How to Prep for a Profitable Quarter 4: The Definitive Guide for Independent E-Commerce Brands
Quarter 4 (Q4) is just around the corner, and as the biggest sales season of the year for retail, with an expected spend of around £28billion* for Christmas 2025, it’s essential for small businesses to go into this period with a strong plan in order to make festive sales.
It may feel like a time full to the brim with advertising and selling, but despite the noise, the figures don’t lie – a whopping 1/3rd of all the money spent in retail for the entire year is spent in the 6 weeks before Christmas.
From Black Friday and Cyber Monday through to the festive period, it’s your chance to maximise revenue and finish the year strong. Whether you sell online, in person at markets, or a mix of both, preparation is key.
*Based on 2024 projections
5 Crucial Steps to Prepare Your Business for Festive Selling:
1. Choose your hero product/s
Choose which products you are going to promote most for the season (use a mix of data on whether they have sold well previously and your own judgement on what you WANT to sell, perhaps something you have a lot of stock for already, or something you think is perfect for cosy season or Christmas gifting)
2. Vary your messaging
Think of several creative ways to sell your product, rather than pushing ‘Christmas’ all season with one campaign or marketing message. Instead, brainstorming a few different ways that you can market your product/products around the seasonal events in Q4 will see you resonate with consumers and meet their changing needs, which ultimately is going to result in more sales. (Lucky you - I’ve included lots of creative marketing angles in my Q4 Marketing Schedule, lower in this article.)
3. Make sure your business operations are ready for orders
This may sound obvious, but make sure you’re actually ready to take orders. Clean up your stock room & packaging supplies (if you do your own fulfilment), ensure your printer has ink, your website payment system is working well, and your email list is in place and has heard from you in the last couple of months. Bonus points for checking your website doesn’t have any broken links or outdated delivery or fee information, and even better if you can check the order process emails and ensure the messaging is friendly and relevant.
4. Look back to Christmas 2024
If your business was around and selling last year, look at your sales data - what sold well? What didn’t sell, and can you think why this might be?
Ask yourself broader questions too, like ‘What was stressful last Q4, and how could I minimise or avoid that stress this year?’ It may be as simple as bringing forward the last order date, charging more for gift wrap options or deciding not doing Black Friday? You get to decide what feels right for your business, so trust yourself and don’t feel pressure to do things in the way others are, especially if you’re comparing yourself to much larger businesses who can afford to sell products with much smaller margins.
5. Finally, prepare yourself
It goes without saying that you’ll have a much better chance of success this season if you know that it will take a bit more energy, and you are prepared for that. Entering the season in a state of burnout is no good, so try to allow yourself to ‘reset’ first if you’re in this place. Take a deep breath, warn your spouse/family/friends that this is a busy period, and during this busier time, don’t forget the basics of wellbeing - eat well, get enough daylight and exercise, and have a few other business friends to be able to discuss the highs and lows with. You’ve got this!
Great! Now you’re warmed up and ready to take on Q4!
Seasonal Opportunities
Quarter 4 isn’t JUST about Christmas, oh no!
Ever since Covid, there has been a steady increase in people wanting to celebrate life’s special moments more, and Autumn gives plenty of opportunities for these. The popularity of Halloween keeps shooting up - almost 1 in 5 British consumers now admits to preferring spooky season celebrations to Christmas, and spend on Halloween has more than tripled to £776m since 2013, with seasonal pyjamas, soft toys, 'boo baskets' and horror films making the most popular purchases.
Ghost print dog bandana by Bextra Buddies
That’s not where the American influence ends either, there has been a 25% rise in UK households celebrating Thanksgiving over the past 5 years, and a social media-fuelled surge in popularity for picking your own pumpkin.
What does this mean for small businesses? Well, just that you don’t have to ONLY market for Christmas over this period – there’s a wealth of celebrations, themes and ways to connect with consumers through the Autumn and into Winter.
Q4 Marketing Schedule
A clear Christmas marketing strategy for small business owners can make all the difference when it comes to standing out online and at festive events. By mapping out your Q4 marketing calendar in advance, you’ll have a step-by-step plan to follow, making it easier to stay consistent, promote seasonal offers, and connect with customers at the right time. Below, you’ll find suggested actions for each month to help with Christmas sales planning, so your brand is ready to maximise opportunities throughout the festive season.
Download my definitive month-by-month guide to make your Q4 marketing a breeze!
The 5 Products You Need to Sell at Christmas
A simple framework that works for almost every small business.
If possible, I’d aim to have the following options on your site, sold in this way
Stocking filler – highlight your lower cost products i.e. ‘stocking fillers they’ll love, from £15’
Secret Santa gift idea – This might be the same as your stocking filler, but present it as a great Secret Santa option.
More substantial gifts – i.e. your signature product at its regular price
Bundles – Can a few of your products be sold as a bundle in a gift box for a higher price?
Gift card – you don’t have to get anything printed, a digital gift card sent via email is fine, just make a visual on Canva and list it as a product – make sure you add terms & conditions, recommended to give this a 12-month validity from the date of purchase.
I firmly believe that Q4 doesn’t have to feel overwhelming as a small business - with the right plan in place, it can be your most successful season yet. If you’d like extra support, make sure you download my E-commerce Christmas Checklist, packed with practical tips to keep you on track through the festive rush.
And if you’d like tailored guidance for your Christmas marketing strategy, I’m here to help. Get in touch to book a session, and together we’ll make sure your brand is ready to shine this holiday season.