1. Discover your value proposition
If you don’t already have a firm understanding of your Value Proposition (VP) – the thing that sets you apart from your competitors – now’s the time to nail it down.
It may sound like an obvious thing to have for your business, but so many of our clients don’t have a clear idea of their VP when they start out on their marketing journey with us.
The other thing to bear in mind is that what you assume is your VP might not actually be the value your customers look for in your business. This is often the case when business owners are very close to their business. Taking a step back – or getting a professional outside perspective – can really help in establishing what your VP really is.
When you leverage your true VP in your marketing you reduce pain and increase gain for your target groups and your business.
2. Adopt a strategic approach
Having a marketing strategy is key to ensuring success. It enables you to tailor your efforts towards a specific purpose – with one goal in mind – and measure the outcome of your marketing initiatives. Without one, you’re shooting in the dark.
A typical marketing strategy will have one overarching goal that’s broken down into several smaller campaigns, each with their own desired outcome.
An example of this might be: “I want to get more customers.” This would be your overarching goal. To achieve this, however, you will need to implement several smaller campaigns that move prospects towards becoming new customers.
Your campaigns might be a series of socials posts, encouraging people to enquire for more information. Or an email campaign that shares exclusive discounts with your mailing list.
No single marketing initiative is going to send your customer numbers through the roof; by creating a multi-channel strategy – and monitoring what works – you stand a good chance of achieving your end goal.
3. Invest in your website
It might be a big expense you’ve been putting off, but if your website is below par, make it a priority in 2026.
User Experience (UX) is a huge part of giving good customers service – if your website is clunky, confusing, and not mobile compatible, then it’s a 100% guarantee it’s costing you business.
Today's online customers don’t wait around. According to recent statistics, the average prospect will bounce if a page takes longer than 8 seconds to load. And once they are on your site, they expect an intuitive, responsive design that anticipates their needs and delivers a smooth, seamless customer journey.
You wouldn't leave a warm prospect waiting around in your reception area or standing at your till, goods in hand, would you? Then why do it to your online customers!? Your website is often the first impression prospective leads have of your business, and you have one chance to make it a good one – don't waste it! Getting that website up to scratch is a solid investment.
4. Implement SEO
Once you have the fastest, slickest website experience available to humanity, it's time to start making it work for you.
Failing to implement SEO on your website is like owning a magic wand and no spellbook – it might look the part, but without the right words to empower it, it’s just a fancy thing to wave around.
Like your marketing, effective SEO requires a strategic approach. You also need the right analytics tools to discover potential keywords that might work for your webpages and track their progress – these can be costly!
It is possible to teach yourself the basic principles of SEO, but to fully leverage the benefits and monitor your SEO campaigns effectively, it’s worth getting an expert on board. The ROI is well worth it.
5. Try multi-media
Marketing has come a long way since the days of advertising in the local paper and putting up posters in bus stops. If you’re still relying on static marketing – it's time for more dynamic thinking.
As we move into 2026, shortform video is still on the rise as one of the most popular ways for audiences to engage with a business.
This doesn’t mean you have to launch your own TikTok channel and become a social media star (though by all means do this if you feel up to it!). Using video content on your website to provide short explainers of products and services is an effective way of sharing information in an easy-to-digest way.
Many businesses are now making use of podcasts as an alternative means of reaching busy audiences. The great thing about podcasts is they provide a fantastic platform for collaboration with other relevant businesses. This kind of cross pollination with strategic partners helps to add value for your customers while also putting you in front of new prospects.
6. Embrace automation, harness data – go digital!
How many of your customer management processes are still paper based? It’s estimated small business owners spend up to 16 hours a week on administrative tasks – that’s two full working days wasted on managing your business rather than doing business.
Automating these processes using digital tools is a way to cut down on repetitive admin tasks and take back those hours. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can be automated to send and reply to emails, track order progress, and smooth customer journeys, improving your service delivery and saving you time!
Most CRM software is also primed to help you harvest useful customer data which can be used to power your marketing campaigns with targeted, relevant massaging that hits the mark and ensures you retain existing business.
Moving to a digital platform can feel like a lot of upheaval but it’s worth taking this step in 2026!
Need help implementing your New Year’s marketing resolutions? From your VP and strategy to your website overhaul, Formation’s full-service team has got your back. Get in touch to find out more.
