My client from Pakistan had everything you’d want in a professional: expertise, efficiency, and results that spoke for themselves. But there was one challenge she couldn’t outwork—clients saw her identity first. Her appearance, location, and accent signaled “low-cost provider,” and no matter the quality she delivered, her fair prices always seemed “shockingly too high” for them.
So while it is fair to say it’s “only” a problem of perception, of expectation – it’s no less real from her point of view than if it was etched in stone.
We never technically solved that problem, but I had an idea that “side-stepped” it: she added a nice, 50$ painting of Big Ben behind her. That worked because, with it, she now appeared and sounded exactly like one of many Muslim women in London. The client’s kneejerk prejudice never went away, but it now worked for her instead of against her.
This case highlights a broader truth: perception plays a critical role in shaping value for those offering specialized, client-focused services in international markets.
If you don’t have a painting handy, some other things help
– publishing in international forums
– presenting work in a pre-defined, modular service package
– aligning pricing with outcomes—not geography
Fighting bias directly is great, but it’s not always possible or practical. Sometimes, the right framing is all it takes to transform a barrier into a bridge.