How to use emotions to drive more DTC sales this Holiday Season
One of the reasons I became a marketer was my love for holiday ads as a child. I thoroughly enjoyed how brands used the holiday season to convince shoppers they needed a product that was available to them all year. How could they not go into the new year without this item in their possession? How a time meant for gathering loved ones turned into “who can get the biggest gift ever.” I talk about this on my about page. Brands have used emotions to drive sales since the beginning of time.
In this blog post, I want to talk about how you can use emotions to drive sales to your D2C or CPG brand’s website this holiday season. We’re going to focus specifically on Branding, Advertising, and Mental Fallacy.
Branding: Tell the Story Behind the Gift
Shoppers aren’t just buying products in December, they’re buying meaning. A candle isn’t just wax and fragrance; it’s “warmth for cold nights.” A protein bar isn’t just a snack, it’s “fuel to hit your goals in the new year.”
Your brand voice should emphasize the emotional transformation your product provides. Use storytelling across your site and packaging to remind customers what giving (or receiving) your product represents. Brands like Coca-Cola and Apple have perfected this by weaving nostalgia and togetherness into every holiday campaign. You can do the same, just zoom in on your customer’s emotional triggers.
Advertising : Sell the Feeling, Not Just the Feature
Holiday marketing is more than pushing promotions. It’s about creating moments of recognition. Think:
Joy and celebration → Highlight the excitement of giving your product.
Urgency and scarcity → Remind shoppers they have a limited time to get the “perfect gift.”
Belonging → Show how your brand fits seamlessly into holiday traditions.
Your campaigns don’t need huge budgets to be effective, they need emotional clarity. For example, a simple holiday-themed product bundle can instantly feel like a thoughtful gift instead of just a sales push. When people feel, they buy.
Mental Fallacy: Work With How Customers Think
Holiday shoppers are especially influenced by mental shortcuts known as cognitive biases. Here are a few you can leverage:
Anchoring Bias → Place a higher-priced item next to your best seller to make the latter feel like a “steal.”
Confirmation Bias → Use reviews and testimonials to reinforce what buyers already want to believe: that your product is a smart, meaningful purchase.
Scarcity Effect → Limited-time offers or “only X left in stock” messaging trigger the urgency to buy now.
These aren’t tricks, they’re tools to meet customers where they are during one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year.
DORA
The holidays are a time when emotions run high, and the brands that win are the ones that tap into those emotions with intention. By leaning into your brand story, creating campaigns that prioritize feelings over features, and leveraging cognitive biases to guide decision-making, you can boost your sales and strengthen long-term loyalty.
If you’re ready to make sure your D2C website copy connects emotionally this holiday season, I have the perfect resource. Download my Holiday Website Audit template or learn more ways to tweak your website and increase conversions this season.
