Strategy Over Scramble: Making the Most of the End-of-Year Slowdown

As the year winds down and the days grow shorter, many small business owners find themselves torn between catching up and winding down. If you didn’t manage to plan a festive campaign or jump on the Small Business Saturday bandwagon this year, don’t worry, there’s still plenty you can do to end the year on a strong note.

Now’s the perfect time to take a step back, review your marketing activity, and set the stage for a more strategic start to 2026.

Keep calm and plan ahead

It’s easy to feel that by November you’ve missed the boat for any big marketing pushes. Rather than scrambling to pull something together at the last minute for Black Friday or Christmas, this time of year can be a valuable opportunity to think strategically instead of tactically. A little reflection now can pay dividends later.

Instead of asking ‘What can I promote right now?’, ask ‘What have I learned this year?’. Understanding which campaigns, messages and channels worked best will help you to make informed decisions about where to focus your time and budget next year.

Three areas worth reviewing

Before hibernating, or switching off for Christmas, take a moment to consider these key areas:

1. Marketing performance

Look back over your marketing activity for the year. Which campaigns delivered results, and which didn’t quite land? Did you see consistent engagement on social media or steady website traffic from your content? Reviewing what worked well, and what didn’t, will help you identify where to invest your energy in 2026.

2. Customer relationships

Have you stayed visible and consistent with your communications? Did you nurture your existing customers or focus mainly on finding new ones? Reflecting on your client relationships can reveal opportunities for loyalty building or cross-selling that may have been overlooked.

3. Marketing foundations

Your website, CRM (customer relationship management system) and overall marketing plan all benefit from regular maintenance. Is your website content still relevant? Are your case studies and testimonials up to date? Tidying up your marketing assets now means you’ll start the new year ready to act, not react.

Looking ahead

Using November and December to reflect, review and reset means you’ll be far better prepared for the year ahead. Rather than starting 2026 in a rush, you’ll have a clear direction and strategy ready to go, giving you a head start while others are still warming up. A little preparation now can make a huge difference later, so why not make 2026 your strongest year yet? Book a marketing planning session with Alison Page Marketing early in the new year and together we’ll set clear goals and create a strategy that works for your business.

We look forward to hearing from you. Please get in touch on tel: 07963 002065 or email: hello@alisonpagemarketing.co.uk.