3 reasons high-earning clients aren’t buying from you

Lately, I have been hearing from a lot of business owners who have been showing up, doing the work, delivering real results, and they are still not landing those high level clients that they know. They are ready for those high level clients that they know can change the trajectory of their business. And if that is you, I want you to know that it has nothing to do with your pricing.

It’s not that you’re not talented enough either. The real issue is it is all about how you are being perceived. And in a market where buyers are taking much longer to make decisions and are filtering a lot more carefully than ever, how you position yourself as a business owner, as an expert in your industry, it matters and it matters a lot.

So today I’m the podcast. I am breaking down three reasons why high earning clients might be skipping over your offers and how to shift your messaging, your offers. Your overall presence, so you’re not just visible, but you are trusted. Because one of the main things that I want to really hone in on and remind business owners is that you are not losing sales because you’re not good enough.

You’re losing them because people don’t know if they can trust what you are selling. And so that is the main thing, and that’s what we’re gonna be talking about, is how to get people to trust you because that is the key foundation in order to make more sales in your business. So I will not take up too much of your time.

Let’s hurry up and get into the episode. Welcome to Unbreakable Business, the podcast where we uncover the untold stories behind entrepreneurship. This isn’t about polished success stories. It’s about the sleepless nights, unexpected roadblocks in unshakeable grit that builds businesses that last. Every week we sit down with entrepreneurs who faced it all, sharing raw, honest conversations about challenges.

Growth and the moments that made them unbreakable. Whether you’re just starting out or chasing your next breakthrough, this podcast is your reminder that you have the strength to keep going. So let’s start by naming what many business owners are currently feeling right now. You know, things are a lot slower, sales is feeling harder, and you are definitely not imagining it.

So according to recent data, 73% of Americans now engage in what’s called slow shopping. And essentially that is where people are planning and pacing out their purchases carefully, especially when it comes to big ticket items. So that should already indicate to you that people are taking a longer time to make a decision to work with somebody or purchase a product based on the price.

So the more expensive it is, the longer it is going to take for people to make a decision of whether they wanna buy from you or not. So if this is something. That you are feeling like you’re worried about revenue. I also wanna let you know that you’re not alone in that either. 35% of small business owners are saying that revenue right now is one of their biggest concerns.

This is why I wanted us to do this topic for this episode because I’m having, like I said, the conversation with so many business owners. Um, some business owners are thriving and that’s great, but a majority, like the ones that I have been connecting with are struggling. This is the time where we get to.

Be a little bit more innovative, be a lot more strategic with where and how we’re spending our time and how we’re building our business. So if you keep getting inquiries from people who can’t afford you, or even worse, they are ghosting you, I just wanna tell you that you do not have a pricing problem.

It is a positioning problem. Your messaging is the issue. And also right now, like I mentioned before, is that. There’s also a bigger issue at play here is that we are in a trust recession, and this is something I heard on Amy Porterfield’s podcast, I think last month or so, one of her friends had mentioned that where again, people are a lot more wary of brands and so they’re taking a lot more time to make purchasing decisions and this is everybody.

So even with high earning clients. Yes. Even the ones with money, they are buying differently. Everybody is buying differently. Most of us are filtering a lot harder, we’re moving slower, and we’re only committed to what feels rock solid. Like they’re not just saying, can this person help me? They’re really asking, can I trust this person to give me the outcome that I’m looking for?

So before we dive into those reasons, here’s something that I want. Everybody to keep in mind, and this is something I’ve talked about before, earlier in the year, I did an episode on the 2025 entrepreneurial trends that I’m seeing, and this is with the first trend, so I’m going to bring it back up here again today, is that the client customer journey is getting longer.

And it’s not just getting longer, it’s also getting more personal, right? So high earning clients, they are not making snap decisions. In fact, nobody’s making snap decisions right now. They are watching, they are listening, and they’re waiting for signs that you. Understand them, that you get them. So what actually builds that trust?

