As planning and budgeting season for 2026 gets underway, there’s a risk of defaulting to last year’s playbook. But the brands and organisations that thrive next year won’t be the ones repeating what worked before. They’ll be the ones making sharper choices, aligning resources to where they have the greatest impact, and building flexibility into their plans.
Here are six critical shifts to consider before you set budgets in stone.
- Compete to win, not just to play
Strategy can often drift towards an internal focus on what we want to say, not how to outpace others in our market. But success is relative: if a competitor is just one step ahead, you’ll still lose ground. For 2026, benchmark harder. Audit competitor messages, budgets, and positioning.
Ask: where can we truly stand apart? Then concentrate investment there.
- Build on your true advantage, not generic promises
Every sector has its “permission-to-play” messages, whether that’s quality, trust, service, or innovation. These matter, but they rarely differentiate. Instead, identify specific challenges you can solve better than anyone else and put them at the heart of your plan.
- Put people back at the centre
Digital channels are essential, but audiences crave genuine human connection. Whether you’re engaging donors, inspiring customers, or motivating communities, real conversations build trust.
Make sure your 2026 plans budget not only for digital delivery but also for people-powered engagement.
- Harness creativity + technology for scale
Audiences are bombarded daily with content. Creativity is still the best way to break through but it must be consistent, data-led, and repeatable. Technology, including AI, can help by uncovering insights and scaling execution; not by replacing people, but by amplifying them.
- Balance long-term brand with short-term wins
The best plans commit to both: brand building that compounds over time and tactical initiatives that show immediate value. Too much focus on either side risks stalling growth or burning out resources.
For 2026, aim for balance and ringfence some budget for experimentation and innovation.
- Prioritise customer understanding
The strongest strategies are built on robust customer insight, not assumptions. Without clarity on who your target audiences are, what drives them, and how they perceive your brand, even the best campaign risks missing the mark.
Action for 2026: Invest in research. Define your priority audiences. Map their needs and behaviours. Use these insights to sharpen your messaging, targeting and spend.
The takeaway
Planning for 2026 is not about doing more, but about doing what matters most. By focusing on genuine advantage, human connection, creative impact, and a balanced investment horizon, you can enter the year with clarity and confidence.
Strategy isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s the difference between noise and growth.
Want help to get 2026 ready? Why not get in touch today?
