Why Founders Undersell themselves
And Five Ways To Stop Underselling Your Services for Good
You know your work makes a difference and that you're good at it. You've helped your clients build things, do things, save time, create what they want.
But when it's time to talk money, something changes.
You dim it down, or dilute it. You're tempted to add extra support or offer a discount before anyone asks, or start justifying the price (before they even have a chance to respond!) You might sign the client, or you might not. But either way something feels off.
This is how founders undersell themselves.
And it's not really a pricing problem. Most of the time it's a mindset thing.
You may be charging less just because you feel uncomfortable asking for money because of your own money beliefs or things you've experienced. You might be mentally trying to justify why this service is worth the investment. You might be afraid of judgement. It gets gnarly.
This is everything I had to work through in the first couple of years, and it took time and practice. I now help my clients do this in a really simple framework. Here it is.
You need to trust the value of your work and see it differently (from their shoes, not yours!) You need a simpler way to talk about it, and you need to find a way of selling that feels like you.
Here's how it can look
Underselling can mean that you're charging less than you should be or you could be. But it can also show up in other less obvious ways and it's good to keep an eye out for these.
You might:
Lead with everything included instead of the results you help create.
Keep your prices for years for past clients, even though your skills have grown (because it feels 'unfair')
Add more resources or tools or access to justify a higher price.
Assume what a potential client can afford before asking. This one is huge!
Explain your limitations before explaining your value.
The hidden beliefs behind underselling
Before you can learn how to stop underselling your services, it helps to notice the belief underneath the behaviour.
"I have to prove myself first"
This belief can lead to over-delivery and massive over-responsibility. A concept I teach my clients is how to take 100% responsibility for their side of the street, only the things they can control, and get really good at that. The moment you start taking over-responsibility for things that aren't yours to solve, it gets messy (and tiring).
You give more than you promised. You stay available between sessions. You answer questions late at night. You keep adding details because you want the client to see how hard you will work for them, or when you are working for them you go way over and beyond the agreed scope.
More work doesn't always create more value for the client.
Your experience, judgement and ability to guide a client are part of the value. So is the time you save them. So is the confidence you help them build.
You don't have to work tirelessly to be paid what your value commands.
"Talking about money will damage the relationship"
If you care deeply about people, selling can feel awkward.
You might be avoiding the money part of the conversation because you think it makes you sound transactional. You may think a relationship-first approach means avoiding money until the very end. It doesn't at all.
A clear, honest conversation about investment can build trust. It gives your prospect the information they need to make a good decision. There's no hiding. We only avoid the conversation when we have thoughts about it like 'it's too much' or 'they won't pay.' None of those things are true. They're just thoughts.
Selling well doesn't mean forcing a 'yes'. It's about helping the right person understand what's possible, see if they want it and decide whether your solution (and you!) are the right fit.
"I need to sound more professional"
I hear this all the time. It might be 'I need to sound more professional/be more professional' or 'I need to get more qualifications to charge more'.
I promise your clients don't need you to be anything other than the person who helps them get what they want. Your list of qualifications or how you dress doesn't even factor in.
Be you, speak as you would in person. Don't use jargon or think you need to sound fancier and cleverer to make a sale. It's just nonsense, and it confuses your prospect.
The best sales conversations feel like real human conversations. Let me show you the five things that make a real difference when it comes to pricing.
Five ways to stop underselling your services
1. Name the real value of your work
Start by moving beyond tasks and deliverables and see the bigger picture here.
Your clients aren't just buying calls, reports, designs, strategy, design or advice. They are buying meaningful change.
Ask yourself:
What problem does my work help solve?
What becomes easier for my client?
What time, energy or money could they regain?
What decisions can they make with more confidence?
What becomes possible because I've helped them?
For example, a business consultant isn't selling a six-week programme. They're helping a founder simplify their business model, focus their marketing and create a clearer route to revenue so they can hit an income goal and feel different. Lead differently. Be clearer.
A copywriter doesn't write website pages. Their work helps a business explain its value so the right clients can recognise it, take action and buy.
A coach doesn't sell sessions! I help so many people on this. No one wants to buy coaching sessions. They want to stop second-guessing themselves, they want to take action, they want to lose weight or find love.
