Why taking marketing action for your small business is key this time of year

Female cafe worker wearing grey apron standing in cafe.

As the year begins, there’s always great energy with Australian small business owners. Regardless of media doom and gloom, it’s a time of reflection, renewal and resolution. For small business owners, it’s also the perfect opportunity to assess, strategise and most importantly take action within their business, because without action there’s no results! Waiting too long to act can result in missed opportunities, while stepping up now can set the tone for a successful year ahead. 

Capitalising on new energy

The new year represents a fresh start for Australian small business. Consumers are actively looking for solutions to problems they’ve been putting off, and businesses are setting their budgets and strategies for the year. This creates a window of opportunity to grab attention, build connections and position your business in the minds of your customers that is different to the competition. 

Taking advantage of this new energy is key to making sure your marketing beats the competition and eliminates some of their opportunities. Whether it’s refreshing your branding or just communicating regularly with your audience, the time to act is now.

Beating the competition

Chances are your competitors aren’t sitting around waiting for you. Many are already executing their marketing plans for the year, aiming to be top of mind all year round. Are you doing the same?

Starting now ensures that you start to position your business in the minds of your customers and clients that is different to the competition and to make sure you communicate more frequently than them.

Building momentum for the year

Marketing success, once action takes place, is often down to momentum. Routine and structure helps build momentum for your marketing efforts while at the same time gives you and team the confidence to do more and sell more. 

Successful campaigns often don’t happen overnight. They require consistent effort, testing and improvement over time. By starting now, you lay the groundwork for stronger, more impactful marketing throughout the year.

Getting started

For small business owners, goal setting often takes place in December and early January. These goals are great, but we can’t meet our goals without an action plan to get there. It’s easy to get stuck in the fun of setting big, hairy and audacious goals but the critical step that makes marketing effective is going from thought to action.

At this time of year, implementing even small marketing efforts – such as a refreshed social media presence or a targeted email campaign – are important to create consistency and momentum. It’s less about having a perfect plan and more about getting started. Marketing success often comes from testing, learning and evolving, so even imperfect action is better than none at all.

Just make a decision!

One of the most common challenges small business owners face is decision paralysis. With so many marketing activities available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. But the truth is, not taking action is a decision in itself – and it’s one that can cost you valuable opportunities.

Instead of trying to perfect every detail, focus on taking one actionable step. It could be as simple as updating your website, launching a single social media ad or reaching out to past customers with a personalised email. These small actions can create momentum that can drive more credibility, trust and ultimately more business.

By taking action in your marketing now, you not only start to set your business up for success In 2025, but you give you and your team the confidence to do more!