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

Is this you? You show up every day for your business and deliver real results, but you still aren’t landing the high-paying clients you know you’re ready for. Here’s a newsflash: it’s not because of your pricing.

In this episode of Unbreakable Business, we’re getting to the root of the issue with the top three reasons high-earning clients aren’t buying from you. Listen in as we flip the script on what really matters when it comes to upleveling your business. Here’s a hint: it has everything to do with how you position yourself.

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You don’t have a pricing problem; you have a messaging problem

You’re not imagining it: landing sales feels harder today than it did in the past, and there’s data to back up why:

  • 73% of Americans now engage in “slow shopping.” They plan and pace their purchases carefully, especially on bigger-ticket items 
  • 35% of small business owners said revenue is their top concern.
  • 70% of Americans expect a recession and are spending more cautiously, even at higher income levels.

People are buying differently right now, including those with high incomes. Your potential clients take longer to purchase and are wary of big promises. They’re not only asking themselves if you can help them, they’re asking if they can trust you. 

The client journey is getting longer and more personal

At the beginning of the year, we forecasted the top entrepreneurial trends for 2025, and the first one was that the client journey is getting longer. But here’s the thing: it’s not just getting longer, it’s also getting more personal. 

High-earning clients are not making snap purchasing decisions right now. They are watching, listening, and waiting for signs that you understand them. 

This is why you need to take every opportunity you have to build trust with your audience. A small but powerful example is sending voice note responses to DMs instead of text responses. Voice notes are more personal and show potential clients that you care about them. 

You can take it a step further by sending video replies. The more personal you are, the faster you’ll build a connection with your prospects. Your clients already know that they can learn something from you, but what they really want to know is that you’re the kind of person they can talk to and gel with on a personal level. 

Why high-earning clients aren’t buying from you

If you’ve been consistently showing up, delivering real results, and doing everything “right” yet still not landing those high-level clients—you’re not alone. It’s not about your pricing. It’s not about your qualifications. It’s about perception. 

How you are perceived can determine whether your offer gets a yes or a scroll. That’s why it’s crucial to shift from simply being visible to becoming deeply trusted. Let’s walk through three reasons high-earning clients aren’t buying from you.

You’re leading with pain instead of speaking with power

Most messaging frameworks teach us to agitate people’s pain points. While this approach can work with early-stage buyers, it is less effective for high-level clients. They don’t want to sit in their struggle; they want to know that you see where they’re going.

High-level clients already know they have a problem, so you don’t have to tell them about it. Instead, you need to show them the transformation they’ll have when they work with you. They don’t have time to waste, so it’s up to you to show them the most efficient path forward.

Uncertainty repels high-paying clients. Here’s how to fix your messaging:

  • Speak to transformation, not struggle.
  • Highlight data-driven results, momentum, and decisiveness.
  • Mirror back their current identity, not their past self.

Here’s an example: Instead of advising clients to show up more on video, tell them, “Turn your video content into a lead-generating machine without adding to your workload.”

Ask yourself: Is your messaging speaking to where your ideal client is now or where they were three years ago? How can you speak to where they want to go? 

Your offers feel custom when they should feel premium

Vague, “build your own adventure” offers don’t scream “premium.” They feel unclear. Flexible, custom packages are labor-intensive for the client. They don’t want to co-create with you; they want to be led. 

Premium offers are positioned, packaged, and outcome-driven. Your potential clients should feel extremely clear about what they’re going to get when they work with you. Clarity builds trust, and trust closes sales.

Another hallmark of premium offers is that they feel obvious. Clients don’t have to think twice about them because as soon as they look at them, they understand them and know what they’re going to walk away with if they work with you. 

An easy way to make your offer obvious is to give it a more specific name. For example, instead of offering a “90-Minute Strategy Session,” offer a “Brand Messaging Audit” or “Revenue Roadmap Intensive.”

Your brand doesn’t match your price tag 

As a business owner, it’s easy to forget that as you evolve, your brand needs to evolve with you. Everything that you do communicates value, from your emails, systems, and visuals. 

Give yourself a full client experience audit, from top to bottom, and ask yourself how a potential high-level client would feel when they interact with your business. Does it feel messy, rushed, and inconsistent? If that’s the vibe you give off before they even see your prices, they’re not going to feel confident working with you. 

Does your brand voice reflect clarity and confidence? What about your visuals and backend systems? Go through every touch point and ask yourself if it confirms or contradicts your pricetag. There’s no in-between, especially with high-earning clients. 

Your brand is your first handshake, and you want to make it a good one.

High-earning clients don’t shop; they select

Your potential clients, especially the high-earning ones, aren’t just comparing their options and looking for the best deal when they’re deciding whether or not to choose you. They’re looking for signs of certainty.

They don’t want a dozen choices; they want the person who feels obvious. They’re filtering through their options quickly to see who aligns with them so they can reduce as much risk as possible. It’s not about the money for them; it’s about trust. 

This is why you must lead with confidence. If your brand feels even a little bit shaky, they’ll move on. Your business needs to feel high-level to attract high-level clients. 

Choose one thing to audit this week, whether that’s your messaging, offers, or brand experience. It’s not about starting from scratch; it’s about making changes to show up like the expert you are.  

Important sections of the conversation

  • [1:55] You don’t have a pricing problem; you have a positioning problem
  • [4:02] The client journey is getting longer and more personal 
  • [6:16] Reason one: You’re leading with pain instead of speaking from power
  • [9:34] Reason two: Your offers feel custom when they should feel premium
  • [12:06] Reason three: Your brand doesn’t match your price tag 
  • [16:01] High-earning clients don’t shop; they select 

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