You know that feeling when you’re scrolling through Instagram at 11 PM and suddenly you’re convinced you need to bake homemade gingerbread, host a perfect holiday party, AND post five times a day?

Chelsea and Kayla reflect on how overstimulated we all are right now, and why your marketing doesn’t need to contribute to that. They’re breaking down a stupid simple 5-4-3-2-1 plan that keeps you visible without making you feel like you’re missing out on all the magic of the season with your family.

This episode is your reminder to post the right things (instead of just more things) and enjoy your December!

Kayla’s Christmas Cactus

Kayla has this Christmas cactus. She bought it last year when it was gorgeous and full of blooms, brought it home, put it in the dining room where there was tons of natural light, watered it weekly, and then…

All the blooms fell off and never sprouted again.

She thought maybe it just needed to wait until Christmas to bloom again (because, you know, Christmas cactus), but as the Christmas season approached, it was still showing zero signs of life.

One day, her sister came over, took one look at the cactus and told Kayla she probably needed to move it somewhere with less light. Kayla was like, “No way, this thing needs lots of light.” But she did it anyway because at that point, what did she have to lose?

Within a week, little pink buds started popping up everywhere, and now it’s blooming like crazy!

You probably know where we’re going with this. Kayla was giving the cactus something good that cacti (is that how you say it?) typically love.

But it was too much of a good thing, and it ended up doing more harm than good.

We’re all doing this to ourselves right now. Filling our lives with good things, but so many good things that we can’t actually bloom. We’re scrolling through ideas for matching Christmas pajamas, perfect photos with Santa, traditions we should be doing, crafts we need to make, posts we should be creating…

Sometimes less is more, and the best thing you can do is move yourself out of all that light into a space where you can actually grow.

Your Phone Is Lying to You About Productivity

Chelsea listened to this podcast episode recently called “How to Hack Your Brain to Feel Less Addicted to Your Phone” from The Everygirl Podcast, where the host was talking about dopamine, which is essentially a motivation chemical. It motivated our ancestors to hunt and find shelter and do all the survival things.

Nowadays, we get dopamine spikes from our phones, which create an artificial sense of accomplishment that’s actually draining our motivation.

Your brain thinks scrolling Instagram is productive. It thinks you’re doing something important when you’re saving that reel or screenshotting that post or reading about what everyone else is doing for the holidays.

You might be scrolling through fun, happy Christmas content that makes you feel behind or consuming other agents doing creative marketing that makes you feel like you’re not doing enough. Whatever it is, one thing’s for sure: endless scrolling only produces mental noise, keeping you from the actual work.

So what do you do about it?

Accomplish something before you look at your phone. Even if it’s making your bed, brushing your teeth, going for a walk, or making breakfast. Don’t look at your phone first thing.

Mel Robbins said it perfectly: if the first thing you do when you wake up is look at your phone, you’re giving yourself to all the media instead of to your own life and the things that make you better.

Try phone fasting. Stay off your phone for at least the first 30 minutes of your day. Chelsea has been doing this at night, and it feels so good. Put it in another room while you’re playing games with your kids, reading a book, or watching a movie you actually want to watch.

You’ll feel rested and ready for bed instead of stimulated and behind.

Use your phone as a reward rather than a default. Check it after you finish a hard task or after you post your own content.

Or better yet, instead of scrolling, turn on a Christmas playlist on Spotify. Light a candle, and make your environment cozy and festive, leaving all that noise on the phone where it belongs.

Why Offline Is the New Luxury

Pretty Little Marketer posted something recently that made us think:

“Offline is the new luxury.”

She said opting out has become a power move. Disconnection has been reframed as status, safety, and protection. People aren’t leaving social media completely, but they’re recalibrating their internet experience.

And we’re here for it!

This is exactly why we’re so passionate about email. Social media is where you capture attention, sure. But it’s not where you build trust or have those deeper, relationship-driven conversations.

People are getting weary of the fast-paced, what’s-trending-next hamster wheel. At some point, they’re going to want something that feels more trustworthy and real.

The way we teach marketing is literally designed to make offline the new luxury for you.

We’re not telling you to know everything about the algorithm. We’re not saying you need to follow every trend or use every trending audio or make sure you’re always on top of the latest thing.

What we care about is teaching you to build a brand and stay top of mind without being glued to your phone 24/7.

During Thanksgiving weekend, Chelsea had emails scheduled to go out and some pre-recorded stories. She spent the whole week with her family and barely showed up in real time on social media.

And she still had a ton of new business happen!

That’s our goal for you.

Five Shifts That Keep You Visible (No Burnout Involved)

Before we get to the actual action plan, we want to give you five little mindset shifts that’ll make everything easier.

1. Show Your Face

If you’re going to post anything this month, put your face in it.

It could be a photo of you holding your coffee, a selfie in front of your Christmas tree, or you talking to the camera in your stories — your face needs to be there.

You could post the exact same piece of content with a beautiful photo of your living room versus with your face in it, and guess what? Your face will win every. single. time!

We don’t care how photogenic you think you are. We don’t care about the quality. If you’re in it, it’ll do better.

2. Stay Local

Whether you’re tagging a local coffee shop, capturing the big Christmas tree in the town square, or shopping at local businesses — lean into your community.

The people you brush shoulders with at the gas station or the coffee shop are probably seeing you on Instagram.

If you give them a positive interaction in real life, they’re way more likely to see you as trustworthy. And when their friend mentions thinking about moving, guess whose name they’re going to bring up?

3. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Push yourself to do one thing you wouldn’t normally do. Start a book club. Join a running club. Sit at a coffee shop and work there with the goal of having three conversations. Anything, but whatever you do, don’t stay in your comfort zone.

