If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while or heard me talk, you might remember “Expert’s Paradox”.
1. Clients need you precisely because they lack the expertise in your field of work
2. That lack of knowledge prevents them from appreciating the value of the service you provide
3. In order for them to value your work correctly, they would need to know about as much as you do
4. If they knew that much, they would be your colleague and wouldn’t need your help at all
In short, people who value you don’t need you, and people who need you don’t value you.
Now, is there a path out of that paradox? Sure, but not an easy one.
You need to understand that a price is about three things:
– It’s a number, and the way it was constructed
– It’s a feeling, and the way it makes sense to people
– It’s a power dynamic, a game of tactics and tension
It’s Structure, Story, and Stance.
The path that leads out of the Expert’s Paradox depends on accepting, understanding, and taking ownership over all three dimensions of pricing.
Through that, it’s possible to modify the client’s pricing expectations deliberately, and with it, their certainty. Like glasses, bending their perception until they are able to see enough value and be comfortable with paying a proper price.
Price isn’t the biggest barrier to sales. It’s uncertainty. Help them see more, and they will be OK with paying more.