What makes that connection with your audience? And so one quick way to do that is if somebody sends you a DM or that’s replying to your story or they’re inquiring about your services, instead of just, you know, sending like a quick text reply of like saying, oh, thank you. Or, you know, just answering a quick question through.

You know of what they’re asking. Send a voice note. I am a voice note girly through and through. So anybody that always slides into my dm, I always send a voice note. Even if I get a new follow and they reach out to me or they have questions about my services, I either send a voice note or if you wanna take it a step further, you can send a video reply.

Again, it gives people that connection to you. It makes. Them, almost kind of you as a friend, um, somebody that they can really talk to that goes beyond, okay, like I, that goes beyond like, okay, I can learn from this person because of course the person’s coming to you because they want to learn from you.

They already know that. Like you already know that and they know that. But what’s really gonna get them to want to work with you is that connection of like, do I gel with this person? Just do our values, align, those types of things. And so those are some really quick, easy ways that you can build trust with your audience quickly.

Because to be quite frank, people don’t just want your product, right? They want proof that you care about them before they buy. And so that accessibility piece is what truly builds connection. And the connection is what builds trust. And the trust is what makes the sale. And so. I also too just wanna acknowledge that connection isn’t enough, right?

Like once you’ve had their attention, you have to back it up with a business that feels trustworthy at every single level. And that’s where most people lose those high level clients without even really realizing it. So let’s walk through the three biggest reasons your offers might not be landing and how to shift each one to build real revenue driving trust.

Okay. The first reason is, is that you are leading with pain when you should be speaking to power. So most messaging frameworks, which I think we’ve, we’ve been taught, is really teaching us to agitate people’s pain points. And I think that works for a lot of early stage buyers. But for high level clients, they don’t wanna sit in their struggle.

They want to know you see where they are going. They already know that they have a problem. They’re not thinking, I feel lost. They’re thinking I don’t have the time to waste. I need the most efficient. Way forward. That is what you need to be thinking about. So if your messaging sounds like, we’ll figure it out together, you are screaming.

Uncertainty and uncertainty is what will repel these high buying clients. Really hone in on the transformation, not the struggle. That is something I think is so key, especially as a storytelling strategist. That’s one of the main key things I always hone in, talk about that transformation and really hone in on the emotion that they feel once they have gotten what they’ve gotten, that transformation that they’re looking for.

That is what’s gonna help you close the sale. So you really wanna highlight those results and showcase decisiveness mirror back their current identity, not their past self. And I think that’s something we need to remember as a business owner, because when you wanna work with some of these high earning clients, they.

Already. Like I said, they already know they, their pain points. They already know what it is that they’re looking for. They want somebody that can help them with who they are right now. And so talking about some of these pain points, again, that leans towards the beginning, uh, early buyer journey, and that’s just not where they are.

So really think about your results. Think about the transformation that they’re going to experience and lean into the data. Show them the receipts, because that’s, that’s what they’re looking for. A lot of times they’re looking, they’re like, okay, look, I don’t need the fluff. I wanna see the numbers of, can you truly provide what it is that I’m asking for?

And that’s where I even as a storytelling strategist, talk about data storytelling. I think that’s something that we don’t lean in enough as business owners, is how can we bring in a lot of those numbers and share it in a way that makes our audience understand it and understand it. Quickly. So remember your next level client.

They’re not confused about their business. They’re decisive about what they no longer have the time for. So don’t just describe their pain point. Again, show them their power, that transformation, and that is what they’re going to recognize. So an example of that can be, you know, a very generic type of messaging is feel confident showing up on video instead of doing that.

How about this? Turn your video content into a lead generating machine without adding to your workload. Do you see how that can make such a difference? Like I’m more inclined now to want to say, yes, I wanna purchase what it is that you’re offering. So really ask yourself, is your messaging speaking to where your ideal client is now?

Or where they were three years ago, right? Really speak to where they want to go. Speak to that future self of them. Don’t speak to, to their past. And so that’s something I really, really, really want you to take the time and really ask yourself those questions so you can have that clarity. Reason number two is your offers.

