Oct 20, 2025
How to strengthen your value proposition so your pricing makes sense to the people you want to sell to
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether your prices are “too high,” you’re not alone. For many founders, especially in product-based businesses, price becomes an emotional flashpoint.
You might worry that you’re being greedy. You second-guess whether customers will pay it. You might even find yourself slashing prices or discounting before someone’s even objected — just in case.
But in most cases, price isn’t the real issue. The real problem is that your audience doesn’t yet understand the value of what you’re offering. And that means they’re not equipped to say yes — not because the product isn’t right, but because you haven’t shown them why it’s worth it.
This is where your value proposition becomes critical.
Value isn't what you say — it's what your audience understands
Your value proposition isn’t a tagline or a brand slogan. It’s the strategic core of your commercial messaging.
It answers the question every potential customer is asking:
Why should I buy this, at this price, from you?
Your job as a founder isn’t just to make the product or set the price — it’s to make sure that price feels justified in the eyes of your audience. If you don’t articulate the value clearly, you leave room for assumptions. And the assumption most people jump to when something isn’t clear?
“It’s too expensive.”
Not because it actually is, but because they don’t yet see what’s behind the number.
If your audience doesn’t understand the value, the price will always feel too high
It’s easy to forget that your audience doesn’t have the context you do. They don’t see the process, the materials, the testing, the customer support, the craftsmanship, or the care that goes into creating your product or delivering your service.
So if your brand messaging only talks about what the product is, and not why it matters, they’re left comparing it to cheaper, surface-level alternatives that don’t do what yours does.
For example, you might make small-batch home fragrance products. You know you use better oils, safer bases, sustainable packaging, and more thoughtful scents. But if your marketing only says “handmade candle, 200g” — your audience has no idea why yours costs £26 and not £12.
That’s not a pricing issue. That’s a messaging issue.
A strong value proposition does the heavy lifting for you
When done well, your value proposition:
Gives people a compelling reason to choose you over cheaper competitors
Reframes price as an investment in quality, not a premium for the sake of it
Builds trust before the sale even happens
Reduces the need to justify, discount, or over-explain every offer
And most importantly — it anchors your business in something defensible. A strong proposition becomes the thing your customers repeat when they recommend you. It's what gives your brand longevity, even as trends shift or markets change.
How to build a value proposition that supports your pricing
A solid value proposition is rooted in what your audience actually values. It’s not about justifying your costs — it’s about showing how you solve a real problem or meet a real desire better than the alternatives.
Start by asking yourself:
What specific problem does this product solve?
What outcome does it help someone achieve?
What frustrations does it remove from their life?
What proof do I have that it works?
How is it better, smarter, safer, more beautiful, more reliable, or more enjoyable than the other options they’ve tried?
Then take it one level deeper:
Why does that matter to them?
Let’s go back to the candle example. You’re not just selling a soy wax candle. You’re selling a calm end to a long day. A thoughtful gift for someone who’s hard to buy for. A moment of quiet in a busy household. That’s the value.
Once you’re clear on that, you can build messaging that reflects it and use it across your website, packaging, emails, social content, sales pages, and pitches.
Pricing is a strategy — not a guess
Your price should reflect:
The experience you’re delivering
The quality of your product or service
The value of your time and expertise
Your margin needs and business goals
And most importantly, the transformation or benefit to your customer
If you’re building a premium brand, don’t just say you’re premium. Prove it through how you speak, what you highlight, how you show up, and the consistency of your customer experience.
Your audience doesn’t need a discount — they need to understand.
Final takeaway for founders
If you’re feeling resistance around your pricing, don’t default to lowering it.
Instead, ask yourself:
Have I clearly communicated why this is worth what I’m asking?
Because pricing without positioning is guesswork, but when your value proposition is clear and aligned to what your audience actually cares about, the price no longer feels like a barrier — it feels like a fair exchange.
And that’s what creates confident customers. Not just once, but again and again.Y
If you have the direction but need help starting, book a free discovery call today.