Every new year brings big plans for growth, visibility, and better marketing habits. But before you focus on what you should start doing, it’s worth taking a clear look at what you need to stop doing.

Because the painful truth is, many small businesses aren’t held back by a lack of ideas, but by repeating the same unproductive marketing patterns year after year.

With that in mind, let’s look at the habits that belong on this year’s Marketing Naughty List. If you leave these behind, you create more room for clarity, momentum, and strategies that actually work in 2026.

1. Posting Without a Plan

How many times have we said that simply creating a plan drastically increases your chances of success?

On the opposite end of that spectrum, random posting is one of the fastest ways to burn time and money without seeing results. When you publish content just because you “should,” it rarely aligns with your goals, audience, or analytics.

For 2026, create a simple monthly plan tied to your offers, seasons, and core messages. Even a light structure beats guessing.

2. Relying on One Marketing Channel

Some businesses put all their energy into one channel – Instagram, email, a podcast, or even referrals. But when that channel slows down, so do the leads.

Don’t do this in 2026. Diversify. You don’t need to be everywhere, but you should have more than one reliable source of visibility.

3. Waiting for Perfection

Perfect graphics, perfect copy, perfect timing – the pursuit of perfection delays more small business marketing than anything else. Meanwhile, your competitors are simply showing up and putting themselves out there.

What to remember in the New Year? Good and consistent will outperform perfect and inconsistent every time.

4. Ignoring Data Because It Feels Overwhelming

Most small businesses skip analytics entirely. They post, email, or run ads… but never stop to analyze what’s actually working and what isn’t. That leads to wasted effort and repeating ineffective habits.

Going forward, decide to track one or two key metrics per channel. Start small. Data doesn’t need to be complicated to be useful.

5. Treating Marketing as an Afterthought

Many owners only think about marketing when business is slow. But marketing is a long game. Consistency builds trust, authority, and momentum long before leads arrive.

Starting now, treat marketing as a core business function, not a last-minute task. Build regular habits so your visibility never dips.

Let’s Make 2026 Your Best Marketing – and Business – Year Ever!

If you want better marketing results this year, start by clearing out the habits that drain your time and energy. When you let go of random posting, single-channel dependence, perfectionism, ignored data, and last-minute marketing efforts, you build a foundation that actually supports growth.

Small shifts add up. A little planning, a few data-driven decisions, and a commitment to consistency can transform how marketing feels – and how well it performs. Reach out today for help putting together a strategy that you can stick to for the New Year.