FOCUS: BRAND VISIBILITY GAPS | AUDIENCE: EXPERTS WITH IGNORED BRANDS
BY: SHOBHA PONNAPPA | BRAND BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIST | 45 YEARS | 125+ CLIENTS
I answer 6 tough questions about why experts struggle to justify their premium prices online … due to weak product storytelling.
I often work with highly skilled consultants, coaches, and service professionals whose products deserve a premium tag … but get ignored online. It’s not because their expertise lacks enough depth to deliver realvalue to their audiences. It’s because their product story doesn’t signal value. When a story fails, the offer fades.
Because most experts explain what they offer … not what it means. They describe the process, the deliverables, the timeline … but forget to connect with the buyer’s emotional stakes. Pricing power doesn’t come from scope. It comes from significance.
Also, many experts default to industry jargon or follow templates from peers. The result? Generic messaging that dilutes uniqueness. When you sound like everyone, no one sees your edge.
Look for this pattern: great testimonials, poor conversions. Or warm leads that stall once they hear the price. If your pitch creates interest but not conviction, the issue isn’t in your offer … it’s in your story’s lack of clarity or contrast.
Buyers won’t pay more unless they feel the difference. And if your site, deck, or content leaves them thinking, “This sounds useful … but I’ll compare others,” you’ve lost the pricing game.
Credentials build trust … but not urgency. Results validate capability … but not distinctiveness. Experts often think proof equals persuasion. It doesn’t. Proof must be positioned through purpose.
For example, a UX designer saying “I improved engagement by 30%” is fine. But saying “I redesigned an app so anxious patients could find care 30% faster” is unforgettable. That’s a product story with soul.
No … but copy is where value starts to crystallise. Your price is a narrative, not just a number. Copy that captures transformation, specificity, and emotional cost changes perception. Words don’t sell … but they shape worth.
If your audience sees only inputs … “4 sessions, 2 modules, 1 audit” … they’ll price you like a commodity. But if they grasp outcomes … “clarity in 10 days,” “traction within a month,” “relief from constant pitch-deck tweaks” … price becomes secondary.
A value-driven product story answers: Why now? Why you? Why this way? It creates tension, not just explanation. The best stories show a before-and-after state, with emotional lift, not just process clarity.
Your story must feel authored … not assembled. That’s what makes buyers say, “This was written for me.” Generic bullet points never trigger that feeling. Distinct stories create decisive buyers.
Start with your client’s moment of struggle … not your feature list. Then describe what resolution looks like. Tie your service to that turning point. Finally, remove all buzzwords and ask: Would a non-expert still feel moved?
You don’t need a website overhaul. Just sharpen your top 3 touchpoints: your homepage promise, your service description, and your lead magnet. Small rewrites can unlock large perception shifts.
If these questions sound familiar, you don’t have a pricing problem … you have a perception problem. And perception is shaped by story. A strong product story doesn’t just describe your work … it defends your worth before price becomes a question.
If you’re brand owner or manager seeking stronger brand performance, this FAQ Insight Post I wrote could interest you: “FAQs: Why Seasonal Buzz Doesn’t Sustain Long-Term Relevance.“
If you’re an investor seeking momentum for your portfolio brands, this FAQ Insight Post I worked on may resonate: “FAQs: When Google Finds You … but No One Remembers You.“
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