Episode Overview

Podcast: Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson
Episode: Ask Us ANYTHING: 5 Easy December Marketing Tests for B2B and Consumer! (and Non-Profit) | Ep. 450
Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Jay Schwedelson

This lively episode delivers rapid-fire, actionable marketing tactics tailored for the end-of-year sprint in December. Jay answers real listener questions about last-minute engagement boosters and slips in some personal recommendations for underrated holiday movies. The tone is energetic, friendly, and peppered with irreverent humor—as always.

1. Easy December Marketing Tactics for Maximum Engagement

Listener Question (Jerry from Stamford, CT):
"Are there any last minute marketing tactics we could run before year end to drive engagement?" [01:27]

Jay delivers a list of specific, low-lift strategies that can make a disproportionate impact during the December window—applicable to B2B, B2C, and nonprofits.

Key Tactics and Insights

1. Team Holiday Photos or Videos

• What to Do: Take and share a fun, “human” holiday team photo or short video.
• Why: "Social engagement on posts that are holiday team photos or videos are 400% higher than standard posts from December 1st through December 22nd." [02:20]
• Pro Tip: DM everyone who interacts with the post to build personal rapport.
• Quote: “We all love to see the humanity of the brands that we are working with.” [02:04]

2. Holiday-Themed Email Signatures

• What to Do: Add a festive greeting, a thank-you, and a valuable content link to your (or your team's) email signatures.
• Why: "If your signature is holiday focused and thank you focused, it actually increases click-thru rates by over 40%." [03:23]
• Suggestions: Link to a 'Best of 2025' roundup, or a useful recent post.
• Quote: “People sleep on their email signature… It is very valuable real estate.” [02:54]

3. Behind-the-Scenes (BTS) Content

• What to Do: Shoot and post short behind-the-scenes content of holiday preparations, potlucks, or office traditions.
• Why: "All we care about is behind-the-scenes. We're all voyeurs… We just want to see what's going on." [04:05]
• Personal Touch: Jay jokes about not touching office potluck food and being judgy about coworkers’ hygiene, adding comic flair. [04:33]

4. Requesting Testimonials

• What to Do: Send a simple outreach—form or reply—to customers or donors, asking for a testimonial or review during December.
• Why: "Testimonial outreach request gets a 500% increase in testimonial submissions in the month of December as compared to any other month." [05:28]
• How: Provide an easy link/form or ask for an email reply.
• Quote: “You could have one great testimonial and you could ride that and grow your entire business.” [05:48]

5. Running End-of-Year Polls

• What to Do: Create polls on LinkedIn or other social platforms about reflections on the past year or goals for next year.
• Why: “Polls related to the end of year and next year in the month of December [see] 250% higher average engagement.” [06:12]
• Sample Prompts: Most defining word of 2025, top achievement, main goal for 2026.

2. Fun Segment: Underrated Holiday Movie Recommendations

Listener Question (Remy from Portland, OR):
"I need some new holiday movies to try. What are underrated options outside the classics?" [07:05]

Jay responds with his signature banter, mixing genuine recs with self-deprecating humor:

Jay’s Under-the-Radar Holiday Movie Picks

• The Holiday (Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet)
  “Great movie. If you haven’t seen The Holiday—two thumbs up.” [07:44]
• Love Actually
  “Love Actually is a great movie. I’m a big Keira Knightley fan.” [08:08]
• The Big Chill (bit of a Thanksgiving/winter vibe)
  “A little bit of a downer movie, but if you’ve never seen The Big Chill... it’s good.” [08:37]
• Planes, Trains and Automobiles (ultimate Thanksgiving/holiday classic)
  “A must watch. John Candy’s the funniest dude of all time.” [09:00]
• The Family Man (Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni)
  Jay’s top pick—“My number one favorite holiday movie. It is my favorite holiday movie. I watch it every year... I don’t know why!” [09:36]
  “This is your homework. You want to watch The Family Man.” [09:49]
• Honorable Mention:
  Jay pokes at Remy for considering Gremlins a holiday film:
  “That’s super weird, freaks me out, and I want nothing to do with any horror movies. And that is a horror movie.” [07:29]

3. Notable Quotes & Moments

• “[On team photos] It’s too easy. It’s not off-brand. You’re just boring. Sorry.” [02:43]
• “Everyone bring in a dish? I’m horrible because I think everyone’s gross... Judge me, don’t care anyway.” [04:33]
• “You could have one great testimonial and you could ride that and grow your entire business.” [05:48]
• “[On The Family Man] ...if you’re like, ‘I’ve never seen it’—well, that’s because you’re a loser. OK, this is your homework.” [09:47]

4. Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:27] Listener question: Last-minute December marketing ideas
• [02:04] Team holiday photos or video strategy
• [02:54] Holiday-themed email signatures
• [04:05] Behind-the-scenes (BTS) content idea
• [05:28] Requesting testimonials in December
• [06:12] Running end-of-year polls
• [07:05] Listener question: Non-obvious holiday movie recommendations
• [07:44-09:49] Jay’s "sleeper hit" holiday movie picks and comedic responses

5. Final Thoughts & Tone

The episode is a highly practical, fun-packed resource for marketers scrambling in December, balancing data-driven quick wins with Jay’s punchy personality ("You’re just boring. Sorry."). The audience is encouraged to take low-resistance, high-impact steps and to indulge in some lesser-known holiday films on their well-earned downtime.

Summary:
This episode offers five smart, stats-backed December marketing tests anyone can deploy to boost engagement, plus a bonus round-up of fresh holiday movie picks to liven up your season. Jay’s rapid delivery, candid humor, and data-fueled tips make this a must-listen for marketers looking to finish the year strong—without overcomplicating things.