3 Smart Moves Small Businesses Can Make In Q3 to Drive Sales And Set Up Q4
July marks the start of Q3, and it’s a powerful window to jump-start the rest of your year.
What you do now can drive real results this quarter and set the tone for Q4, when customer urgency, and spending, tends to peak.
You don’t need a marketing overhaul. Just get smart about where and how you show up.
Here are three moves we’re advising small business clients to make right now.
1. Make Every Touchpoint Count
→ You can turn everything customers already see into a strategic and educational messaging opportunity.
This includes using the real estate on existing touchpoints to reinforce your value:
Estimates and quotes
Invoices
Emails - email signatures
Follow-up reminders
Packaging and print materials
Example:
We advised a company that offers high-efficiency heat pumps to revamp their pricing estimate paperwork. They were sending basic quotes with line-item pricing and installation costs.
We helped them redesign their estimate format to show the bigger picture:
First-year and lifetime savings with a heat pump vs. traditional oil and gas systems, that includes $0 in volatile oil costs
The efficiency benefits that reduce electricity bills
The added value if the customer also chooses their partner’s solar panel installation, which practically pays for the heat pump installation
The result? Better educated prospects, more closed deals, and stronger margins, without adding new channels or paying one cent on advertising.
Quick Tip: Review your top customer touchpoints. Are they just delivering a price—or are they helping close the sale?
Want to brainstorm how to apply this advice to your business?
2. Make Your Website Work Harder for You
→ When someone clicks through from your ads or other marketing outreach, your website is use-it-or-lose-it. You need a website that shows your value in milliseconds, and entices visitors to read more, putting them on the path to purchase.
That means your homepage (and top landing pages) should:
Clearly communicate what you offer, why it helps, and how it’s different
Make it easy to take action with multiple calls to action, so visitors can engage on their terms
Build trust fast with testimonials, FAQs, results, awards, press hits, and/or other social proof
Present your product offering at a glance to showcase your wares before readers drop off, and show why people should buy from you vs. the competition.
Remember: Your website doesn't need to be a masterpiece, it just needs to move someone closer to buying.
Quick Tip: If you’re driving traffic from email, social, or ads, but seeing low sales conversion, it’s time to revisit your site (you might be committing some of these deadly website sins).
3. Use Q3 to Test, So You Can Scale in Q4
→ Don’t wait until fall to start building momentum. Use Q3 to figure out what works.
This is the perfect time to run smart, low-risk experiments:
A new offer or package
A short-run ad or email campaign
A limited-time referral push
You’re not aiming for perfection here, you’re collecting data to see what works. When you find something that resonates, you’ll have time to polish and scale it by October for the holiday rush (or end of year incentives).
Quick Tip: Every test should answer a question or hypothesis: “Will this offer persuade new customers to act?” or “Which message performs better?” or “Does my value prop resonate with this new audience?” Don’t test without a purpose.
Wrapping Up: Small Tweaks. Big Impact.
You don’t need a full overhaul to see results.
In Q3, your advantage isn’t more time or budget, it’s momentum.
Focus on:
Using your existing touchpoints to reinforce value
Making your website conversion-ready
Running small, smart tests to see what works
Do that, and you won’t just see more sales this quarter, you’ll be ready to win Q4.
FAQs
Q: What are the best Q3 marketing strategies for small businesses?
Focus on timely campaigns that align with seasonal behaviors, like summer sales, back-to-school promotions, or end-of-quarter bundles. Prioritize quick-turn initiatives like updating your website messaging, launching email offers, or refreshing your Google Business profile.
Q: How can I increase sales quickly in Q3 without a big marketing budget?
Use your owned channels (e.g. email, website, and social) to run short, value-packed promotions. Promote limited-time bundles, highlight social proof, and make it easy for customers to take action fast.
Q: What should I focus on if I don’t have time to do a full campaign?
Refreshing your messaging is a high-ROI move. Make sure your website clearly communicates who you serve, what you do best, and how to get started. That alone can improve conversion rates.
Q: Is Q3 a good time to invest in digital ads or should I wait for Q4?
Q3 can be a great testing period—ads may be less expensive, and learnings from a small Q3 campaign can help you scale smarter in Q4. Use it to test offers, creatives, or targeting.
Q: How do I set myself up for a stronger Q4 now?
Use Q3 to re-engage past customers, clean up your lead lists, and identify what messaging is converting. That way, when Q4 hits, you’re ready with proven strategies and a warmed-up audience.
