The Secret to Dominating Post-Holiday Sales

Happy Daylight Savings!

I can’t be the only one who was a little bit depressed with it being pitch blast at 5PM yesterday; but damn, was it nice waking up at 6:30AM today ready to conquer the world. The next three weeks will be filled with absolute madness, caffeine (lots of it), and hopefully, a ton of smiles as little victories start to roll in.

I’m beyond excited to share that today The Founders Club got its first editorial coverage and we the home page of Forbes. You can read the entire article here.

In spirit of building my own community, I’m doing something I’ve never done this month. I’m keeping my inbox 100% open for every single reader. Need help? Have a question? Want my advice on something for your brand? I’m here to help or atleast point you in the right direction.

Email me directly at [email protected] and if you have my number, its the same one that I’ve had since high school, so you can hit that too.

So lets’s get into it baby!

Imagine with me: Cyber Monday is over, and the BFCM rush of 2024 is finally over. You listened to all the advice you learned from these newsletters, and your team absolutely crushed it. 

Now it’s time to kick back, relax, and coast through the rest of the year. Right?

Hell no. There’s still plenty of opportunity to turn your seasonal success into sustainable growth. Many brands see a drop in sales and engagement after the holiday season, but with the right strategies, you can keep the momentum going and set yourself up for a powerful Q1.

We call this Q5 for a reason. Today I’m breaking down everything from dealing with pesky returns, building brand loyalty, and making holiday shoppers into year-round customers.

1. Managing Returns and Building Loyalty

The post-holiday season often means a surge in returns, but this doesn’t have to be a negative. Handling returns smoothly can actually improve customer loyalty. Show empathy and make the process as easy as possible. Offer free returns, store credit, or incentives for exchanges rather than refunds to keep customers engaged.

Why Returns Matter for Loyalty
A lot of founders see returns as a hassle, and I get it. It sucks having to see a sale go sour, but returns are also a chance to engage customers. Customers remember a seamless return experience just as much as they remember an excellent shopping experience.

If you make returns easy, you gain loyalty: 92% of consumers say they’ll shop with a brand again if the return process is easy. So, by treating returns as another customer touchpoint, you’re not just handling an issue — you’re strengthening the relationship.

Pro Tips for Managing Returns

1. Communicate clearly: Make sure your return policy is straightforward and visible. A clear return policy builds trust and helps set customer expectations before they make a purchase.

2. Encourage exchanges: Offer incentives like free return shipping for exchanges rather than refunds to keep customers connected to your brand.

3. Automate the return process: Use tools to streamline returns, such as automated return labels or a dedicated portal where customers can track their return status.

By managing returns as a loyalty-building opportunity, you turn a potential pain point into a memorable, positive experience that encourages repeat business.

2. Nurturing New Customers

The holiday season brings in a wave of first-time shoppers, many of whom are discovering your brand for the first time. This is a perfect chance to introduce loyalty programs and referral incentives that reward them for coming back and encourage them to spread the word.

Building a Loyalty Program That Sticks

A loyalty program is more than just rewards; it’s a way to create a connection. Start with simple benefits, like points for purchases, exclusive early access to sales, or personalized discounts. Consider that customers in loyalty programs tend to spend 12-18% more than non-members. So if you’re seeing an influx of new customers, now is the time to incentivize their return with a points system or VIP access.

Leveraging Referrals for Organic Growth

Word-of-mouth remains one of the most powerful marketing tools. Referral incentives—like discounts, gift cards, or free products—encourage satisfied holiday shoppers to refer friends, bringing in new customers at a fraction of your usual customer acquisition cost.

In fact, referred customers have a 37% higher retention rate. Craft a referral program that’s easy to understand and rewarding for both referrers and their friends.

A loyalty program paired with an effective referral system is a winning combo that turns holiday shoppers into dedicated, repeat customers who spread the word.

3. Boosting Conversions with Revenue Roll

As we approach the busiest time of the year, ensuring your retargeting strategy is on point is crucial for success— but don’t overlook email deliverability.

