When They Say “Too Expensive,” They’re Not Talking About Money

My grandfather worked underground much of his life.

Coal mining country in Virginia. Hard, skilled, dangerous work. He was good at it — and he never once thought to explain what made that work valuable. He just kept his head down and did his part.

I think about him every time a small business owner tells me, “I just need to get in front of more people.”

Here’s what I’ve learned after 30 years of telling stories — across television, five continents, and now with small businesses across the U.S.:

Getting in front of more people doesn’t help if your message isn’t landing when you get there.

And the clearest sign your message isn’t landing? The price objection.

The stat that changed how I think about this:

Research shows that in 64% of cases, the phrase “too expensive” is hiding something deeper — not an actual inability to pay, but a failure to see the value.

Read that again.

Nearly two-thirds of the time, a price objection isn’t about price. It’s about a story that hasn’t been told yet.

That’s not a pricing problem. That’s a story problem.

The good news? A story problem is the one problem you can actually fix. Follow along with Story Sherpa Steve for the next three newsletters and you’ll find out how you can fix it.

Are Your Ready to Make Your Brand Unforgettable? At Media Mountain Group, we can help you create your unique brand message that makes potential customers lean in instead of tune out.

Let’s work together to tell your true story. One that speaks directly to your customers. Click here to schedule a free 30 minute consultation or visit our website to see exactly how we can help.