There’s been a clear shift in buyer behaviour this year
It’s not you, something has changed in the way people buy in 2026. There’s plenty of interest, people are opening your emails, reading your work, quietly circling your offers, but they hesitate to buy.
The ‘Lay Of The Land Report’ reveals what people are no longer willing to invest in, what they look for now before they commit — and how to adjust your offerings so they become more buyable.
The findings are based on a survey of 97 service-based solopreneurs, predominantly consultants, coaches, therapists, creatives and education-based business owners.
A little of what came up
Why good offers get passed over. Buyers have become far less willing to invest in anything that doesn't speak to their exact situation. The report looks at what specificity really means now, and why the way you name an offer really matters.
What people measure first. Even when someone wants the outcome and respects the person selling it, they weigh something else before they buy. It's the quiet thing that decides the sale, and most of us never think to design for it. The report names what it is.
How your use of AI affects trust. The way you use AI in your own business can quietly shape whether people trust you enough to buy from you. The report looks at what's making buyers wary, and what to be mindful of in your own work.
What people still gladly pay for. As information becomes free and instant, people were clear about what they still value and will happily pay more for. It's the thing no tool can hand them.
The Discussion Call Replay Is Included
When the report landed, I gathered a small group of service-based solopreneurs to talk it through. What came out was an honest conversation about how real people are reshaping their offers right now. Here’s an overview of the topics we got into:
What the report findings mean for courses and group programs.
Having an asynchronous feedback approach that is energetically sustainable to deliver on.
What buyers are looking for now instead of more content and information.
AI's impact on our work, and on our sales and reputation.
Smaller entry offers, and how to give people a taste of your work before a bigger commitment.
Why many of us are not interested in taking up free one-on-one offerings.
The recording of this discussion has been edited down to 37 minutes and includes timestamps so you can jump to the sections that are important to you.
What people are saying about this report
-
I found what I've been missing in the content of this report
This is essential reading for anyone who deeply wants to be of service to their community — Carole Bouché
-
I've had a few “pennies drop” from reading this report.
Intuitively, it felt like people were moving in this direction — Karen Martin Winkelman
-
I thought it was just me who'd changed my buying behaviour
This report helped me see the change in how and what people are buying — Nat Forrest
A Final Thought Before You Decide
When sales go quiet, it’s easy to assume the problem is the way you’re saying things.
That assumption can send you down the path of rewriting your website, redoing your messaging, and second guessing how you talk about your work, when the solution lies in a different direction altogether.
What you’ll realise is that your next move is about shaping what you already have into something people can more easily say yes to in light of this shift in buyer behaviour.