If your team felt like the ground shifted beneath your approach to outreach, marketing or public relations in 2026, you weren’t alone.
Below are five of the most common mistakes we saw this year, and how you can turn them inside out to build momentum in 2026 with a marketing agency in Raleigh, NC.
Being Tech-Led, Not Strategy-Led
One of the biggest mistakes companies made in 2025 was jumping on the newest platform, tool or AI solution before having a clear strategic foundation.
How to Avoid It
- Start by defining what business problem you are solving (new market, retention, upsell, etc.).
- Then map your tech/tools to that problem—not the reverse.
- When you hire or brief a marketing agency in Raleigh, NC, ask for their decision-tree: how did we pick this tool/tech vs simply using it because it’s “available”?
- Set clear KPIs tied to business outcomes (not just vanity metrics), and review them regularly.
Ignoring Local Marketing & Community Relevance
When companies scale or move into new markets, they often assume “what worked in one metro will work in all.” That’s a mistake.
How to Avoid It
- Map out local stakeholder groups: media, community organizations, partner businesses.
- Adjust language, visuals and support to reflect your region (Raleigh, Durham, the Triangle, etc.).
- When working with a marketing agency in Raleigh, NC, ask: How will you tailor this for local resonance?
- Test smaller local campaigns first and scale what works.
Underestimating Crisis & Reputation Risks in PR
In 2025, several high-profile cases showed that it’s not just what you say—it’s how, when, and to whom. Tone-deaf or mis-timed responses can snowball quickly.
How to Avoid It
- Develop a crisis communications playbook that’s reviewed annually.
- Train your team (and agency) on issues, scenarios and messaging.
- Build listening tools so you catch negative mentions early (before they spread).
- With a marketing agency in Raleigh, NC, clarify the chain of command for approvals and responses: Who speaks? When? How fast?
Failing to Personalize and Integrate Across Channels
Another key mistake is sending the same generic message across email, social, ads and websites without tailoring or integrating the experience.
How to Avoid It
- Segment your audience (industry, region, stage of buyer-journey) and tailor message accordingly.
- Ensure that your website, social posts, ads and email campaigns work together—not in silos.
- Ask your marketing agency in Raleigh, NC: What’s our cross-channel “story arc” for the next quarter?
- Measure and iterate: channel performance, message resonance, attribution.
Neglecting Data, Analytics & Audience Feedback
Many businesses in 2025 kept running campaigns without pausing to ask whether the tactics were working.
How to Avoid It
- Set up regular reporting: what went right, what went wrong, and what we’ll do next.
- Use both quantitative (analytics, conversion rates) and qualitative (customer feedback, social sentiment) data.
- With your marketing agency in Raleigh, NC, make sure there’s clear ownership of data collection, dashboarding and action-planning.
- Build in a feedback loop: what’s our next test? What hypothesis will we try? Then implement, measure, learn.
How a Marketing Agency in Raleigh, NC Can Make a Difference
For 30 years, McKeeman Communications has specialized in helping brands solve real business problems with communications and PR—not just executing visuals or ads. Our team emphasizes action, a total-team approach and allowing our clients to focus on what they do best while the agency handles the storytelling.
If you’re a Raleigh or North Carolina-based business ready to move into next year with a smarter strategy, reach out to us at McKeeman Communications.