4. Build Tiny Habits You Can Actually Stick To

Kayla does three things every single day: does her hair, puts on pink lipstick, and shaves her legs.

Even if she’s staying home and no one’s going to see her. She does it because it makes her feel confident and put together.

Those tiny habits matter because they make everything else easier. Example: Documenting your life feels easier if you have an outfit you like.

What will your three tiny things be?

5. Document, Don’t Overthink

You’re not a professional photographer, and that’s ok! With every picture and video you take, you get better, but you have to be willing to suck at it first.

So take a few clips and delete them because they’re terrible. Take a few more and pick one for your stories. What matters is that you put in the reps and document your life without overthinking.

Your 5-4-3-2-1 Holiday Marketing Action Plan

Okay, here it is. We’re going to tell you exactly how to market your business during December.

Ready?

Five B-Roll Clips (Yes, Just Five)

Between now and the end of the year, we want you to take five B-roll clips.

And by B-roll, we mean set your phone against a cup of water, a stack of books, a candle, whatever. Put it on the floor as you walk up to the door and open it. You don’t need fancy tools or sophisticated cinematography!

Even if you never use them, put them in a folder on your phone labeled “B-roll” and call it a day.

Once you get excited about it and it starts working, you’ll show up more. And now your marketing starts working because you’re consistent.

See how that all works together?

Quick B-roll tips:

• Use twinkle lights in the background. Jessica Garvin (Chelsea’s favorite creator) uses them everywhere!
• Film on gloomy, cloudy days. The lighting is actually more aesthetically pleasing than harsh sunlight.
• Capture your phone sitting on a coffee table while you walk into the room and sit on the couch. You don’t have to be right up in the camera.
• Your kitchen is the heart of the home. Film yourself making tea, pouring wine, stirring pancake batter.

Four Stories a Day (One Minute of Your Life)

Four story slides equals one minute of your day. That’s it.

Start with something from your morning routine. Set an alarm on your phone to go off at 9 AM. When it goes off, take one photo and one quick video of whatever you’re doing.

Here’s what your four stories could look like:

Morning: Your coffee, your planner, your drive to a showing, wrapping presents

Midday: Something personal, like getting your nails done, or something business-related, like showing a house

Afternoon: Two random moments throughout the day. What you’re making for dinner. Plans you have. A Christmas party you’re going to. What you’re watching on TV. The book you’re reading. Walking the dog. Literally anything normal to you.

Evening: One story at the end of the day. What you’re doing that night. A cozy moment by the tree. Packing for a trip.

Your people are just happy to hear from you, not examining your every move!

And by the way, this is also the perfect time to stay sharp. Read 10 pages of a business book and share one takeaway. Screenshot something interesting and put it in your stories.

Leaders say yes to new experiences because it gives them something to talk about.

If you’re just living your small life at home (and we say that with love because homes and families are powerful), no wonder you feel like you have nothing interesting to share.

Get out. Try new things. Say yes to opportunities. Then you’ll actually have stories to tell your clients and your followers.

Three Local Things to Document

From now until the end of the year, document three local things.

This could be:

• Picking up coffee or takeout from a local spot
• The flower section inside your grocery store
• The little display of nail polishes at your nail salon
• The big Christmas tree downtown
• A local boutique you love
• Your post office (Chelsea is convinced every post office is cute and wants to see yours)

Your job isn’t to be the chamber of commerce, showing everyone historical landmarks.

Your job is to show where Chelsea likes to shop. Where Kayla likes to go for coffee. Where you spend your time.

Chelsea wants to start a fun contest, by the way. DM your post office photo to Modern Agent Marketing Girls on Instagram. She wants to see all the cute post offices and prove her theory that there are no ugly ones.

Two Local Accounts to Engage With Daily

If you’ve ever thought “my content keeps flopping” or “I don’t get any engagement” or “I wish I had more followers,” listen up.

You need to engage with other accounts first.

Think of Instagram like a networking opportunity, and engage with two accounts per day.

Leave a comment on a local business’s post. A local blogger. A local mom from school. We don’t care who it is.

Chances are you’ll have fun doing it and end up commenting on five or ten accounts. But two per day equals 14 per week!

One New Thing (And Three Reel Frameworks to Document It)

Do one new thing between now and the end of the year and document it.

It doesn’t have to be extravagant.

Maybe you tell your family to dress up and you have a nice dinner at home with all the candles lit. Maybe you check out a new restaurant. Maybe you text two or three other agents and grab lunch together just to talk and build relationships.

Leaders make decisions that get them in front of people. They say yes to things even when they’d rather stay home.

That’s how you network and make connections that lead to referrals.

Once you do your new thing, document it with one of these three reel frameworks:

Framework 1: “You’re not sad, you just needed [blank]” Example: “You’re not sad, you just needed hot yoga and an iced latte”

Framework 2: “You look happier. Thanks, I [blank]” Example: “You look happier. Thanks, I finally tried that new coffee shop everyone’s been talking about”

Framework 3: “POV: You finally [blank]” Example: “POV: You finally try hot yoga and get an iced latte and you’re never going to stop going to this studio”

Take one of those frameworks, show us your new thing, and tag us! We can’t wait to see it.

5-4-3-2-1

Five B-roll clips. Four stories a day. Three local things to document. Two local accounts to engage with daily. One new thing with a reel framework.

That’s your entire holiday marketing plan!

Go grab your twinkling lights, set that alarm, and let’s finish this year strong.

5-4-3-2-1, let’s go.

This episode was edited by Adrienne Cruz.