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 when loyal clients are surprised by your full range of services it’s a visibility breakdown.
Many expert brands get blindsided by the phrase: “I didn’t know you did that too!” It sounds like curiosity, but it often reveals a deeper disconnect. You may be brilliant, credible, and even trusted … but if your full scope isn’t visible, you’re leaving growth on the table. In this post, I explore six key questions that reveal why visibility gaps happen even when relationships seem strong.
Because experts tend to lead with depth, not breadth. You talk about what you’re most known for. But in doing so, you may unintentionally hide the rest. Visibility gets narrowed by repetition.
Also, clients often anchor their perception based on your first win with them. If they hired you for one niche area, they mentally box you there. Without clear prompts, they don’t connect the dots on their own. That’s why repeated reinforcement, in different forms and channels, is key to expanding perception.
No. Listing isn’t the same as demonstrating. A dropdown menu can’t carry the emotional weight of a well-told case study, a bold opinion, or a distinctive narrative. Visibility grows when services are contextualised.
Think about it: When was the last time a client emailed you after reading your Services page? What sparks real curiosity is seeing your capability in action, not reading it in isolation. Visibility must be active, not passive … proactively integrated into conversations, not buried in menus.
Absolutely. If clients don’t know what else you do, they can’t refer those services. Most referrals happen through shorthand: “She’s great at X.” If they only know one slice of your work, that’s all they refer you for.
To multiply referrals, you need to equip your champions with richer, more specific language about what you do and why it matters. That requires education, repetition, and storytelling. It also means giving them simple, memorable phrases they can easily repeat to others.
Case studies, opinion pieces, and story-driven LinkedIn posts work better than static service descriptions. Show how your thinking applies across categories. Make unfamiliar services feel familiar through analogy, relevance, and outcomes.
You don’t have to overwhelm people with a menu. Just highlight your depth by connecting it to a broader journey or transformation. When they see a through-line, they’ll see your scope. Smart visibility happens when content reveals both diversity and direction.
Anchor your brand in a central promise. Let that be your north star. Then, show how your services are expressions of that promise. Breadth feels focused when the intent behind it is clear.
For example, instead of saying “I also do ABC and XYZ,” say “My core mission is [your big idea] … and here are the ways I make that happen.” That way, you sound like a system, not a menu. When framed correctly, breadth actually reinforces authority rather than diluting it.
Yes. It’s not about changing your identity. It’s about clarifying your signals. Small shifts in how you show up … your LinkedIn bio, your email signoff, the headlines on your homepage … can spark much bigger realignments.
The key is not adding more, but revealing better. Most visibility gaps aren’t caused by absence, but by silence. When you show up with precision and narrative, discovery happens faster. The goal is to create resonance, not just recognition.
If this question resonates, it’s time to audit your brand communication. Look at your own site, posts, and calls. Are you naming your value in a way that triggers connection? Or are you relying on people to piece things together? Brand clarity is your job … not your client’s puzzle to solve. A few strategic tweaks in your storytelling could open entirely new lanes of opportunity.
If you’re brand owner or manager seeking stronger brand performance, this FAQ Insight Post I wrote could interest you: “FAQs: When Influencers Stop Naming Your Brand Unprompted.“
If you’re an investor seeking momentum for your portfolio brands, this FAQ Insight Post I worked on may resonate: “FAQs: When Founders Keep Rebranding Instead of Repositioning.“
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