Feel custom when they should feel more premium. So if your offer feels just really vague or it’s kind of like, you know, building your own adventure, that just does not scream that that premium service, it again, really shows uncertainty because. You know, custom packages, it kind of shows the flexibility that it’s a little bit more labor heavy for the client, um, when a premium service is really just nicely positioned, package and very outcome driven.

So, high earning clients, they don’t want to co-create. They want to be led. And I think that’s something that we really need to remember as business owners is that a lot of these times is that a lot of us need to be told what to do. Like we want to, in order to have our problem fixed, we wanna know, okay.

Step one, this is what I need to do. Okay, great. I’ve hit step one, step two, this is what I need to do next. Step three, and so on and so forth. And that’s what a premium service is going to really reflect, because again, what they care about is the results and your services is going to help them get there.

So really think this through. You wanna name your offer, right? You wanna package the outcomes and stop selling time and again, start selling transformation. I think that is such, the basic thing that we always hear a lot with with sales is like, oh yeah, you’re gonna save this much time. That’s great. But I think so many of us now, we obviously wanna gain back more time, but what is the reason as to why we wanna gain back that time?

What are some of the deeper reasons that we need to be thinking of? And that’s again, where it really focuses on that transformation. So just again, remember that the clarity builds trust and the trust is what closes that sale. Again, we’re not leaning into. Uh, uncertainty here making like if you feel uncertain, then that means that you right now need to go back to the drawing board because if you feel uncertain the potential clients, they’re going to feel that uncertainty and they are gonna move on and move on very quickly.

They already know that what their problem is, and they already are, they’re just looking for the solution. That is something I really, really wanna remind people. And so a quick example could be like, for example, if you are selling a 90 minute strategy session, instead of just naming it, that you can call it a brand messaging audit.

Or a revenue roadmap intensive. So ask yourself, could someone glance at your services and instantly understand what they’ll walk away with? And a way to do that is ask people, survey your audience. If they do not understand, then you need to go back and really refine and review your messaging and to get it to where it needs to be so that people are able to quickly understand what it is that you offer.

So they’re more likely to say yes. And reason number three, your brand doesn’t match the price tag. And this is something I definitely struggled with in the past, and I, I think it’s so easy for us to realize as business owners, like we forget that we evolve and our brand sometimes doesn’t evolve with us.

And when that happens, you are losing money. Like money is not gonna come in your pocket. And so this is where you have to really go back. Look at your business from top to bottom because everything that you do in your business communicates value before you even get to the price, right? Your emails, your systems, your visuals, your whole overall brand and high earning clients, they will notice when things feel rushed or very inconsistent, and so they can interpret that as if it’s messy.

Now, it’s gonna be messy when we work together, and I do not have the time or the capacity for that. So one thing you wanna do is that you want to audit your full client experience, your full brand, right? Like, start from, like I said, from top to bottom. Go look at your visuals, your brand guidelines, all of those different types of things.

Anything that you’re using, like on socials, how you’re showing up. Look at your systems that that client experience is so, so key. That’s what will help set you apart from your competition. Look at how your client experience is right now. Look at all of your systems in your business. Right, refine that brand voice.

Does it reflect clarity and confidence? And if you feel that it doesn’t, then you need to go back to the drawing board because your brand is the first handshake, right? That is the first thing that people know about you is your brand. And like that just, it just exudes a certain type of vibe. And so you wanna make it a damn good handshake, right?

Like think about whenever you meet somebody, someone that you’ve always wanted to meet, and you show up so confident and you shake their hand, look them directly in the eye. That’s what your brand needs to be doing with. Every single person that comes across your profile, either on social or comes across your website, that’s what it needs to be doing every single time.

So really remember that every single touch point in your business either confirms or contradicts your price. There is no in-between, especially when you’re trying to work with more high earning clients. There is none. Because again, they can, they can tell, they can already sniff things out immediately. So again, really go back and look at your brand from top to bottom, because whether you believe it or not, your brand is communicating something that it can either really align with what you’re looking for or not.

