For years, organizations relied on polished campaigns, tightly scripted videos and carefully mapped buyer journeys.
But heading into 2026, polish isn’t translating the way it used to.
It feels distant. Manufactured. Even distrustful.
“Customers and members want relationships, even experiences, not transactions,” says CMA Vice President Kelsey Tweedly. “They consume content from every direction long before you reach them. To stay relevant, you must meet them where they are with content and connections that feel human, timely and helpful.”
This shift mirrors what is happening across marketing strategies. The customer journey no longer starts with a sales call, membership pitch or conference greeting. Your audience now self-educates through website posts, social feeds, peer groups, reviews, events and, increasingly, AI-powered tools.
By the time they reach you, they already have an opinion.
Which means your visibility early in their journey matters more than ever.
Here’s how associations and brands can show up in the moments that count.
Real People, Real Stories
Marketers have always understood the power of peer influence. Real testimonials, shared success stories and candid conversations build credibility and trust, no matter the audience.
Today, that same authenticity is becoming one of the most powerful drivers of marketing success across every type of organization.
Brands are realizing that the most persuasive content doesn’t come from polished brochures. Yes, they help. Yes, they’re still needed. But the message must sound like it’s coming from real people, like a member explaining how an organization grew their network, or a customer posting a first hand take about the benefits of a product.
“Buyers and members are looking for real stories and honest experiences, not another pitch.”
Kelsey Tweedy, CMA Vice President
That’s why more organizations are spotlighting the voices of their communities, featuring members, customers and employees in newsletters and on social media through selfie videos from events or quick takes on emerging trends. By turning real experiences and internal expertise into outward influence, organizations are creating content that feels authentic, relatable and far more human than any press release could ever be.
But as storytelling becomes more authentic, technology is transforming the most critical part of marketing: how audiences discover and decide in the first place.
The Automated Self-Educated Buyer Has Arrived
The rise of AI is accelerating the shift toward self-guided discovery.
By 2026, even more members and customers will rely on generative tools to research vendors, compare solutions and identify thought leaders before they ever speak to a human being.
And that changes everything.
Your brand may never get the chance to make a first impression in person because the research is happening digitally and being summarized by AI before someone even reaches your website.
Ranking on page one used to be the goal.
Now, page one is simply the training ground.
AI-powered summaries pull from multiple sources at once. If your content is not referenced, cited or recognized as authoritative by these systems, you won’t just miss the click. You’ll miss being considered altogether.
“The top of the funnel doesn’t start with a contact form anymore,” Tweedly says. “It starts with a prompt, a search query or a piece of thought leadership that AI picks up. If you’re not showing up in those spaces, someone else will.”
Organizations are shifting their approach to visibility. They are creating educational, experience-rich content such as clear how-to articles, practical guides, webinars, podcasts and AI-friendly formats that answer real questions with real depth. Many are also integrating this content into chat tools so audiences can self-educate in the moment.
In this new landscape, the question is no longer “How do we get to page one?” It is: “How do we become the source AI trusts enough to reference?”
Connection Still Needs a Human Hand
Technology has made marketing smarter, faster and more measurable. It lets you reach your audience first. But making a real connection still requires a personal touch.
Organizations of all kinds excel at creating memorable, face-to-face experiences through events, conferences and networking sessions, and extending those moments digitally to keep essential conversations going year-round. What once felt unique to certain sectors is now a shared expectation across the entire marketing landscape.
“AI, automation, all of it…the technology is powerful,” Tweedly says. “But a personalized email, a phone call and an in-person meeting still make the biggest impact. It shows effort. The organizations that blend high-tech with high touch are the ones building the deepest relationships.”
Looking Ahead to 2026
Here’s an example.
An organization decides to move away from overproduced videos and experiment with something different, a community-led storytelling series.
No script. No lighting crew. Just real people capturing real moments: a morning breakthrough, a lunch connection, a walk through the exhibit hall, a quick reflection after a roundtable session.
A production and marketing team cleans up, and brands the footage. But the emotion stays.
The written content evolves, too. Blog posts become more conversational and less formal. A writer refines the message, but the voice remains unmistakably human.
Then the magic happens: people start sharing their own stories without being asked.
Engagement steadily grows. Same with inquiries. Viewers and listeners start paying attention because it feels real.
You’re onto something.
Soon, the experiment becomes a steady stream of authentic, community-driven content that keeps people connected year-round. Until the next shift arrives. Because it’s coming.
Marketing will shift again. But the organizations that stay people-focused and keep it real, in person and through technology, will lead the way.
If you’re shaping your marketing strategy for the new year, let’s talk. We’d love to help you build what’s next in 2026.