But the businesses that have a great December don't start in December. By the time the rush arrives, they've already done the groundwork. Their customers already know them, their stock is sorted, and their systems can handle the pressure.
If you wait until December to start, you'll spend the month reacting: answering DMs at midnight, running out of stock, and chasing customers who have already bought from someone else.
Here are nine practical things to do in October so December works for you, not against you.
What's in this post
1. Wake up last year's customers
The easiest sale you'll make this Christmas is to someone who has bought from you before. They already trust you. They already know your product. Many of them will buy again. They just need a reminder before another vendor catches their attention first.
Go through last year's orders, DMs, and WhatsApp chats. Send a personal message, share what's new, and give them early access to your Christmas offers.
Why it matters: Getting a past customer to buy again costs far less than finding a new one. They need no convincing, no ads and no trust-building, so these are your fastest, most profitable December sales.
Do this now: Make a list of everyone who bought from you between October and December last year, and message them before the end of this month.
2. Build your own WhatsApp and Instagram audience now
In December, everyone is competing for attention. Businesses that rely only on paid adverts to find customers pay more and get less. Businesses that already have people watching their WhatsApp status and following them on Instagram can sell by simply posting.
Every person who joins your audience in October is someone you can sell to in December without paying to reach them.
Why it matters: Advert costs rise sharply in December as every business rushes in. An audience you already own lets you keep selling even when paid reach becomes expensive, and it protects your profit margin.
Do this now: Give people a reason to save your number or follow you, such as an early-bird list, a giveaway, or first access to your Christmas collection.
Nigerian customers are careful, and for good reason. Before buying from a new vendor, they check your page, read reviews, ask questions, and sometimes watch you for weeks. Nobody wants to gamble on an unknown business on 22nd December.
If people discover you in October, they have time to watch you deliver, see other customers' reviews, and become comfortable buying from you.
Most gift buying is planned long before money changes hands. Companies set end-of-year hamper budgets in October and November. Families plan who they're buying for. Churches and groups organise their end-of-year events early.
If you're not visible when those decisions are made, you won't be on the list when the orders go out.
A cake vendor and a wine seller. A spa and a fashion brand. A shortlet and a food business. Joint hampers and cross-promotions put you in front of customers you would never reach on your own, and customers love a complete gift.
But partnerships take time: agreeing terms, sorting packaging, planning content. Start in December and it won't happen.
Buying a lot of stock for December and then discovering it doesn't sell is one of the most expensive mistakes a business can make. Money gets tied up, and the stock sits there into the new year.
Use October to test. Put different products, prices, and bundles in front of your audience and watch what people actually ask about and pay for. Then stock heavily on the winners.
Do this now: Pick your top five or six potential Christmas products and promote each one this month. Track enquiries and sales for each.
Cash flow is one of the biggest challenges for business owners in the festive season. You need stock before you can sell, and prices often go up in December.
Taking pre-orders or early-bird deposits in October brings in cash early, lets you buy stock at better prices, and tells you exactly how much to prepare.
In December, DMs come in faster than you can reply. Customers who wait too long for a response simply go elsewhere. Every slow reply is a lost sale.
Prepare now so you or your team can respond in seconds, not hours.
December deliveries are stressful. Riders are overbooked, traffic is heavy, and many customers travel home mid-month. Promising delivery you can't meet leads to angry customers and bad reviews at the worst possible time.
Clear cut-off dates protect you and create urgency. “Order by 18th December for delivery before Christmas” gets people to act now instead of later.
In conclusion
December rewards the businesses that prepared for it. By starting in October, you give customers time to discover and trust you, protect your cash flow, stock the right products, and build systems that can handle the rush.
The businesses that win Christmas aren't always the biggest. They're the ones that started early.
