Is Selling Harder in 2026? What Practitioners Must Do Differently To Stay In Business

If selling feels harder right now, you’re not imagining it.

As we head into 2026, practitioners across healthcare, wellness, and coaching fields are reporting the same experience: fewer yeses, longer sales processes, and clients who want to feel deeply confident before committing. 

The “yes” seems to not come as easily as it once did. And for practitioners who built their business during a period of faster, looser buying behavior, this shift can feel unsettling.

However, I caution you against jumping straight to recession-based thinking, saying “people aren’t buying”. 

The truth is, we are not IN a recession, and this shift in buying behavior is not because people have stopped spending money. People are still investing in their health, growth, and well-being, but how they decide has evolved.

People are more discerning, less “mindless spending”, which just means the bar for leadership in the sales process has risen. 

Today’s buyers are more selective, more values-driven, and more protective of their time and energy. They are no longer looking to be convinced; they are looking to be led.

Which makes them far less tolerant of confusing sales processes, timid leadership, and vague or overly broad offers & marketing statements. 

They’re paying close attention and choosing practitioners who can confidently lead them through a personalized and intentional experience.

This means the practitioner who wins in 2026 isn’t the one with the most aggressive follow-up, or even the lowest prices.

It is the one who can: 

• Guide them with certainty (not attachment)
• Make clear recommendations that get them what they want
• Offer a highly intentional experience from initial contact through delivery

Let’s be clear, selling has never been easy.  

But now more than ever, it has shifted from a transactional skill to a leadership skill.

People buy when they feel safe, not when they feel chased. 

So what does this mean for you as a practitioner?

People Are Still Spending — Just Not on Confusion

The money didn’t disappear. Tolerance for vague offers did.

In uncertain or noisy markets, clarity becomes a form of relief. Buyers want to know:

• Is this for someone like me?
• Do you understand my situation?
• How long will it take to get me what I want?
• Where is the proof?

Practitioners who are still offering overly broad services, undefined niches, or unclear outcomes are unintentionally creating a tremendous amount of friction. 

People are less tolerant to buying what you do and how you do it. (Ie. 12 chiropractic sessions, or 3 months of coaching sessions delivered via zoom). 

It is more important than ever to have a well-defined and validated market that you know how to speak to in a compelling way, clearly positioned (simple) offers, and loads of social proof and outcome certainty. 

Boutique Businesses Are Becoming More Valuable, Not Less

As AI, automation, and templated solutions become more common, the human experience becomes the differentiator.

Boutique businesses and personal brands are uniquely positioned for 2026 because they offer a more personalized (human) approach. 

Anyone can use ChatGPT as their health coach now, so what is it that YOU can give them, that ai cannot? 

Clients are paying more for:

• Being remembered and creating a deeper connection with their providers
• Feeling seen and listened to during the sales process
• Feelings of safety and certainty (created through a well-executed sales system)

Personalization, presence, and trust aren’t “soft” skills anymore. They’re premium assets.

Simple Marketing Wins in an Overstimulated World

Today’s buyers are overwhelmed and over-marketed to. They have very little tolerance for complex funnels, chaotic messaging, and too many options. 

The practices growing most consistently are doing less, not more:

• Mastering one or two core marketing channels 
• A single, repeatable message to a hyper-specific niche
• Consistent visibility and a clear invitation to get started

Simple systems are easier to maintain, easier to trust, and easier for clients to follow. In 2026, clarity outperforms creativity.

High-Ticket-Only Models Are Becoming Fragile

For years, high-ticket offers were positioned as the gold standard of scaling. But relying exclusively on large, one-time investments is proving unstable for many practitioners.

High-ticket-only models often create:

• Emotional pressure in sales conversations
• Feast-or-famine income cycles
• Fewer access points for qualified clients

In contrast, membership and continuity-based models are gaining momentum because they:

• Lower the barrier to entry
• Increase lifetime value
• Predictable recurring revenue
• Supportive of long-term transformation

Sustainability wins in 2026, not all or nothing offers. 

Strengthen Your Sales Leadership

The shifts happening in 2026 aren’t a signal to panic, but rather an invitation to evolve.

Practitioners who thrive in this next era will not be the ones chasing every new tactic or blaming the market. They will be the ones who strengthen their sales leadership, simplify their marketing, design intentional client experiences, and build sustainable, continuity-based business models that support both their clients and their own nervous systems.

If you want to be guided through these changes in 2026: 

• refining your sales leadership
• clarifying your offers
• simplifying your marketing
• building a more sustainable revenue model

I’ve created two ways for you to do that, depending on the level of support you’re looking for:

Join the FREE Rainmaker Lounge

Receive my weekly newsletter with business forecasts, sales insights, and practical guidance like this delivered straight to your inbox. You’ll also get access to two free business workshops each month designed specifically for wellness practitioners and service-based professionals.

👉 Join the Rainmaker Lounge here. 

Join The Rainmaker Club

For practitioners ready to fully implement these strategies with support, The Rainmaker Club offers lifetime access to the Rainmaker course library, three live group sales and business coaching calls each month, and 24/7 access to a private mastermind of likeminded practitioners—with ongoing coaching and support. 

This is a high-touch environment designed to help you lead your business with clarity, confidence, and sustainability as the market continues to evolve.

 👉 Learn more and join The Rainmaker Club here.

2026 belongs to practitioners who are willing to lead clearly, confidently, and with intention.