Preparing for Q5: A Practical Guide to Marketing Success After the Holiday Rush

Marketers might think they’ve crossed the finish line as the festive shopping season wraps up. But the period that immediately follows, known to some as “Q5,” is ripe with opportunities. According to a survey by YouGov commissioned by Meta, 41% of shoppers continue their purchasing activities after December, seeking bargains, returning gifts, or using gift cards.

What many see as a quiet spell, we view as a time to get strategic, redefine goals, and harness the unique potential that this time of year offers. With the right plan, your business can hit the ground running post-holidays and start the new year with a bang.

Here, we’ll walk you through what Q5 is, why it’s important, and how you can prepare to capitalise on this often-overlooked period.

What is Q5 and why is it important?

Q5 is an unofficial marketing period that begins after the chaos of Q4, usually spanning the last few days of December through to January. While Q4 is characterised by intense consumer spending around Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, Q5 presents its own unique opportunities as consumers shift from festive shopping to self-improvement, fresh starts, and planning for the year ahead.

Marketers who fail to plan for Q5 miss out on a time when ad costs are often lower, competition drops off, and consumers are more likely to engage with brands offering solutions to help them achieve their New Year resolutions.

Why Q5 is a goldmine for marketers

1. Lower ad costs & less competition: As many brands exhaust their marketing budgets during Q4, advertising costs often decline during Q5. This drop in competition means you have a prime opportunity to reach audiences at a lower cost per click or impression. For instance, Facebook’s CPM drops by around 27% post-Christmas, while maintaining strong engagement rates.
   
2. New year, new goals: Consumers are in a mindset for change. They are motivated to try new things, establish better habits, and make purchases that support their goals for the upcoming year. TikTok research reveals that 79% of users plan to continue shopping in Q5, focusing on self-care, personal resolutions, and spending their holiday gift cards and cash​. Whether you’re in fitness, wellness, education, or self-improvement, now is the time to present your product as the solution to their New Year’s ambitions.
   
3. Fresh stock & promotions: Q5 is an excellent opportunity to offload any remaining stock from Q4, promote new product lines, or offer post-holiday sales that target consumers looking for a deal after the holiday rush.

7 steps to prep for a successful post-holiday marketing period

1. Start planning early

Though Q5 falls at the very start of the calendar year, your planning should start much earlier. Preparations should begin in Q4, with teams dedicating time to outline objectives, strategies, and any creative assets needed. This will ensure you’re ready to hit the ground running when the time comes.

Action points:

• Prepare creative assets: Get your ad creatives, email campaigns, and social media assets ready and scheduled in advance. It’s wise to design content that speaks to New Year themes – think “fresh start,” “new beginnings,” or “achieve your goals.”
• Align with your team: Gather your marketing, creative, and analytics teams to align on Q5 goals.
• Set clear objectives: Whether it’s clearing leftover stock, boosting new sign-ups, or raising brand awareness, set clear KPIs that will define your Q5 success.

2. Optimise ad spend and budgets

Q5 is often characterised by a dip in competition, meaning it’s possible to achieve high visibility at a reduced cost. Review your ad spend and shift budgets where they can make the most impact during this period.

Action points:

• Refine audience targeting: Analyse your Q4 campaigns and use the insights to refine your targeting. Aim to reach audiences who are primed for action in the New Year, such as those interested in self-improvement, learning, health, and fitness.
• Adjust budgets appropriately: Allocate extra budget to high-performing channels from Q4. For channels like PPC or Paid Social, this could mean increasing your bids to maximise reach when costs are lower.

3. Capitalise on New Year themes in your messaging

One of the biggest differences between Q4 and Q5 is the shift in consumer mindset. During Q4, people are buying gifts for others; in Q5, they are more focused on themselves. Your messaging should adapt to this shift, resonating with themes of self-improvement, goal-setting, and fresh starts.

Action points:

• Highlight benefits and outcomes: Focus your messaging on the positive outcomes your products or services offer. For example, if you’re a fitness brand, emphasise the benefits of starting a new workout regime in your copy.
• Adapt to New Year trends: If your business aligns with health, wellness, self-improvement, education, or organisation, this is your time to shine. Create content that encourages people to embrace change, offering your products or services as the solution.

4. Refresh & optimise your website

A surge of new visitors could come through your website during Q5, and ensuring your site is ready to convert them is vital. A study by Portent found that a 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7%. Fast load times, easy navigation, and user-friendly landing pages tailored to Q5 themes will make all the difference in maintaining engagement.

Action points:

• Enhance mobile experience: January often sees a rise in mobile traffic, with many users browsing on their phones during the holiday lull. Ensure your website is fully optimised for mobile, with a seamless browsing and purchasing experience to make the most of the higher engagement and conversion rates compared to earlier months​
• Create targeted landing pages: Build specific search-optimised landing pages for your Q5 campaigns, highlighting offers, benefits, and clear calls-to-action tailored to the New Year mindset.

5. Engage with email marketing

If you built your email list during Q4, use Q5 to re-engage subscribers with fresh offers, new content, or product promotions that match their New Year’s goals. A well-crafted email campaign can serve as a powerful way to drive traffic and sales during this period.

Action points:

• Segment your audience: Create targeted email campaigns for different segments of your audience based on their interests or previous interactions with your brand. Personalised messaging is far more likely to drive engagement.
• Create an email sequence: Plan an email sequence leading up to Q5, teasing any special offers, sales, or promotions to create anticipation and ensure a strong launch.

6. Use social media to your advantage

Social media is a powerful tool during Q5, allowing you to reach both existing and new audiences. Whether through organic social media posts or paid social campaigns, make sure your messaging is aligned with New Year themes and resonates with users looking to kick-start their year.

Action points:

• Run engaging campaigns: Use Instagram Stories, Facebook ads, or TikTok videos to engage your audience with New Year-themed content. Use formats like countdowns, quizzes, or polls to encourage interaction. Research shows that quizzes generate an average click-through rate of 35-55%.
• Encourage user-generated content (UGC): Around 79% of consumers say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. Prompt your audience to share their New Year resolutions, experiences with your product, or before-and-after stories to create authentic, relatable content that inspires others. 

7. Evaluate & optimise real-time

Q5 is relatively short, so real-time adjustments are crucial to maximise your campaign performance. Track your metrics closely and be prepared to pivot strategies to capitalise on what’s working well.

Action points:

• Monitor campaign performance: Keep a close eye on metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS). Identify what’s working and what needs to change.
• Test and learn: A/B test creatives, messaging, and offers to find the winning combinations, but be quick to act on any data-driven insights to make the most of Q5.

Making the most of your Q5 marketing

Q5 is more than just a time to wind down from Q4; it’s a prime period to tap into new consumer mindsets and take advantage of reduced competition. Whether you’re clearing stock, driving sign-ups, or raising brand awareness, careful planning and a solid strategy can turn this short window into a valuable opportunity to kick-start the year.

Get prepared, align your marketing efforts, and make sure your campaigns are ready to resonate with your audience’s fresh mindset for 2025.

Need advice?

If you’re looking for guidance on how to plan a winning Q5 strategy, reach out to us. Our cross-channel experts can help craft a bespoke marketing plan tailored to your business goals, ensuring you maximise every opportunity in this crucial marketing period.