For many businesses the fresh new start of the year quickly turns into a long list of ideas that never get implemented. A bit of social media. Maybe an advert, or some emails. Maybe a new website. Good intentions — but without a clear plan and doomed to be cast aside as the day to day business gets in the way!
Sound familiar?
After more than three decades working with businesses of all shapes and sizes, one thing has become very clear to us: successful marketing is not always about doing something new. It’s about doing the right mix, consistently, over time. You've heard me mention our DESIGN + PERSISTENCE = THREE slogan before! It's time to get on with it...
Your marketing mix in 2026 doesn’t need to include everything. It doesn’t need to chase every new platform or trend. And it certainly doesn’t need to change just for the sake of change. What it does need is balance — the right combination of activity that suits your business, your audience and your goals.
That mix will look different for everyone. For one business it might be a strong, consistent brand supported by regular email communication and thoughtful printed materials. For another it could be social media backed up by well-timed direct mail. Often, the most effective results come when digital and physical marketing work together — reinforcing the same message in different ways.
We see time and time again that the brands who perform best aren’t necessarily the loudest. They’re the most recognisable. The ones who show up consistently. The ones who understand that repetition builds trust, and trust builds results.
As we head into 2026, the businesses who will thrive are the ones who step back and take stock. Who choose clarity over chaos. Who focus on consistency rather than novelty. And who build a marketing mix they can realistically sustain.
So perhaps this is the right moment to make yourself a coffee, take five minutes away from the screen, and think about your own marketing mix. What’s working? What isn't? And what small changes could make a big difference over the next six months?
And if you’d like a second pair of eyes on that, someone to talk it through with — you know where we are.