The Originality Problem Killing Most Fitness Coaches
Marketing For Fitness Coaches Podcast with Kandace Dickson | CoachRx Podcast Network
If your content feels like it’s getting ignored, it’s probably not because you need “more ideas.” It’s because your ideas don’t have a strategy behind them. In 2026, average content doesn’t just underperform, it disappears. AI has helped flood every feed with look-alike posts, polished tips, and recycled scripts.
Kandace Dickson (CMO of OPEX and Coach RX) breaks down what’s changed, what hasn’t, and how to package your ideas so the right people actually watch, learn, and want more help from you. This post walks through her simple framework for building a content strategy built on perspective, not noise.
Why “just posting” stopped working
A few years ago, attention was already scarce. Everyone was competing for the same limited human bandwidth. That part hasn’t changed, but the way content gets discovered has.
Subscriber-based visibility used to give you a predictable boost. If someone followed you, they were more likely to see your posts. Now, interest-based feeds run the show. That means:
Your followers don’t equal reach.
A great post can get traction with strangers.
A decent post can get buried even with a big audience.
At the same time, content supply has exploded. AI sped that up, which means the internet is packed with “fine” content. The kind that’s accurate, clean, and forgettable.
The result is what Kandace calls content fatigue and mistrust, plus longer buying cycles. People don’t just buy because they saw a reel. They watch longer, compare more, and take their time deciding who’s legit.
That sounds grim, but there’s a bright side.
In 2026, people don’t need more content. They need help deciding what’s worth their time, and who’s worth trusting.
If you can provide clarity, differentiation, and a real point of view, you’re not fighting the algorithm with volume. You’re earning attention with substance.
What audiences expect from coaches now
People have a sharper filter now. They’re not just asking, “Is this tip true?” They’re asking, “Do I trust you?” and “Do you get me?”
Kandace points to three things audiences want most:
Connection: They want to feel like you understand their world. Not a broad “everyone struggles” message, but something that makes them think, “That’s me.”
Proof: They want to see that you’ve done the thing. Not just read about it, not just studied it, but lived it. They also want to see the results you’ve created, either in your own life or through your clients.
Perspective: They want your honest take. Not the safest take. Not the most polished take. A fresh point of view that helps them see themselves and their situation differently.
This is also why overly polished content is starting to fall flat. People are tired of content that feels edited within an inch of its life. They want real delivery. Real beliefs. Real trade-offs.
A helpful way to think about it is this: your content is a preview of what it would feel like to work with you. If your posts feel generic, people assume your coaching is generic too.
What “good content” means in 2026
“Good content” is not just content that gets likes. Kandace defines it by how well it connects to the right person and moves them forward.
Here’s what she highlights.
Good content targets the right people. It’s not for everyone. It’s for the person you actually want to coach. If you try to speak to everybody, your message turns into wallpaper.
Good content is clear. Clarity earns the view, even in a crowded feed. If someone can’t tell what you mean in the first few seconds, they’ll scroll.
Good content has high value velocity. That means you get to the insight fast. You don’t circle the point. You help someone see the problem, understand it, and take a step.
Good content is distinct. This is where principles, frameworks, and your experience matter. Two people can teach “fat loss,” “lead generation,” or “time management” and still sound completely different. The difference is the lens they teach through.
Good content feels human. People should feel who you are and how you think. It should feel like stepping into your world, the same way a client would.
And good content is consistent. Not in a perfect-posting way, but in a compounding way. Over time, you build a body of work and a bingeable library. That library does a job most people forget to assign to their content: it pre-sells your coaching by building trust through watch time.
Your beliefs are the foundation of your perspective
If 2026 rewards perspective, the next question is obvious: where does perspective come from?
Kandace’s answer is simple and a little uncomfortable (in a good way). Perspective comes from your beliefs. You have to spend time thinking about what you believe, what you stand for, and what you stand against.
Beliefs matter because they do three jobs at once:
They shape your coaching. Your beliefs drive what you focus on, what you challenge, and what you won’t compromise on.
They build trust. When someone shares your values, they move toward you faster. Even if they don’t agree with everything, they can respect clarity.
They deepen connection. When you say out loud what someone already feels (or wants to feel), they feel seen. That’s where connection happens.
