A new year means plenty of new marketing opportunities for your local business! As the calendar flips to January, it’s the perfect time to refresh your marketing and start the year off strong.
Whether you’re looking to re-engage loyal customers, attract new ones, or simply give your brand a “fresh start,” the New Year offers endless possibilities to connect and inspire. From creative campaigns to festive promotions, these 15 shiny New Year’s marketing ideas will help you kick off 2026 with confidence and keep customers coming back long after the ball drops.
[Related: 17 Spring Promotion Ideas to Grow Your Small Business]
New Year marketing tips
The start of a new year is more than just a date change … it’s a chance to rejuvenate your approach and reconnect with your audience. Use these quick tips to help you set the tone for success:
- “Fresh Start” or “Year-End” themes win – The new year is a great time where you can appeal to a customer’s emotions with “fresh start” or “resolution” language, but also invoke a sense of urgency by playing up limited-time offers with “end of the year” language.
- Don’t forget to personalize – Personalized messaging and content were huge in 2025, and they aren’t going anywhere in 2026. Use all the data you’ve collected on prospects and customers the entire year to keep that personalization going.
- Work on re-engagement – Want those customers you worked so hard to get in 2025 to keep coming back again and again in 2026? Don’t forget to re-engage through email, text, and ads. Thank them for their business in 2025 and ask for feedback for the upcoming year with messaging like, “What do you want to see from us in the new year?” It lets them know you value the time and money spent with you.
[Related: 3 Ways to Personalize Your Small Business Marketing]
Popular New Year’s marketing ideas
Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, the end of the year is a busy time. So, we get it if brainstorming New Year’s marketing ideas and promotions is the last thing on your radar. That’s why we’re here to help. These are some popular ideas you can mix and match to start 2026 off right.
1. Run a New Year’s email campaign
The number of global email users reached 4.37 billion in 2023 and is projected to keep growing, so a well-timed email campaign can help inspire customers to click to your webpage, book your service, or buy your product. Your New Year’s email can be as simple as wishing your customers happiness in the new year, or as intricate as launching a new sale. Whichever direction you decide to go, keep a few things in mind when crafting your email:
- Create a subject line that will capture their attention at first glance
- Make the design in your email body stand out with imagery, clever headers, and even animations.
- Don’t forget the call to action (CTA)! Tell your customers what you want them to do next with links and buttons that lead to your homepage, landing page, or booking forms.
2. Wish customers “Happy New Year” on social media
This one is quick and easy to do … simply create a graphic or video that you can publish on your social channels that wishes current and potential customers a “Happy New Year.” Thanking them for their support in 2025 and wishing them health and happiness in the new year is a great way to show your appreciation.
And just like email, this can be as simple as a graphic with the words “Happy New Year,” or as involved as introducing a sale, contest, or giveaway to kick off the new year.
3. Freshen up your paid ads
If you’re already running some paid ads, use the new year as an opportunity to look at what’s working and what’s not, then update copy or imagery for a fresh start going into 2026. Maybe you have some new promotions you want to launch, or you just want to try out some new, catchy messaging.
And if you’re not running ads, 2026 could be the perfect opportunity to start. After all, the data tells us the traffic that comes from PPC advertising converts 50% better than organic advertising does. We know that ad campaigns can be hard to navigate, though … that’s why when you partner with Hibu, our digital marketing experts will handle all the setup, creation, and optimization of ads for you.
4. Create personalized purchase roundups
Remember how we mentioned personalization was still going to be a big thing going into 2026? End the year and kick off the new one on that note by creating personalized purchase roundups for your loyal customers.
What exactly does that mean? Well, think Spotify Wrapped. Every year, the music streaming service takes the data it’s collected and turns it into a highly shareable look-back.
Use your customer data to share their past purchases, remind them what they loved, and even encourage them to purchase and book into the new year. Don’t have the resources to do that on such an individual scale? An email or Instagram carousel post with a general roundup of what customers loved and purchased throughout the year can work too!
5. Send SMS reminders
When communicating with your customers, email might be the first thing that comes to mind, but don’t forget about the power of text messages. Studies show us that SMS messages have a 98% open rate, far surpassing email’s average of 20%. So, if you really want to catch your customers’ or prospective customers’ attention, a text might actually be your best bet. Use them in the new year to communicate important offers, nudge them back to items in their cart, or remind them of upcoming appointments.
If you’re not sure how to get started with SMS messaging, it’s all included within the Hibu One platform. We can set you up with automated text and emails so you can remain in constant communication with your customers.
[Related: Marketing Automation: What Is It and Why Do You Need It?]