And that’s something that I struggled with as a business about three years ago, and that’s when I decided to finally. Take a break from my business and really refine my messaging and my positioning came back out as a storytelling strategist because I kept getting the wrong type of clients. I’d spend my time in consultation calls where they were either ghosting me or they couldn’t afford me, and I.

Or they still didn’t have an idea of what it is that I offered, and it was so debilitating. It was so frustrating. And taking that break to really refine everything was one of the best decisions that I ever made as a business because I came back so confident and the services that I created, I know like the back of my hand.

So whenever people are asking me are inquiring, I instantly know. What the outcomes are. I’m already talking about it on the call. I’m instantly talking about the transformation that they’re going to experience and the results that they’re going to get. Case studies that I, I, I pull out, like those types of things.

We’ll take you so far as a business owner, and so I really just wanna remind you to go back and really look at that yet your brand, because you’re, you are evolving all the time, and so is your target audience. So I know I just kinda like honed in a lot there, went on a rant, but I really, as somebody who has dealt with that, it, it just makes such a big difference when you take that time to really refine everything in your business because you will come out stronger in the long run.

So a question that I really want you to think about is asking yourself, like, what assumptions would a client make based on your. You know, whether it be your social or you know, the last email you sent to your list or even your onboarding form. Again, really taking that time to, to look at the, at these things to ask yourself, what kind of experience is this giving to people that I wanna potentially work with?

So those are such important key things to really think about. And one thing I really want business owners to remember about when you’re trying to attract high earning clients, they’re not shopping. They’re selecting because we’re in a market where people aren’t just comparing options. They are looking for signals of certainty, right?

Those high earning clients, they don’t want a dozen of choices. They really don’t. They just want one person who feels like the obvious solution. They don’t have the time and the capacity to be. Looking up at like 10 different profiles. They really don’t. So these clients are filtering and they’re filtering out very quickly.

They can tell right away if somebody’s gonna align with them or not. They’re not price shopping. They are risk reducing, risk reducing, not price shopping. ’cause they, again, they already have the money. So they are not price shopping, they are risk reducing. They’re asking, okay if, which is going to be the least amount of risk when investing in this person?

So they’re asking, does this person feel solid? Can they handle complexity? Right? Do they communicate like someone I can trust with a big outcome? Like that is something, those are key things that they’re really asking themselves and honestly, as business owners with some of my friends, when we are looking to work with somebody best believe I’m asking.

And sending dms, asking for reviews. What was your experience like working with this person? How was their vibe? How was their personality? Did you get, um, did you experience the transformation that you’re looking for? What were some of the outcomes you had? These are questions that we’re also having behind closed doors, whether you believe it or not.

And so that’s again, where you wanna come out confident. And certain about what it is that you offer, the results that you provide. Because even if your brand or your offers or your process feels a little bit shaky at all, even a little bit, they are going to move on and they are not comparing price, like they’re not because they already have the budget.

They are looking for a trusted advisor, that right hand person to really help them move them forward in their business. So again, if you feel very vague or if you feel uncertain, they’re going to move on. So if you want to attract a high level client, your business. Has to feel high level from everything from your offers to your emails, to your systems, to your energy and how you show up.

Okay? So those are the top three reasons why high earning clients are not buying from you. But overall, I hope that this episode was super helpful because I want you to remember that you don’t have to burn this all down. You don’t have to stop hiding the version of you. That your dream client is already looking for.

Choose one thing in your business to audit this week and start from there. That could be, you know, your messaging, that could be your offers, that could be your overall brand experience. So don’t try to overhaul everything at once because you are going to feel. Overwhelmed. Feel like you know you’re not good enough and just overthink everything.

Just pick one because this isn’t about working harder. It is truly about showing up like the expert that you already are. We are just refining certain things, making things go a lot smoother. That is all that I have today for you on the show, and so you guys let me know what you think of today’s episode.

Send me a DM of what your biggest takeaway is and. As always, until next time, thanks for tuning into Unbreakable Business. If you love today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who needs a little extra inspiration. Remember, no matter what life throws your way, you have the power to keep going and your business can be unbreakable too.

Until next time, keep building. Keep growing, and stay unbreakable.