How to End Q4 Strong Without Over-Discounting Your Brand
It’s been a few months since I last posted here — between the school year kickoff, onboarding new clients, and diving deep into new learning sprints, I pressed pause on the blog so I could deliver with focus.
But now the leaves are turning, inboxes are filling, and every brand is about to ask the same question: how do we close Q4 strong without gutting our margins?
Let’s get into it.
How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Urgent
By October, most marketing teams are stretched thin. Campaigns are already in flight, inventory is moving, and budgets are spoken for.
So here’s how to prioritize when everything feels urgent:
Start with what’s controllable. You can’t change macro demand or the weather, but you can fix funnel leaks, refresh creative, and clean your data.
Double down on what’s working. Don’t chase new platforms — scale the channels that already drive profitable traffic.
Protect margin. Every Q4 decision — discount, channel, or offer — should strengthen, not weaken, your long-term positioning.
With that framework in mind, let’s look at how to make every lever count.
Why Over-Discounting Is a Trap (and What the Data Says)
Discounts work — for a minute. But when they become your primary growth lever, they start training your customers to wait, eroding your brand value and long-term health.
DTC data from Particl comparing Q4 2023 vs. 2024 showed that brands who narrowed discounting to key SKUs, instead of running sitewide codes, saw 17% higher retained margin and stronger repeat-purchase rates.
Behavioral pricing research shows that precise pricing and curated discounts create higher perceived intent and trust — customers see it as thoughtful, not desperate.
Over-discounting also dilutes perceived value — once customers expect a code, it’s almost impossible to retrain them otherwise. It is a downward spiral.
So instead of going broader, go smarter.
1. Rethink What’s Included — Not Just How Much You Discount
There’s a quiet debate happening inside every brand Slack channel right now:
Do we run a sitewide code and call it a day, or get selective and intentional about what we promote?
The truth is, a flat 20% off may feel easy, but it rarely performs as well as a curated, story-driven offer.
What drives real performance is the decision behind inclusion — what SKUs, collections, or experiences are part of the deal, and what you purposely leave untouched.
Think of your assortment as a statement.
Include select hero SKUs to boost traffic and AOV.
Exclude evergreen bestsellers to protect brand equity.
Spotlight category stories (like “run in any condition” or “gear that lasts years”) instead of a blanket markdown.
And before you lock anything in, test your promo options with your VIP list. These are your most loyal customers — and they’re a perfect proving ground for how your messaging, bundles, and pricing resonate before rolling anything out wider.
In Particl’s analysis, brands that curated holiday offers — discounting roughly half their assortment — outperformed those with sitewide codes by nearly 20% in retained margin. Curation signals control. Blanket codes signal clearance.
Your discount isn’t just a percentage — it’s a positioning signal. The more precise your inclusion strategy, the more your audience perceives value beyond price.
2. Launch Micro-Campaigns That Build Value, Not Dependency
High-margin brands win Q4 through smarter positioning:
Bundles and kits — pair slower-moving SKUs with core products.
Gift-with-purchase (GWP) — add a small, perceived-value freebie instead of a markdown.
Post-purchase upsells — leverage customers who already converted.
Channel diversity — rotate between email, SMS, and paid social to prevent fatigue.
Each tactic keeps price integrity while increasing average order value and emotional connection.
3. Get Precision-Driven With Timing and Targeting
Don’t just “blast and hope.” Use micro-timing and behavior segmentation to make every message count:
Hit email and SMS audiences at high-response hours (8–9 a.m. or 8 p.m.).
Segment by customer lifetime value (CLV), geography, and purchase cycle.
Adjust messaging per audience — your returning VIPs shouldn’t get the same subject line as your one-time holiday shoppers.
As In2Communications put it, late-year marketing is about precision, not presence — being in the right inbox at the right time with the right intent. Yes, this creates more work, more emails, more copy and more creative but it also drives more revenue!
4. Repair and Fortify Your Funnel Leaks
Every click counts more when ad costs spike. Patch where you’re losing money:
Refresh landing pages with fewer form fields and stronger proof points.
Run recovery sequences for abandoners (without resorting to discounts).
Test new creative every two weeks — a 15% lift in CTR can offset rising CPMs.
Audit your email flows and suppress non-engagers.
And if there’s one area to double down on right now, it’s email acquisition and re-engagement.
First-party data remains the most reliable channel for both storytelling and revenue. Use this moment to grow your list aggressively — pop-ups, sweepstakes, gated guides — and re-engage dormant segments before the holiday chaos. The earlier you build the relationship, the less you’ll need to rely on offers later.
The goal isn’t to “do more.” It’s to convert more from what you already have.
5. Double Down on Brand Narrative Over Markdown Math
Discounts shout urgency. Storytelling builds loyalty.
Use this season to remind your customers what your brand stands for.
Lead with mission or craftsmanship.
Highlight community, sustainability, or longevity.
Use user-generated proof instead of price pressure.
A 2024 study of 575 consumer brands found that consistent storytelling (even with flat spend) produced 2.5× higher long-term brand recall than promotional messaging alone.
In other words, your story compounds. Your discounts don’t.
6. Start Planning for 2026 — and Execute in Q1
Smart marketing leaders don’t see January as a reset — they see it as a continuation.
Now’s the time to:
Audit your 2025 results and extract insights by channel.
Build your Q1 “test lab” — messaging, offer, or product tests with clear KPIs.
Clean your data so your January campaigns launch fast.
Identify what to scale versus retire heading into 2026.
Planning ahead isn’t about predicting trends — it’s about shortening your reaction time when the next shift happens.
So, What Should You Actually Do Right Now?
It’s already Q4, so think speed and impact — not overhaul. Start by re-engaging your email list and growing it fast; first-party data is still your most valuable channel for storytelling and revenue. Then, test your offers with your VIP list before going wide — use their feedback to fine-tune what to promote and what to protect. Finally, patch your funnel leaks and tighten your creative and landing pages so every click counts.
If you’re running a small team or working with limited resources, that’s okay — it actually makes focus easier. Pick one or two plays and execute them well: refresh your email flows, test a new bundle offer, or rebuild a hero landing page that can carry you into Q1. You don’t need to rebuild your entire strategy in October — you just need to sharpen it. The brands that end the year strong aren’t the ones that spend the most; they’re the ones that act with precision and purpose when everyone else is panicking.
Your Q4 Reset Guide…
If you’ve made it this far, you’re not here for shortcuts. You’re here to build sustainable growth — the kind that flexes with the market.
That’s exactly why I work with my clients on a Q4 Reset Checklist:
Prioritize what to fix before Black Friday hits
Spot hidden margin killers in your Q4 mix
Build a 30-day sprint that bridges Q4 performance into Q1 momentum
Always happy to talk in more detail.
Email me at jon@johoandcompany.com or connect on LinkedIn. Let’s make sure your Q4 ends with purpose — not panic.