What Can You Do Now to Prep for Q4? | EP 212

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If you want a strong Q4, your work starts now.

Too many subscription box owners treat the 4th quarter like it starts in November. But if you want October sales to be strong – and if you want to ride that momentum straight through the holiday season – your prep needs to start in late summer.

In this episode of The Launch Your Box Podcast, I’m walking you through four things you can do right now to set yourself up for your best Q4 yet. Whether you’re running a subscription box, selling one-time products, or offering holiday gift subscriptions, these steps will help you plan, promote, and sell with confidence, instead of scrambling.

And because I know this can feel overwhelming, I’m also inviting you to join me inside my Ultimate Q4 Planning Workshop, where we’ll spend one focused day mapping out your entire quarter, together.

Why You Need to Start Your Q4 Prep Now

Q4 is the biggest sales quarter of the year. Some small business owners make half their annual revenue between October and December. But here’s the mistake most people make:

They think Q4 starts when they post their first Black Friday sale.

By that point, you’ve already missed valuable weeks of visibility and momentum. 

The truth? Q4 success starts at the end of Q3.

Before October arrives, you should already know:

• Which promotions you’ll run and when
• What products (and how much) you’ll need to make them happen
• How you’ll market each offer

If you can’t answer those questions yet, you’re already behind.

Step 1: Plan Your Q4 Promotions Now

Start with the end in mind when you answer the question, “What are you going to sell?”

Consider the Q4 money-makers that make sense for your business:

• Holiday gift boxes
• Gift subscriptions
• Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales
• Mystery boxes or bundles
• End-of-year clearance promos

Once you’ve decided, map each promo on your calendar. This helps you know exactly when to start talking about it and when to order inventory. The earlier you decide, the easier it is to create content and build excitement.

Step 2: Grow Your Following + Your Email List

You need both visibility and ownership heading into Q4.

• On Social: Run small, targeted ad campaigns now to get in front of new potential buyers before the holiday rush. New followers today can be customers in 30–60 days.
• On Email: Start list-building early. Run a themed giveaway or offer a seasonal freebie to attract the right audience. Remember, email drives the majority of Q4 revenue for most product sellers.

Step 3: Warm Up Your Audience

Don’t wait until you’re ready to sell to show up. If someone joins your list in August and doesn’t hear from you until November, they’re not likely to buy.

Show up now with:

• Behind-the-scenes content
• Sneak peeks of holiday products
• Customer stories from past holiday seasons
• Quick videos or Lives that build excitement

Warm-up content builds trust and anticipation so that when you do make your offer, people are ready to say yes.

Step 4: Keep Your Plan Simple, But Real

You don’t need to create every caption, email, or ad today. But you do need to know what you’re promoting, when you’ll promote it, and how you’ll promote it.

That’s exactly what we’ll do together in my Ultimate Q4 Planning Workshop. In one day, we’ll:

• Plan your promotions
• Map your marketing calendar
• Identify the emails and posts you’ll need
• Forecast inventory and shipping timelines

You’ll walk away with a complete Q4 roadmap. Ready to execute, no scrambling required.

If Q4 usually feels like chaos, this episode will show you how to change that. Listen in for practical steps you can take this week to get ahead. And find out how to join me for the Ultimate Q4 Planning Workshop, so you can head into the busiest season of the year feeling confident and in control.

Join the Ultimate Q4 Planning Workshop: September 5, 2025 – Live on Zoom.