January is often seen as a month of economic downturn: accumulated accounts, high invoices and consumers more cautious about spending. Faced with this scenario, many companies step on the brakes and reduce commercial efforts. But what if the beginning of the year was not a problem, but an opportunity to activate consumers and maintain a good sales result?
After so many expenses in the holiday season, the customer's cashier goes into temporary survival mode, focusing on the mandatory expenses they usually bear after the New Year, such as taxes and investments in education. All bills come together, compressing the available budget for impulsive purchases.
According to their data released in January 2025, retail sales registered a fall of 0.1% compared to the same period of the previous year.It may seem little, but for a sector as promising and busy as this, having a sales downturn highlights the delicate moment of the Brazilian in ending up spending on what is not necessary.
On the companies side, the reflection of this behavior is usually predictable: campaign reduction, postponement of investments and generic communication. When supply and stimulus fall at the same time, the sensation of “market stopped”. But, it is precisely here that the key point: money does not disappear, it only changes its destination.
When the consumer is financially pressured, he does not stop buying 'he starts to buy better. This requires brands to communicate more empathic, useful and connected to the real moment of the customer. Brands that ignore this context speak to a consumer who does not exist, while those who recognize this scenario and adjust the value proposition gain attention, trust and conversion.
The beginning of the year requires companies to invest in personalized campaigns with the timing appropriate, focusing that each purchase decision needs to make sense. Customize does not mean calling by name, but understanding issues such as: what this customer has already acquired, their tastes, and what tends to solve their problem now timing, respecting the financial moment of the consumer. Poorly positioned offers sound insensitive, while well-contextualized ones convey greater intelligence and sell.
There are some strategies that work especially well when budgeting is pressed: value-focused re-engagement, not discounting (efficiency, time saving, or future cost reduction are more persuasive than shallow discounts); up-sell and cross-sell utility-oriented (highlighting complementary products and services that increase the use of what the customer already has); and flexible business conditions (such as installments, tiered plans and progressive offers, diluting the financial impact without eroding margin).
Maintaining active communication with those who already trust the brand is another indispensable point, since recent active and inactive customers have a lower purchase barrier.In times of tight budget, trust becomes a financial asset. As for the most suitable channels to build this relationship, give preference to more direct and contextual means.
Some that end up gaining more prominence in this regard include WhatsApp, providing fast, close and resolutive conversations; RCS, ideal to explain value, plans and differentials visually; SMS, being more efficient for clear calls to action; and segmented email, great for educational content, comparisons and more elaborate offers. Regardless of which one is used, remember that the relevance of the message is what will really make the difference in conversion.
Data-driven companies understand that January does not have to be a month of pushing products, but rather of solving real problems of their target audience. A good strategy built in this direction allows for continuous billing, even in periods traditionally seen as challenging.
Having a revenue without pause is not optimism, it is intelligence applied to the real context of the consumer. In the end, organizations that know how to adjust their speech, channels and offers, will continue selling 2 WHILE those that disappear from the radar, will lose relevance. Those who wait March to start their sales plans, will start the year behind their competitors.
