The people who get paid the big bucks at the world’s most beloved brands are responsible for sales (and the biggest contributor to sales is storytelling). They’re the ones at the company that know the market, product, and customer better than anyone else.

If you’re staring down Q4 wishing you’d worked harder on growing your email list this year – this article is for you.

Last year, holiday retail sales in the U.S. grew by 16.1% –the fastest growth rate in more than 20 years– and accounted for more than 204 billion dollars in sales(Insider Intelligence). The opportunity is huge, and most brands look to Q4 as the time to scoop up most of their revenue. The question is: how do we approach it in a way that maximizes our financial opportunity and feels good in our customer relationships?