I’ve featured Revenue Roll several times throughout the year because I found its the s because it truly works. Just last Friday I was complaining to one of my employees because he didn’t receive my email from my new Founders Club email address.

Well come to find out the jokes on me and it ended up in his spam.

Now imagine this happens to all of your Black Friday emails. You’re expecting to email 75,000 customers and 50% of it ends in spam. What a Black Friday nightmare.

Revenue Roll specializes in making sure your messages hit the mark by optimizing both deliverability and ad engagement. Before the holiday rush, ask yourself one simple question: Why wouldn’t you audit your deliverability? Revenue Roll and their co-founder, Mike Diesu, is offering a free audit to help you identify any gaps that might impact your results.

Take advantage of Revenue Roll’s expertise in ad deliverability and targeting to make this season your most successful yet! You legit have nothing to lose.

Or skip the line, email me, and I’ll make a personalized intro for you.

4. Leverage Data from Q4

The holiday shopping season is a data-rich period, with information on what worked well and what could be improved. Analyzing this data gives you a head start on crafting your Q1 strategy with real insights from your audience’s buying behavior.

Key Data Points to Analyze

• Best-Selling Products: Identify which products were in high demand. Why did they sell? Were they just good gifts? Are they going to flop in Q1 and Q2 if you order more?

• Promotion Performance: Evaluate the effectiveness of your BFCM promotions. Did certain discounts, bundles, or email campaigns outperform others? This year we are rocking with three epic bundles & UP TO 40% OFF sitewide messaging. We’ve done the 40% off several times, the bundles never. I’m interested to see what one we’ll be using this time next year.

• Customer Demographics and Acquisition: If you’ve seen a surge in new customers, look at their demographic data to better understand this audience. Tailor your future content and product recommendations to their preferences. My best advice is to legit pick up the phone and call your customers. Especially in the early days! I thought all our customers were 20 year old kids, when in fact they were mom’s buying for their children.

5. Turning Seasonal Shoppers into Year-Round Customers

You just spent a lot of time (and money) getting your brand in front of countless new eyes. Now is the perfect time to capitalize on that familiarity before you fade from their memory. Come up with a post-holiday engagement plan to keep them coming back throughout the year.

Follow-Up with Thoughtful Post-Purchase Messaging

• Send a thank-you email after their first purchase, showing appreciation and building rapport. You can also include a post-purchase survey to learn more about their shopping experience and gather feedback for improvement.

• Don’t stop there — follow up with product recommendations or guides on how to get the most out of their purchase.

Offer Exclusive Post-Holiday Discounts

• Engage new customers with exclusive offers after the holiday season. Send out a special discount or an invite to an upcoming product launch to remind them of your brand and entice them to shop again. Make them feel special by saying only our newest shoppers are receiving this promotion.

• Even a small discount or added-value offer can be the nudge that turns a seasonal shopper into a loyal customer.

Add Value Through Educational Content

Post-holiday, focus on delivering content that enhances the customer’s experience with your products.

For instance, if your product is clothing, provide styling tips; if it’s a kitchen gadget, share recipes. This shows your audience that you aren’t just here to take their money. It positions your brand as a source of inspiration and utility, building trust and keeping you top of mind. For us, you know I’m showing the versatility of CROSSNET - its a beach game, backyard game, volleyball training tool, fat burner, friend maker, socializing tool.

By focusing on meaningful engagement, you can turn a holiday transaction into a long-term customer relationship, creating brand loyalty that extends beyond seasonal trends.

The holiday season brings a rush of new customers and the potential for long-term growth. By managing returns thoughtfully, nurturing loyalty, leveraging your Q4 data, and engaging seasonal shoppers year-round, you’re setting up your business for success in Q1 and beyond. 

Don’t let the holiday magic end after December — start building these strategies now to keep the momentum alive and make this post-holiday period your launchpad for a strong new year.

Thanks for reading! Would love to know your thoughts and any questions you got for me!

All the love in the world,

Chris