Set your brand up for success in the new year with these sales strategies.

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It's time to gear up for the UK's first major retail event of the year. The January sales are a post-Christmas shopping event, typically starting on Boxing Day (December 26) or soon after, and lasting throughout January. During this period, shoppers enjoy discounts on a wide range of products, while retailers clear out seasonal and excess stock to make room for new inventory. It’s a great opportunity to engage with new customers acquired during peak season and attract customers during a traditionally quieter trading period.

Here are some inspiring ideas to elevate your January sales marketing strategy, helping you maintain momentum after the holiday rush and boost your early-year revenue.

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Elemis: Tap into skincare resolutions with bundle deals

Elemis tapped into the 'new year, new me' mindset of January when many focus on health and wellness, including skincare. As part of their January sales SMS marketing strategy, they created a bundle deal for subscribers who had viewed their cleansing balm page, made past purchases, or clicked on SMS links over the peak shopping season—BFCM, Christmas, and Boxing Day. 

The deal offered three small-sized versions of their popular cleansing balms for a discounted price. This approach encouraged customers to try different products without committing to full-sized purchases, making it an attractive and low-risk offer for those looking to revamp their skincare routine in the new year.

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Protein Works: Drive sales with timely discounts for VIPs and new subscribers

Similarly, Protein Works made the most of the January fitness reset. As part of their strategy, they sent a text message timed with payday to VIP subscribers—customers who had made more than three purchases—and to recent subscribers who had signed up in the last 60 days during peak but hadn't made a purchase. The message offered these segments an extra discount for one day only.

By doing so, Protein Works added an element of exclusivity to their SMS channel, acknowledged and rewarded loyalty, helped VIPs to restart their fitness journey with a compelling incentive, and encouraged engagement from new subscribers. The well-timed offer created a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to act quickly and make the most of the limited-time deal after payday.

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Tarte: Entice subscribers with a discount on their favorite item

Tarte Cosmetics thrilled their SMS subscribers during the January sales with a 50% discount on their best-selling and most popular product. By offering this item at a significant discount, Tarte achieved multiple benefits. They introduced new subscribers to their cult-favorite beauty essential, leveraged their strong brand reputation to inspire first-time purchases, and encouraged long-time fans of the product to restock.

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Color Wow: Re-engage holiday subscribers with Blue Monday surprise offers

Color Wow identified Blue Monday—the third Monday of January, often dubbed the most depressing day of the year—as a key promotional date. On this day, they sent a text message to subscribers who had signed up during the peak shopping season but had not made a purchase. The SMS included a mystery discount code, tapping into the allure of surprise savings and the desire for self-indulgence during the post-holiday lull to engage new subscribers.

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Sophia Webster: Launch targeted category campaigns

Sophia Webster used January sales to spotlight the upcoming wedding season. The brand leveraged SMS marketing to promote their bridal footwear sale, sending a text message to subscribers who had previously shown interest in the bridal category. This strategy allowed Sophia Webster to further capitalize on the January sales period by driving awareness and revenue for their special occasion category products.

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Joma Jewellery: Announce further discounts to high-intent shoppers

Joma Jewellery utilized SMS marketing to announce further discounts in their January sale. They reached out to recent subscribers who had engaged with their products in the last 60 days by clicking links or viewing items without purchasing, and to those who had shown repeated interest by viewing products multiple times.

By targeting these specific groups, Joma Jewellery aimed to encourage visits from new subscribers, re-engage interested customers, and convert those who had shown strong browsing activity and buying intent.

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Joseph Joseph: Convert last-minute shoppers with urgent messaging

As the January sales were coming to an end, Joseph Joseph sent a text message to all SMS subscribers, emphasizing the limited time left to take advantage of discounts. With 42% of UK consumers making a purchase within hours of receiving a text from a brand,  it's the perfect channel to send time-sensitive same-day offers.

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Kickstart your January sales campaigns with these strategies to create engaging brand experiences that boost conversions. Explore our SMS gallery, Texts We Love, and Marketing Calendar to discover key dates and inspiring campaign ideas for 2025.