May 8, 2026

5 Ways Consultants Self Themselves Short

An alert reader wrote in to inform me that “selling yourself short” might not be a well understood phrase outside of the US.

Makes sense! My apologies for the US-centric colloquialism.

Here goes...

“Selling yourself short” in the context of a consulting business can take several forms:

1. Setting your prices too low relative to the value you deliver.
2. Doing types of work that you’re way overqualified for.
3. Describing yourself in humble or generic terms instead of confidently communicating your expertise.
4. Taking on clients that you know are a bad fit because you’re afraid your pipeline will dry up.
5. Wavering in the sales process by apologizing for your “high prices”, over explaining your pricing rationale, or giving in to requests for discounts.

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify!

Yours,

—J

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