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Good morning,
Hereās what youāll find in todayās DTC:
Youāre reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Tylers Coffees, Naked Nectar, and VĆ©loColour. š

āš² How Homesick Nails Seasonal Psychology That Wins in Q4
Homesickās pop-up feels warm, intentional, and directly tied to how people shop during the holiday season.
What Homesick does well:
ā Uses a powerful Q4 hook: Right now, shoppers are on the hunt for incentives and value adds.
The āyouāve got a free gift!ā messaging works well here since it feels like a reward and holiday-themed, unlike more generic āsign up and saveā messaging.
ā One question segmentation: Homesick adds a holiday option to this list to gauge how many people are specifically shopping for the holidays.
This allows the candle brand to send relevant emails to the recipient based on their answer. (e.g., holiday scents, home scents, etc.)
ā Evocative visuals: The product shots and warm background communicate a cozy atmosphere.
It also does a good job of showing Homesickās diverse lineup made up of signature scents and promoting collaborations with big partners like Harry Potter.
If your pop-up already checks these boxes, here are a few other things to keep in mind:
š§Ŗ Make sure your offer is clear: While the promise of a free gift is intriguing, thereās no clarity on what the free gift is and whether thereās a minimum spend before claiming it.
A vague offer can cause drop-offs if users feel like this is a bait-and-switch tactic.
š§Ŗ Missing a value reinforcement image: While showing off a few products is great, adding an image of the exact free gift will make the pop-up even more compelling.
Capture holiday shoppers by adding more holiday visual cues like red ribbons, snowflakes, presents, etc.
š§Ŗ Craft emotional copy: Q4 is peak nostalgia season.
Copy that leans into how your product can evoke heartwarming memories is a strong tactic to use.
The bottom line? For Q4 make sure your email pop-up is aligned with holiday shoppers who respond well to reward language and need help finding the perfect gift.

āšļø Don't Let Q4 Chaos Kill Your Q1 Momentum. Dominate January With UGC That Actually Converts.
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Brands like Arrae and Honeylove are already outpacing the competition, scaling faster with Grapevine. š
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āš„ Donāt Burn Out Before Black Friday Starts! Ā
The busiest quarter doesnāt have to burn you out.
Whether youāre new to the space or a seasoned marketer, you know that Q4 isnāt just busy, itās a full-on sprint.
Deadlines pile up, budgets increase, and the workload skyrockets.
But you canāt pour from an empty cup.
The Pilothouse team is here with a few tried and true tactics to help you keep your head well above water for the busy season and show up at your best.
1ļøā£ Donāt skip the basics
Sleep, water, and real meals. They sound obvious, but theyāre the first things to go when Q4 gets intense.
Meal prep on weekends, keep a solid sleep schedule, and stay hydrated to crush Q4.
Fun fact: the Pilothouse team even has a water reminders channel to keep everyone hydrated š

2ļøā£ Schedule screen breaks
All-day screen time can drain your energy. Block short breaks to move your body and change the scenery.
This can even help you refocus and smash out tasks like never before.
3ļøā£ Remember to spend time with family and friends
The quarter will fly by if you let it. Remember to take time for friends and family, campaigns will still be here when you get back!
4ļøā£ Move your body!
Take time to stay active, health is wealth after all. A quick 10-minute walk, body weight squats, or desk-side stretches are easy to fit in.
Getting your blood flowing can clear mental fog and help you recharge.
5ļøā£ Tell your coworkers what you need
Let coworkers and managers know what you need to be successful and to hit deadlines. We all want everyone to succeed! And setting clear expectations helps prevent burnout before it starts.
6ļøā£ Work when you do your best work (within reason)
If youāre a night owl, smash out tasks late into the evening. If 5 am is more your jam, rise and grind. Of course, donāt miss meetings, but go with the grain instead of against it, your body will thank you!
What are your tips for taking care of yourself during Q4? Reply back to let us know!
Weāve been seeing an uptick of āsorryā posts on Instagram as brands think of creative ways to get customers to stop the scroll.
These long-winded apology messages have been all over our feeds from brands like Arrae, who are also using it as a way to apologize for products that work really well.
Not only is this an engagement tactic, but a great way to humble-brag about your product assortment!

āš Finding the right creators and TikTok affiliates for your brand takes too much time. JoinBrands gets you access to 500,000+ creators ready to produce content, drive sales, and scale your shop with zero monthly fees. Try it for free here. *
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āš„ Got a B2B Biz?
Join dozens of B2B companies finding demand-gen success through our niche community of 150k brand leaders and founders this year. Talk to our team to learn more.
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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.
Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content.