Does your calendar look increasingly full this season? You’re not alone.
Between client meetings, year-end reviews, holiday events, and trying to actually enjoy the season, it’s a lot. I get it.
But here’s the thing I need to be honest with you about: If your 2026 marketing planning doesn’t make it to your calendar, it’s not getting done.
I see it all the time with advisors who have incredible intentions for their marketing. They want to build their online presence. They want to stay top of mind with prospects. They want to attract the right kind of clients without feeling salesy.
But without intentional time blocked to plan and execute? Those goals stay wishes.
So here’s what I’m asking you to do this week: Block time. An hour if you’ve got it. Fifteen minutes if that’s all you can spare. But get your 2026 marketing planning on the calendar.
What I’m Doing Right Now (And What You Should Do Too)
I’m deep in my own year-end planning, and honestly, it feels really good to look back at what we’ve built this year and get intentional about what’s next.
Here’s what’s on my list:
Checking My Analytics Against the Metrics That Actually Matter
Not vanity metrics. The ones that tell me if my marketing is working.
For my business, I’m looking at:
- LinkedIn engagement and post reach
- Website traffic
- New email subscribers
- Open rates (since I don’t usually include click-through content in my emails)
- Discovery calls booked and where they came from
- Client retention and satisfaction
What I Recommend YOU Track as an Advisor
Think about your marketing funnel and track metrics at each stage:
🎯 AWARENESS: Social engagement, website traffic
🎯 INTEREST: Email signups, content downloads
🎯 NURTURE: Open rates, click-through rates
🎯 COMMIT: Discovery calls booked
🎯 CLIENTS: Conversion rate, lifetime value
You don’t need to track everything. Just pick 3-4 KPIs that map to your biggest business goals. If you need more discovery calls, focus there. If you’re getting calls but not conversions, that’s your focus area.
Finishing the Things That Actually Move the Needle
Not busywork. The projects that’ll genuinely get us closer to our annual goals before the year ends.
This is where I get ruthless with my to-do list. What will make a real difference? What’s just noise? The stuff that matters gets done. The rest gets cut or delegated.
Mapping Out Content for 2026
January’s already done because starting the new year scrambling is not the vibe. We’re going into 2026 with momentum and intention.
I’m not talking about planning every single post for the entire year (that’s unrealistic and you’ll end up pivoting anyway). But I am talking about:
- Monthly themes that align with my business goals
- Key campaigns or launches
- Content pillars that’ll resonate with my audience
- A January content calendar that’s ready to roll
Writing to My Community
Because I mean it when I say I love this community. Working with financial advisors who genuinely care about their clients and want to grow their practices the right way? That’s what makes this work meaningful. You all inspire me more than you know.
Your Turn: What’s On Your List?
What’s the one marketing thing you need to tackle before 2025 wraps up?
Maybe it’s finally setting up that email automation you’ve been putting off. Maybe it’s reviewing what actually worked this year so you can do more of it. Maybe it’s just giving yourself permission to rest and recharge so you can come back strong in January.
Whatever it is, get it on your calendar. Right now. I’ll wait.
And if you’re looking at 2026 thinking “I know I need to do this, but I have no idea where to start or how to make it all happen”? That’s exactly what we do at Perfectly Planned Content. Let’s talk about making your marketing feel less overwhelming and more like the strategic business-building tool it should be.
Here’s to finishing strong and starting 2026 with real intention.