The 2026 State of the Market: Why Courses Are Declining and Group Programs Are Winning

If you've been trying to sell a course in 2026 and the numbers aren't adding up, the problem isn't your marketing. The market has structurally shifted. Courses are declining, and the practitioners who've been in this industry for years are saying it out loud.In this episode I break down what's actually driving the decline, what's working instead, and what the 2026 buyer needs from you before they'll spend money.You'll learn:- Why standalone self-paced courses are losing ground in 2026- How AI has undercut the information-delivery model that made courses so profitable- Why course completion rates are making buyers think twice before purchasing- What group programs are delivering that courses simply can't replicate- How today's buyers are still spending, just with more discernment and longer sales cyclesThe market hasn't dried up. The model has changed. Buyers aren't spending less on coaching, they're spending more carefully. The coaches and program creators who are winning right now are the ones who understand what buyers actually need before they'll commit, and they're building their offers around that.I'm Dr. Curtis Satterfield. I've spent 17 years as an educator and course designer, and I help coaches build group programs that scale their business without burning out their roster.Ready to figure out if a group program is the right next move? Book a free Program Roadmap Call and let's talk through your options: https://curtissatterfield.com/work-with-curtis/Send me a message!