No over-blown promises here, all you have to do is describe the real change you provide and the end outcome.
Write down three results your clients regularly experience. Use those words in your website, sales calls and proposals.
2. Stop pricing from your fear
Your price should not be based on the worst story you can tell about your audience.
"I do not think they will pay that."
"It might be too much."
"Someone else charges less."
These thoughts may feel like facts but don't listen to them.
Before changing your price, pause and ask:
Am I making this decision from evidence or anxiety?
Have people actually said the price is too high?
Am I comparing my offer with a different level of support?
Would I feel comfortable delivering this work at the price I am considering?
What would need to change in the scope if the price came down?
Create a personal pricing floor. This is the lowest price at which you can deliver the work well without resentment or financial strain.
If someone can't meet that price, you can change the scope of what you're doing, or change the client you offer it to.
You don't need to feel confident before you set a boundary. Take the action and then go to work to prove why it should be there.
3. Practise saying your price without apology
The moment after you name your price can feel very empty and it's so tempting to want to dive in and explain things. Start offering payment plans or discounts.
You're going to want to fill the silence.
Try this instead:
"The investment for this support is £X."
Then stop, let the other person think and give them a minute.
No persuasion required. They either want it, want it but have questions, don't want it, or they're not sure either way. Your only job is to figure out which camp they're in by asking more questions.
Notice the phrases you use to make your price smaller:
"It's only…"
"I know it sounds like a lot…"
"I can probably do it for less…"
"Hopefully, that feels okay…"
Instead, try clear, neutral language:
"The investment is £X."
"This includes…"
"The programme is designed to help you…"
"If that's outside your budget, I understand."
"Would you like to talk through what is included?"
4. Build proof you can return to
When you are in a sales conversation, your mind might forget everything you've achieved.
This is especially true when you are already feeling exposed.
Create a brag (or celebration!) document. Keep it somewhere easy to find. Add:
Client testimonials.
Before-and-after examples.
Results you've helped create.
Problems you've solved.
Kind messages from clients.
Moments when your work made a real difference.
Your own business milestones.
Have a look at this before a sales call. Use it to remind yourself you're great at what you do, and exactly why. You're speaking from experience, don't forget it.
5. Simplify your offer and your business model
Complexity can make underselling worse. If your offer has too many options, too many features or lots of different types of support, you're probably getting lost and confused in it. That means your potential client will be too.
A simpler business model can really help you grow faster.
Ask yourself:
Which problem do I most want to be known for solving?
Who benefits most from this work?
What is the clearest path from their current problem to the desired result?
Which parts of my offer are the most valuable?
Don't offer everything.
You may want to have one clear starting offer, one deeper level of support and one simple way for people to take the next step.
When your business is simpler, your sales conversations become easier too. You're spending less time explaining all the options and scenarios, and more time listening.
Selling doesn't mean being pushy
You can sell without pressure.
You can ask thoughtful questions. Listen carefully. Reflect back what you hear. Explain what you recommend. Share the investment. Give the person room to decide.
This is the foundation of the relationship-first sales process.
Remember, you're not trying to convince everyone. You're looking only for the people who have the problem, want support with the problem, are willing to pay for it and feel aligned with your approach.
If you want to explore this further, read our guide to relationship-first sales.
A simple check before your next sales conversation
Before you quote a price, ask yourself:
Am I describing the outcome, not just what's inside?
Am I pricing from evidence rather than fear?
Have I removed apologetic language (am I feeling apologetic?!)
Do I believe in the value I create?
Is this offer simple enough to explain in one or two sentences?
Can I give the client space to make their own decision?
Maybe you want to raise your prices (you definitely should!) Maybe you want to stop adding extra work. Maybe you want to make your offer easier to understand.
Maybe you want to feel calmer when money comes up.
Underselling is a habit and you can unwind it. It's not part of your identity. You can change it one step at a time, and one conversation at a time.
Your work is valuable and you're meant to charge for it.
If you want support with your sales mindset, pricing confidence or business model, you can learn more about Meg's coaching approach here.
You don't need to be someone else to start selling really well. It starts with trusting what you already bring.