When times get tough, the old playbook says to tighten your belt and cut costs wherever you can. But small businesses in 2026 are flipping the script.

For Constant Contact’s latest “Small Business Now” report, we surveyed more than 1,500 small business owners to understand their concerns and marketing strategies for 2026. While they see the current economic hurdles loud and clear, the vast majority are refusing to hit the brakes. Instead of shrinking their marketing budgets, small businesses are hitting the accelerator: 68% of small business owners expect their marketing budgets to increase in 2026, while 74% expect the time they spend on marketing to increase this year.

The message is clear: the winning strategy isn’t to…