Your Promotions Aren’t the Strategy

How to build an offer strategy for holiday marketing

Photo from Pexels

Let’s be clear—a discount is not a strategy. It’s a tactic. And for brands that want to scale profitably and protect their margins, especially during Q4, it’s often the wrong one.

If your idea of holiday planning involves slashing prices and hoping for the best, it’s time for a smarter, more sustainable approach. One that protects your margins, increases order value, and leaves your brand reputation intact.

The brands that win Q4 don’t offer more. They offer better—strategic, layered offers that balance profit and performance.

Start With the Right Product Mix

Before you touch a promo code or type out a subject line, take stock of your Focus vs. Volume products:

• Focus Products are high-margin, high-loyalty items that anchor your brand identity. These should lead your storytelling.

• Volume Products are accessible SKUs that drive units per transaction and help you move inventory profitably.

The smartest brands build their promotions around this blend—featuring hero pieces to drive brand love and bundling lower-priced items to boost cart value.

📌 According to WGSN, small accessories, personalizable items, and functional leather goods are top gifting choices this year—especially when paired in #MatchingSets or bundled with modular add-ons.

But here's the catch—most internal teams aren't equipped to make these strategic decisions in isolation. They need marketing leadership that understands how to align merchandising, brand, and financial goals. That’s where a Fractional CMO becomes invaluable.

Skip Blanket Discounts. Use Tiered Offers and Bundles.

Instead of reacting with flat markdowns, consider:

📌 WGSN reports that consumers are prioritizing functionality and perceived value this holiday season—making modular bundles and layered gifting incentives more effective than sitewide promos

• Bundles: Pair high-margin items with accessories to increase AOV

• Tiered Offers: “Spend $150, get $20”—encourages strategic upselling

• Gated Exclusives: Reward your SMS list or VIP tier with early access

• Gifts With Purchase: A perfect tactic when paired with under $30 SKUs

Consumers are more price-conscious—but that doesn’t mean they want cheaper. They want value.

📌 BoF reports Coach gained 2.5 million new customers—many Gen Z and Millennials—by anchoring its campaigns in storytelling and data-backed product strategy, not panic discounting.

Panic Discounting Isn’t Just Lazy. It’s Expensive.

Reactive promos usually follow a predictable pattern:

1. Sales are soft

2. Someone suggests “just doing 20% off”

3. Margins drop

4. Customers get trained to wait for sales

5. Brand equity erodes

Once your customers know you’ll cave, they’ll wait you out every time.

And with marketing budgets down to just 7.7% of company revenue in 2024, there’s no room for guesswork or blanket markdowns.

Profit-First Planning Looks Like This:

Inside The Lavender Agency, we build holiday offer stacks using this framework:

• Review historical sell-through by SKU and category

• Map out your focus vs. volume products

• Forecast against realistic goals—revenue first, then AOV and conversion

• Layer offers over your campaign calendar to meet customer psychology and operational bandwidth

📌 WGSN’s gifting guide confirms consumers are prioritizing quality, practicality, and value-per-use. Smart bundles and tiered incentives are outperforming sitewide promos—especially in fashion and beauty.Footwear___Accessories_…

Ready to Build a Holiday Offer Stack That Performs?

If your current plan involves guesswork, generic codes, or crossing your fingers—it’s time for something more effective.

Let’s structure your holiday offer stack around strategy, not slashed margins. Book a discovery call today

This article is part of our July Holiday Strategy Series. If you found this valuable, subscribe below to get future articles delivered straight to your inbox.

Previously in the series:

• Holiday Strategy Planning Starts Now: How to plan a Q4 marketing strategy for a fashion, beauty, or lifestyle brand

Coming up in this series:

• Being Everywhere Is Overrated: Which marketing channels are best for Q4 holiday campaigns?

• You Have the Ideas. Who’s Running the Strategy? How fractional marketing services help fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands execute holiday strategy

• Your Holiday Plan Is Only as Good as Your Timeline: What assets and timelines do fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands need to launch a holiday marketing campaign?

Subscribe here to stay ahead of the holiday curve.