New Year’s promotions
Start the new year off in an exciting way for both new and returning customers with some exciting promotions. Steal these ones or use them as inspiration for a marketing campaign that fits your specific local business.
6. Offer a free gift with purchase
Who doesn’t love getting something for free? Entice customers to start the new year off with a purchase or booking from you by offering them a free gift with every purchase.
Customize it any way you like to fit your needs. For example, if you have a surplus of inventory from last year, give it away to help clear space for something new. Or if your books are looking a little light for appointments in February, offer the gift for all appointments booked for that month. The possibilities are endless.
7. Run an end-of-year sale
Clear out inventory to make way for new, start the new year off with a full book, or jumpstart spending into 2026 with an end-of-year sale. A recent survey showed that shopping intention for year-end sales events is increasing, with around 79% of those aware of the sales saying they intend to shop. And just like the free gift promo, you can tailor the sale to fit the needs of your local business.
Don’t forget to promote the sale through email, text, on social channels, and even with paid ads to make sure your audience is well aware.
8. Introduce a customer loyalty program
If you’d been thinking about starting a customer loyalty program for your business, the start of the year is the perfect time to kick it off. Customers could be more willing to sign up at the beginning of the year to make the most of the savings and benefits.
And loyalty programs work, with 79% of consumers saying loyalty programs make them more likely to continue doing business with brands.
Here are a few loyalty program ideas to get you started:
- Points-based – Customers earn points for every dollar spent, then can redeem those points for discounts, free products, or exclusive perks.
- Punch cards – Either physical or digital. Perfect for businesses that see regular repeat visitors. For example, “buy five coffees, get the sixth for free.”
- Tiered memberships – Create levels based on spending. Higher tiers unlock better rewards to encourage customers to get to the next level.
- Birthday and anniversary rewards – Offer special discounts on birthdays or customer anniversaries. This one adds a personalized touch.
- Referral programs – Great for service businesses that also rely on word-of-mouth recommendations. Reward your customers for telling their friends about you.
9. Host a New Year’s Eve party at your brick-and-mortar location
If your business has a physical location that serves customers, you could host a NYE party to both end and begin the new year on a fun note. Invite loyal customers and community members to check out your space, meet you and your staff, and celebrate.
Offer free food and drinks, and even do a few giveaways during the party to show your appreciation for the community you serve and help build a personal connection.
10. Invite customers to share their resolutions for a prize
The new year is all about resolutions, so drum up some engagement on your social channels by asking your followers to share their resolutions for a chance to win a prize.
Create a fun graphic and witty caption with the contest rules to post on Facebook and Instagram to encourage your followers to interact with your page. Not only will your local business get an engagement boost, but customers will love the thought of winning a prize. It’s a low-stakes way to grow your social channels in the new year.
[Related: 19 Fresh Summer Promotion Ideas for Small Businesses]
New Year’s marketing slogans
No New Year’s marketing campaign or promotion is complete without the right messaging. We’ve come up with a few that you can just copy and paste right into your email subject lines, social media posts, or ad landing pages.
11. “Start the Year Right—with Us!”
This is a great one that any local business for use to kick off the new year. Use it as a general “Happy New Year,” or to offer a New Year’s promotion.
12. “Your Home Deserves a Fresh Start!”
Perfect for contractors, plumbers, HVAC repair, painters, or any other home service businesses that want to entice their customers to start the new year off right.
13. “Ring in the New Year with Big Savings!”
Starting the new year off with a sale? Use this one to introduce your value prop in emails and ad headlines.
14. “Kick Off the Year with Confidence!”
This type of messaging is great for service businesses that want to reinforce trust with potential customers. You can follow it up with satisfied reviews from customers, your years in business, or certifications.
15. “Finish Strong—Book (or Save) Before the Year Ends!”
Completing one year and moving into another go hand-in-hand, so use this messaging to encourage customers to end the year on a high note. This can also help you start the new year with sales and/or appointments, depending on how you position it.
[Related: 42 Happy Holiday Messages to Put Your Marketing on the Nice List]
Make Hibu One your New Year’s resolution
Do you feel a little more prepared to make 2026 your best year yet? With the right mix of fresh campaigns, personalized messaging, and engaging promotions, you can start the year strong and keep customers coming back.
But why stop there? Make your New Year’s resolution one that truly pays off … by partnering with Hibu One, the all-in-one digital marketing solution designed to simplify your strategy and maximize your results. From SEO and reputation management to social, search, and display ads, Hibu One brings everything together in one easy-to-manage platform, so you can focus on growing your business while we handle the heavy lifting.
Want to learn more about starting your year off with Hibu One? Request a free demo today!
