Ah, December. That magical time of year when inboxes are bursting, socials are a frenzy of flash sales, and every man and his dog seems to be running a festive promo. Which is lovely, except… if you’re a small business owner, you might find that all the noise actually makes it harder to stand out and – most importantly – generate cash flow when you need it most.
So, what can you do if you want to boost cash flow before the year ends (without discounting everything to the point of pain)? Well, I’m glad you asked… Here are seven festive tactics you can roll out to generate cash flow fast, while keeping your sanity (and your profit margin) intact.
1. Create urgency that actually feels urgent
We’re all on a countdown in December – so use it to your advantage. Adding things like “Order by 18th December for Christmas delivery” or “Offer ends at midnight” on your website or emails gives people a nudge to buy now rather than later. If you can add a countdown timer or a pop-up to your website, even better. Real urgency, based on real dates, helps your customers act faster, and helps you generate cash flow sooner.
2. Run a short burst campaign
Rather than one big festive sale that drags on for weeks, try something like “12 days of Christmas offers”. It’s quick, it’s punchy, and it gives you an excuse to email or post every day without sounding repetitive. One day, you could offer a discount. Another day, a freebie…a bundle…a giveaway. You get it. The variation keeps your audience engaged and keeps the till ringing.
| Need help deciding what’s viable based on your profit margins or stock levels? That’s what we’re here for. Get in touch with us at [email protected]. |
3. Use gift cards to get the cash now
Gift cards are an underused gem for generating cash flow. You get paid now, and the product or service is redeemed later. Add a little sweetener – like “Buy a £50 gift card, get an extra £10 free” or “Free gift with every voucher over £40” – and you’ll get an extra surge of pre-Christmas purchases. Bonus: they often get spent in the new year when things are quieter.
4. Get festive with your branding
People shop more when they feel festive. So now’s the time to give your online presence a Christmas jumper. Change your social headers, pin a festive post, or run a low-barrier giveaway like “tag a friend to win our holiday bundle”. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just create that warm fuzzy “I want to shop” feeling.
5. Give VIPs early access
Want to give your email list or loyal customers a reason to love you? Offer them 24-hour early access to your sale or bundles. Not only does it make them feel special (tick), it also gives you an early sales spike (another tick) so you can bring in cash before the general public even sees your campaign. That’s a great way to generate cash flow before the final pre-Christmas rush!
6. Bundle up, don’t slash prices
Instead of discounting everything individually, create gift bundles at attractive price points (for example,£30, £50, £75 etc). Customers love a no-brainer present, and because it’s a bundle, it doesn’t scream “sale”. You protect your margin, they get a deal, and your average order value goes up. Win-win.
7. Answer the “but will it get here in time?” question
A major reason people hesitate in December is delivery anxiety. So make it ridiculously easy for them. Add clear messaging about final order dates, delivery timeframes, and your returns policy. If people feel confident that their gift will arrive and can be returned if needed, they’re much more likely to press “buy”.
Remember: keep it simple, make it fun, and bring in the cash
December can feel like a blur, but it doesn’t need to be a quiet one financially. Use these simple, low-stress strategies to boost your visibility, give your customers what they want, and most importantly, generate cash flow that sees you through into the new year with less stress.
| Want to generate more cash flow over the holidays? Drop us a message at [email protected] and we’ll help you plan your most profitable December yet. |