Beliefs also help you stay consistent. If you feel strongly about something, you can talk about it for years without forcing yourself to “come up with content.” You’re not borrowing ideas, you’re explaining your own.
If your content feels like it’s getting harder to make, it may be because you’re posting tips without anchoring them to what you actually believe.
The Coaching Content Signature framework (3 pillars)
To make perspective usable, Kandace teaches a framework she uses inside the OPEX Method and on her podcast. It’s called the coaching content signature, and it’s built on three pillars.
Pillar 1: Core beliefs
These are the things you stand for (or stand against). They give your content a spine.
Core beliefs are not vague values like “hard work” or “consistency.” They’re clearer than that, closer to principles you’d defend in a room full of peers.
When you know your beliefs, your message stops wobbling. Your audience learns what you’re about, and they can decide faster if you’re their person.
Pillar 2: Transformational topics
These are the conversations you have with clients on repeat.
They often sit around:
Painful problems clients keep hitting
Goals they want but can’t reach alone
Decisions they struggle to make
Outcomes they say they want, but aren’t sure how to get
If you’re ever stuck wondering what to post, your client calls are usually the answer. The best topics are rarely creative writing exercises. They’re the real sticking points people pay you to solve.
Pillar 3: Delivery and style
This is your energy and how you show up.
It’s your tone, your pace, your vibe on camera, the way you explain things, the kind of examples you use, and how direct (or soft) you are.
Style isn’t about being a character. It’s about being recognizable. People should be able to watch five seconds and know it’s you.
Where the “magic” happens: the overlaps that make you memorable
The framework gets more useful when you look at the overlaps between the three pillars. Kandace breaks it down like this.
When your beliefs and transformational topics overlap, your perspective shows up. This is your point of view on how change actually happens. Two coaches can talk about the same topic, but their beliefs will shape the advice in totally different ways.
When your beliefs and your style overlap, that’s your expression. It’s how your values show up in your voice and presence. People can feel when someone is performing. Expression feels steadier, because it matches what you believe.
When your topics and your style overlap, that’s your attitude, or the energetic temperature you bring to your content. Some coaches teach with calm clarity. Others teach with intensity. Neither is “better,” but the difference matters, because it attracts different people.
These overlaps give you three things that most creators are missing:
Clarity (you know what you stand for)
Direction (you know what you talk about)
Identity (you know how you show up)
That’s also why this framework helps with consistency. Once your signature is clear, you’re not reinventing your voice every time you open your notes app.
If you want a related follow-up video from Kandace, she also references: Watch Next: the follow-up video on YouTube.
How to put this into action (without overcomplicating it)
Knowing the framework is useful, but it only works if you do the work.
Kandace mentions a few ways to take action:
She created a worksheet to help map your coaching content signature (DM her for it).
She also created a custom GPT that walks you prompt by prompt through building your content signature. To get it, she says to DM her on Instagram.
You can reach me here:
@marketingforfitnesscoaches) or
If you want to go deeper than a worksheet, I will point you to the OPEX Method cohort, where she spends two full weeks with coaches building their content strategy and marketing system step by step. She describes it as coming after eight full weeks inside the OPEX Method for individual design coaches, where coaches learn the principles and implement them while building their coaching system inside Coach RX.
Related resources she shares include the CoachRx Podcast Network and CoachRx coaching software, plus the OPEX Method mentorship program.
Conclusion
Content in 2026 doesn’t reward average. It rewards perspective, delivered with clarity and a real point of view. When you anchor your content in core beliefs, repeat client topics, and a consistent style, you stop chasing trends and start building trust through a body of work people actually want to watch. If you want a simple next step, map your coaching content signature and use it to guide what you post this week. What do you stand for strongly enough that you could teach it for years?
Next Steps
👉 Download your free one page marketing plan!
👉 Subscribe to the show so you don’t miss an episode!
And don’t forget, Marketing for Fitness Coaches is part of the CoachRx Podcast Network, a collection of shows designed to elevate the coaching conversation. Discover more shows in the CoachRx Podcast Network here.
👉 Have questions? If you have a question or want feedback on your lead magnet idea, DM me on Instagram @marketingforfitnesscoaches or @coachrx.app
👉 Stay ahead of the curve and provide the best for your clients with CoachRx.
