Why Your Marketing Stopped Working in 2026 (And What to Do About It as a Beauty Educator)
Your content used to hit. People engaged, they commented, they bought. And now? It's crickets. You're posting the same type of stuff, using similar messaging, and it feels like you're shouting into a void.
You're not imagining it. Something has changed.
And I'll die on this hill: it's not that people don't want courses anymore. It's not that group programs are dead. It's not that the industry is "oversaturated beyond hope." People are still buying education. They're still investing in themselves. They're still looking for educators like you.
The difference is that the vague marketing that worked a few years ago just doesn't cut it anymore. Between more competition and the flood of AI-generated content out there, there's so much vague nonsense that your audience has become way more discerning. And honestly? I don't think that's a bad thing.
What You'll Learn
What market sophistication means and why it's the reason your old messaging isn't landing
The chocolate bar analogy that explains exactly what's happening right now
Four questions to ask yourself about your current marketing
A practical action plan to make your messaging more specific and intentional
What Is Market Sophistication (And Why Does It Matter for Course Creators)?
Market sophistication describes how much awareness and knowledge your audience has about products and services like yours.
When a market is new, people are excited just to know something exists. But as markets evolve and get more sophisticated, expectations go up. People aren't just buying whatever they see anymore. There's more discernment in the process.
So when people say "courses don't sell anymore" or "nobody wants online education," what's actually happening is that the market has matured. We need to be more specific, more detailed, more results oriented, and more intentional to get the same result we could have gotten with less effort in years past.
This isn't bad news. It just means we need to adapt.
Why Doesn't Vague Marketing Convert Anymore?
Let me give you an analogy that's going to make this click.
Imagine you're bringing a new chocolate bar to market today. Back in 1847, when Joseph Fry invented the first commercially available chocolate bar, all he had to do was say "here's a chocolate bar, it's available, yay!" And people were excited because chocolate wasn't easily accessible before then.
Even once some competition showed up, if there are only a few varieties on the market, you just need to tell people what it is and that it's delicious. Not a whole lot of finesse required.
But as more chocolate bars appeared, people started wanting to know what was different about each one. They're used to seeing chocolate now. They start comparing.
All of a sudden, it's no longer about announcing that you make chocolate. It's about why your chocolate is better than the others.
And no, I'm not talking about the old Mad Men tactics of "Coke is terrible, buy Pepsi." That stuff doesn't work anymore either.
In a world with tons of chocolate available, manufacturers have to do more. They focus on brand story. The emotional experience. What does this chocolate make you feel? Maybe it's nostalgic. Maybe it's luxurious. They visually communicate the experience of eating it.
Now think about this: if someone put out a chocolate bar that said it would transport me to Italy instantly? I'd buy it regardless of price.
How Do Hair and Beauty Educators Stand Out in a Saturated Market?
As the market for education and coaching becomes more sophisticated, it becomes even more important to differentiate yourself and focus on the result your potential client wants to get.
Your brand needs to be compelling and resonate deeply with the people you want to serve. That's how you cut through the noise.
Here are four questions I want you to sit with:
What makes your brand stand out? Assume there are people doing the exact same thing as you. What makes you different? What's your unique angle, experience, or approach?
What identity does your audience aspire to? Who do they want to become? Not just what skill do they want to learn, but who do they want to be on the other side of working with you?
How can you show (not just tell) the value you bring? Results, transformations, behind the scenes, student wins. What proof do you have that your thing works?
What specific outcomes are you helping them achieve? Get really clear on this. Not "learn balayage" but "finally feel confident pricing your balayage services at what they're worth."
How to Fix Your Marketing: A 4-Step Action Plan for Educators
Here's how to take this concept and actually do something with it.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Differentiator
What is it about your offer, your approach, your experience, YOU that makes you uniquely positioned to serve your audience? Write it down. Be specific. For hairstylists and beauty educators, this might be your signature technique, the way you teach, your background, or even who you don't serve.
Step 2: Focus on Results, Not Features
Think about the outcomes and aspirations your ideal clients have. What do they want? What do they desire? Who do they want to become? Don't just talk about what you do. Talk about why they should care and what it's going to do for them.Instead of "I teach cutting techniques," try "I help stylists stop dreading haircut appointments and start feeling like the expert their clients think they are."
Step 3: Refine Your Messaging
Make your message as specific and intentional as possible. Avoid vague statements. Speak directly to the needs, challenges, and aspirations of your ideal audience. If you're trying to talk to everyone, you end up connecting with no one.
Step 4: Understand Their Aspirations
Ask yourself: who does my audience want to become? How does my brand and my work help get them closer to that version of themselves? This is huge heading into 2026 and beyond. People aren't just buying information. They're buying transformation.
Being Disruptive Doesn't Mean Being Edgy
So often we think being disruptive means being super edgy or putting on a blazer and a bikini top. And while that can be authentic for some people (if that's your vibe, I love that for you), that's not all there is to it.
Disruption in a sophisticated market is about speaking clearly and intentionally to the people who already need what you offer. It's not about shouting louder. It's about being more specific.
Key Takeaways
Market sophistication explains why your old marketing isn't hitting the same anymore
The market has evolved, not died. People are still buying education.
Vague messaging worked when there was less competition. Now specificity wins.
Your brand needs to resonate deeply and communicate real transformation
Focus on who your audience wants to become, not just what they want to learn
You don't need to be "edgy" to stand out. You need to be clear.
If this post gave you an idea or a new perspective, send me a DM on Instagram @itsJodiebrown. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
And if you’d like to listen in on the exact podcast episode that accompanies this blog post, you can do that here, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Xo Jodie
Ps. Don't forget to subscribe to the Sought After Educator Podcast to get more insights like this delivered to your phone every week.
