How to Make the Most of Your Remaining 2025 Marketing Budget
As 2025 winds down, many marketing and communications teams are taking stock of what’s left in their budgets and how to use those funds strategically before they expire. Unused budget means lost potential to amplify your brand’s visibility, strengthen your reputation, and set your team up for a strong start in 2026.
Whether you’re looking to optimize your digital footprint, refresh your creative, or invest in professional growth, there are smart, high-impact ways to put those remaining dollars to work. Here are a few ideas from the Vested team to inspire your year-end planning.
1. Get AI-Ready with an Optimization Audit
With AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini rapidly becoming the new gateways to information, visibility in AI-driven search is the next marketing frontier. This year, Vested formalized a partnership with Scrunch AI to help financial brands understand and optimize how they appear across AI search and discovery platforms.
Through AI search audits, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) strategies, and ongoing monitoring, we help brands strengthen their authority and ensure they’re the trusted source AI platforms surface first.
If you haven’t yet considered how your brand shows up in AI search, this is the perfect time to invest in an audit and future-proof your digital visibility for 2026.
2. Refresh Your Brand Visuals and Creative Assets
Year-end budgets are ideal for creative upgrades. Fresh photography, updated iconography, or new brand video content can breathe new life into your marketing materials and ensure your visuals resonate with evolving audience expectations.
Consider building a cohesive library of on-brand assets to power your 2026 campaigns. Need inspiration? Explore how we helped firms like Gridiron Capital and Incline Equity Partners elevate their digital presence through modern design and storytelling.
3. Invest in Thought Leadership
There’s no better time to amplify your firm’s voice. Extra funds can be used to create executive bylines, whitepapers, or case studies that showcase your expertise and support long-term PR, SEO, and lead generation goals.
High-quality thought leadership not only strengthens your brand’s credibility, but provides valuable content to engage your audience well into the new year.
4. Build (or Refresh) Your Crisis Communications Plan
From CEO scandals to unexpected brand backlash, 2025 proved that crisis moments can arise quickly. As we head into another unpredictable year, proactive planning is key.
Vested helps firms anticipate and prepare for crises with tailored strategies that define messaging, response protocols, and media handling before a crisis hits. Investing in preparedness today ensures your brand is ready to respond with confidence tomorrow.
Learn more about Vested’s crisis management approach →
5. Invest in Your Team with a Financial Narrative Corporate Membership
If you’re looking to put leftover budget toward professional development, consider a Financial Narrative Corporate Membership. Unlike individual memberships, this option is designed to equip your entire team with the knowledge, resources, and connections they need to excel in financial marketing and communications. Corporate members gain access to:
- Networking Opportunities: Team-focused networking events, complimentary online and in-person education, and multiple passes to our annual Summit, connecting your team with top leaders in the industry.
- Team-Based Learning & Development: Collaborative training, certification opportunities, private briefings on bi-annual research reports, and access to Financial Narrative’s research library and events to keep your team engaged and ahead of trends.
- Brand-Building: Showcase your team’s expertise and accomplishments with priority access to speaking opportunities, features in Financial Narrative News, and nominations for the annual awards program.
Investing in a corporate membership is a strategic way to enhance your team’s skills, strengthen internal collaboration, and position your firm as a thought leader.
Set the Stage for 2026
Whether you’re optimizing your AI visibility, refreshing creative assets, or investing in leadership development, now is the time to make every dollar count.
If any of these ideas resonate, reach out to the Vested team. We’ll help you build a tailored plan that aligns with your goals and ensures your budget drives measurable impact this year and beyond.
