It’s one thing to run a business. It’s another to look back on a whole year of decisions and see patterns you didn’t notice in the moment.
That’s exactly what came up when I took a step back in my latest podcast episode to unpack the most important lessons I learned about sales and marketing in 2025, and which of those lessons are actually worth carrying forward into 2026.
If you want to grow your business without repeating the same mistakes, here are the insights worth paying attention to.
1. Saying “Yes” More Often Can Be a Strategy
2025 taught many of us that being too risk-averse can quietly stunt growth.
Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, saying “yes” earlier opened up unexpected opportunities and learning moments.
Being flexible doesn’t mean unfocused. It means available to growth.
2. You Don’t Need a Huge Audience to Get Big Results
One of the biggest myths in online business is that scale requires scale in followers.
In reality, clarity in who you serve and why your offer matters to them matters more than follower count. When messaging resonates, even a smaller audience can generate significant sales.
3. Lead Generation Isn’t Optional. It’s Essential
Many businesses realised that relying on repeat clients and existing audiences only gets you so far.
2025 made it clear. Proactive lead generation, not passive show-up-and-hope-they-convert content, is what drives new business and long-term growth.
4. More Content Isn’t Always Better
Posting more often doesn’t necessarily equal better business outcomes.
What matters far more is:
- strategic placement of ideas
- clarity of message
- content that invites action, not just visibility
Volume content should move people forward, not just fill your feed.
5. Authenticity Builds Trust Faster Than Polish
Perfection slows down action. Authenticity accelerates connection.
Businesses that leaned into real talk, imperfections, wins, mistakes and all, saw deeper engagement than those chasing glossy posts with no soul behind them.
6. Community Feedback Is a Goldmine
Listening to the people already in your world gave the clearest signals for what to build next.
Instead of guessing what people might want, leaders learned to:
- ask questions
- test offers
- iterate quickly based on real responses
That’s how you build with your audience, not at them.
7. Simplicity Beats Complexity
It’s tempting to create elaborate funnels, multi-step launches and intense email sequences.
But the most effective strategies were often the simplest:
- clear messages
- direct tools
- obvious next steps
Simplicity doesn’t mean shallow. It means strategic.
8. Offers Should Lead With Transformation
In 2025, businesses that just marketed a “thing” struggled.
Those who framed the transformation, what life actually looked like after working with them, consistently converted better.
It’s not about features. It’s about impact.
9. Experimentation Is Non-Negotiable
What worked six months ago stopped working later in the year.
The constant in 2025 was change, and the businesses that thrived were the ones open to trying new formats, channels and approaches.
10. Reflection Prepares You for the Year Ahead
The biggest lesson of all is this.
Taking the time to reflect honestly and out loud sets you up to enter the next year with strategy, not just motivation.
Looking back isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about intention.
Apply These Lessons in 2026
Every year brings a fresh set of demands on how we attract, nurture and convert an audience.
But 2025 showed that success isn’t about chasing every trend. It’s about:
- learning from what actually worked
- letting go of what didn’t
- building with clarity and direction
If you’re ready to take these lessons and turn them into a plan that grows your audience, community and offers this year, then Volume is the place to do that.
In Volume, you’ll refine your message, build content that attracts the right people, and turn momentum from the past year into direction for the year ahead, without overwhelm or guesswork.
Growth in 2026 isn’t louder.
It’s clearer.
