Smart marketing strategies for 2026: Start early, grow fast

Cassandra Preseren

Recently I spoke with a new business owner in one of the communities served by View Newspaper Group’s 22 locally-owned newspapers — a community I’m proud to call home. When we talked about marketing strategy, she said, “Oh we’d love to market in the paper, but can’t afford it this year. We want to do it next year once our sales increase.”

Hearing this was frustrat­ing but mostly, it made me want to help her even more. Particularly because I’d just wrapped up a campaign with a similar business in a neigh­boring town, one that started marketing before their grand opening and saw great results.

Small business owners are incredible at what they do, but they’re often juggling a million things at once.

Marketing isn’t always their expertise. Having spent decades in marketing and working every day with local businesses, I’ve seen firsthand the huge difference between those who invest in marketing and those who don’t.

Here’s the catch: many business own­ers think they need sales before investing in marketing. But the truth is the opposite. The businesses that thrive — even exceed expectations — are the ones that believe in a strong marketing launch. That initial boost builds awareness, drives sales and sets the foundation for growth. Without it, growth can be painfully slow and survival uncertain.

The SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration) points out seven addition­al common marketing myths that hold businesses back: 1. If my product or service is good enough, I don’t need to market it because it will sell itself. 2. The more types of customers I target, the more I’ll sell. 3. Good marketing delivers instant results. 4. Marketing is a waste of money. 5. Spending more always means more customers. 6. Online marketing is all I need. 7. If I use social media to market my business, I don’t need a website.

The last two myths applied directly to the new business I mentioned. Many are allured by the “free” aspect of social media, while not accounting for hidden costs. They simply hope their posts create enough awareness. I must note that I only learned about this new business through my work, not through social media, and I fit their target demographic; a perfect example that while social media can be an important part of the marketing puz­zle, it cannot be relied upon alone.

While visiting another business owner, after he complimented our team saying the entire marketing process is effort­less with us, he casually added, “Yeah marketing is something you just don’t budget for.” Another marketing myth and moment that reminded me why this topic is so important to share.

As the fourth quarter begins and plan­ning starts for 2026, now’s the time to make marketing a priority —– not just an afterthought. It’s not an expense; it’s an investment that fuels sales and long-term success. Creating a marketing plan sets the foundation for tangibles that measure suc­cess, allowing yourself to track and react, maximizing potential. Keeping in mind that if sales drop, cutting marketing can make the situation worse. Marketing is the engine that keeps customers coming. As Henry Ford famously said, “A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.”

But how much should you invest in it?

Well, the SBA recommends spend­ing between 7% and 10% of your gross revenue on marketing if you’re doing less than $5 million a year in sales and your net profit margin is in the 10 to 12% range. Start-ups and high growth com­panies should invest even more – 20 to 50% – while mid-sized businesses with up to $50 million in revenue can allocate 6 to 9%. Consumer-facing (B2C) com­panies generally need a bigger marketing budget than business-to-business (B2B) ones. There are other factors to consid­ered based on industry and competition, but these are general rule of thumb.

Your marketing budget covers every­thing: print advertising, digital advertis­ing, online presence (website, social media), local sponsorships and marketing campaigns. It should also include time and money to build community connec­tions by attending local events, support­ing local causes and getting involved with other businesses through partnerships and chambers of commerce.

Investing in smart, community-focused marketing isn’t just good business — it’s essential. Keeping consistency with your marketing is also key for your brand to stay top of mind and credible.

When planning your marketing strat­egy for 2026, please remember that the sales specialists at View Newspaper Group are much more than our titles allude to. We are the marketing depart­ment for many of our customers. From strategy and concept to design implemen­tation with our award-winning graphics department, we are a trusted resource to lean on for market trends, insights and effective advertising. We serve communi­ties across the state with our 22 locally-owned newspapers and have 352,000 copies in print each week, meaning our team knows what works.

Want to talk about your 2026 mar­keting plan? Email me at [email protected].

Cassandra Preseren is a Sales and Branding Specialist for View Newspaper Group.