#1 place to start with your 2026 marketing strategy
Over the last few months, I’ve had at least half a dozen conversations with organizations — both nonprofit and for-profit — who are trying to adapt to new marketing goals. In the process, they are sorting through and distilling down all of their messages, slogans, goals, and campaigns in order to stand out and drive more sales/donations.
Thoughtful strategy is key. You can’t create a memorable brand with reactive marketing.
So how do you develop a strategy for the upcoming year to keep your marketing memorable and effective?
The best place to begin is Voice of Customer
In a nutshell, VOC is all about listening to your customers – their needs, pain points, and what they love (or don’t love) about your product or service.
How have their lives been improved by you?
What could you do better?
What confuses them about your brand or mission?
What thrills them about their experience?
What do they want more of (or less of)?
But here’s the thing: you need to go straight to the source on this one. You can't just guess!
VOC is so impactful because it helps you create a customer-centric brand strategy.
What you think about your service or product might not actually align with what your audience values!
Here's what Voice of Customer brings your marketing:
Targeted messaging/positioning: when you understand how your audience talks about their challenges and goals, you can authentically mirror this language in your messaging. (One of my clients once created their main sales landing page solely from a single customer story I wrote, using all of the language the customer used - and it was very successful!)
Guides your decisions: getting real insights from your audience reduces guesswork in your marketing.
Builds loyalty: when your audience feels seen and heard, they resonate with you and stick with you (and don't forget, happy clients also spread the word!)
Offers a personalized experience: in the age of quick Amazon orders and generic SaaS platforms, people crave personal.
Helps you stand out: your customers' unique experiences differentiate you from other brands or organizations.
But how do I get Voice of Customer insights?
Getting VOC doesn’t have to be complicated:
Surveys: Quick feedback surveys can give you a sense of what’s working and what isn’t.
Reviews & testimonials: Scour reviews if you sell online.
Social media listening: What are people saying about your brand online?
Customer interactions: The cream of the crop! What are you hearing directly from customer conversations? (I've been asking questions of some of my own clients as I revamp my website and LinkedIn - and it's been super helpful!)
A great example: Cometeer is a brand that freezes coffee and ships it to customers to enjoy at home. Instead of easy, forgettable marketing like "convenient!", I noticed they started using customer language in their messaging...
Now once you’ve gathered VOC data, it’s time to take action.
Use that key piece to refine your content, adjust your campaigns, change your tone on social media, or even revamp your products. And best of all: to help you decide on the stories to share.
Storytelling based on Voice of Customer = memorable marketing.
If you want your marketing to truly hit home, start listening to your customers and let that drive your marketing strategy for 2026.