction points, how do you prevent ‘channel silos’ and create a seamless brand experience, especially during flash sales?
Will:
“Keeping touchpoints consistent across different channels is key.”
“A robust CRM helps you track and engage your audience effectively. Just because you’ve sent someone an email doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow up with a text or target them on paid social. People engage with different channels for different reasons, so I’d rather be a bit annoying during the holiday season than risk missing 50% of my audience because I only sent out two emails. Let’s be real, everyone’s a little annoying during the holidays anyway.”
Polar: What unique selling points should small businesses emphasize to stay competitive against retail titans with sky-high ad budgets?
Dylan: “If your P&L is healthy and your cap table is calm, it’s really just time that matters. Everyone’s obsessed with quick exits, but honestly, marketing takes patience. Hyper-good creative matters, but if you’re failing, it’s probably because of deteriorating product quality, too much vertical integration, or maybe you were just a trend.
Find what got you there in the first place and lean into that. Stick to your roots, adapt, and keep building.”
Polar: Any final words for brands trying to stand out when others go quiet?
Will: “Q5, those last days of December through the 31st can feel like a total dead zone. A lot of brands see it that way, but it’s also an opportunity. Think about it: when do people use gift cards? For me, it’s usually on the 26th, still in my PJs, with nothing else to do. That’s when I’ll shop. So, hammering down on gift cards or other post-holiday strategies is huge. Communication tends to taper off during this time, but if you can stand out with something cool, maybe tied to New Year’s Eve or Dry January, it’s less competitive and can be really effective."
“Ecommerce never really stops, and that’s part of the challenge and fun.”
"Unlike retail, where you get monthly updates, ecommerce is a live scoreboard, constantly updating. Whether it’s good or bad, you know right away, and even when it’s good, it’s never quite good enough. So don’t let up now, just keep building.”
As the final stretch of Q5 unfolds, every strategy you refine and every insight you gather powers your end-of-year goals. December sales are there for the taking. Are you ready to make them yours?
Don’t let the momentum stop here. Leverage your holiday performance, maximize your data, and get ahead of the curve for the new year.
Let’s plan your next move. Chat with our experts to turn your Q5 insights into a winning strategy for 2025. Your next breakthrough starts today.
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