Five strategies for success in 2026

As we move into 2026, financial services firms are operating in an industry defined by acceleration in technology, competition, regulation and client expectations.

Our 2026 Outlook, Opportunities in Motion, explored the forces reshaping the industry and the opportunities emerging from this change. The question now is, what do you do about it?

The firms that succeed in 2026 will be those that operationalize based on these shifts, building strategies that are thoughtful, agile and grounded in clarity.

 

Five moves every firm should be making

1. Use AI to strengthen relationships, not outsource them

Generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) is already changing how work gets done in financial services marketing. There’s no debating that. We’re advising our clients, however, to think longer term with a focus on relationships.

The most successful firms will use AI to accelerate the flow of insights, scale their internal expertise and improve consistency. What will they keep in human hands? Judgment, narrative control and key relationships. We believe AI works best as connective tissue between portfolio teams, marketing, compliance and sales, not as a replacement for any one of them.

Firms that redirect their AI deployment to amplify the actions that strengthen relationships – rather than simply finding cost-cutting shortcuts – will move faster, without losing credibility.

2. Treat investor education as a growth engine

Investor education is not a “nice to have” in today’s competitive marketplace. Financial markets are getting more complex, product lineups are broadening and disclosure requirements are getting more complex. As a result, investors are expected to make decisions in an environment of constant noise.

Firms that consistently explain what matters, why it matters and what they’re doing as a result will earn trust over time. Trust is not built through one-off campaigns, but through systems that deliver education across touchpoints: advisor tools, commentaries, digital content and other ongoing communications. In 2026, investor education is about retention, differentiation and growth.

3. Build content as business infrastructure

Content is one of the most important assets within financial services firms. When built correctly, it seamlessly connects teams across an enterprise. It reduces friction, improves consistency and allows firms to further scale content without overwhelming the firm’s experts.

We work with the world’s most successful financial services firms. The firms that are pulling ahead are designing content ecosystems where insights are captured once, structured properly, and then deployed across channels and audiences with speed. We’re helping clients move beyond simply publishing more by building systems that make quality repeatable.

4. Translate global change into investor-relevant content

Geopolitical realignment, shifting trade dynamics and evolving economic priorities are reshaping financial markets. Many investors know this, but they don’t always know what to do with the information.

In the eyes of investors, market leadership will belong to firms that can bridge that gap, translating macro changes into relevant investment insights, without oversimplifying or overwhelming.

5. Tell a more complete story about portfolio evolution

Diversified portfolios are evolving, driven by the growing role of alternative investments, a renewed focus on income and more nuanced diversification strategies. These changes are reshaping how investors are allocating their investments. Explanation needs to catch up to innovation.

Financial services firms that can clearly articulate how their portfolios are evolving, and why those changes matter, will deepen client engagement and confidence. We advise our clients that storytelling like this needs to be consistent, grounded in real investment decisions and aligned across teams.

The Ext. Marketing team strongly believes the coming year will reward firms that move with intention on these trends.

 

We’ve spent 16 years helping financial services firms navigate evolving markets, new technologies and shifting investor expectations. We look forward to continuing that partnership and helping you turn opportunity into action in 2026 and beyond. Contact us at 647.286.3059 or info@ext-marketing.com to learn more.