Why People Still Don’t Buy Even When They Know, Like, and Trust You

People buy from those they know, like, and trust.

You’ve heard that before, and there’s truth to it.

But that’s not the whole story.

People can like you, trust you, even say great things about you… and still not move forward.

And when that happens, it usually comes down to positioning.

What Positioning Really Means

Positioning doesn’t live on your website or inside your bio. It lives in someone else’s head. It’s how they mentally rank you among all the other options they’re aware of, and it’s based entirely on what they believe you do and how well they believe you can do it.

The broader or vaguer your offer, the harder it is for someone to lock you into a clear mental box. That’s where positioning breaks down.

Let’s say I tell someone I do one of the following:

1. Website Design
   

2. Digital Marketing
   

3. Business Advising

Now think about it for yourself.  As I broaden the scope from Website Design to Business Advising, the number of people I’m being compared to grows exponentially. Web design is its own lane. Digital marketing adds more verticals. Business advising? Now I’m up against every strategist, coach, and consultant out there.  

The narrower your niche, the fewer comparisons people have to make. That makes it easier to earn the “mental real estate” as the one in that space.

That’s what people really mean when they say “the riches are in the niches.” It’s not just about narrowing your offer.  It’s about making it easier for people to position you in their mind. 

The clearer the positioning, the less friction in the decision process. That’s what leads to faster, more confident yeses.

I’ve seen this play out firsthand; both in my past company and now at Gravity Web Studio. I break it down in detail in Part 1: Revenue, if you want the full case study.

Now, for a personal brand like Build With Jake, you might wonder: what’s the niche?

​​I’ve loosely adopted the label “solopreneur” for now. But truthfully, I’ve never loved boxing myself in. I’ve tried niching down my personal brand content more times than I can count… and it never sticks.

At some point, I realized it’s because I’m just too curious to wear one label for long. And I’m good with that.

What anchors the brand isn’t a niche, it’s me.

The energy I bring.

The experience I’ve lived.

The lens I see the world through.

That’s the throughline. Everything else evolves.

You can still build a brand around your values, ideas, and personality.  But the clearer your brand, the easier it is for others to refer you.

Matt McGarry is a solid example. He’s positioned so clearly as the newsletter guy that anytime the topic of newsletters comes up, I mention his name without even thinking about it. He owns that space in my head; and honestly, no one else comes to mind but him.

You don’t need a hyper-specific job title to build strong positioning, but the more clear and consistent your brand is, the easier it becomes for others to remember you (and refer you).

The 3 Factors That Shape How People Trust You

When someone’s deciding whether or not to work with you, they’re unconsciously (and sometimes consciously) looking for three things: alignment, clarity, and competence.

These aren’t positioning zones on their own, they’re the factors that shape how trustworthy and hireable you appear.

Depending on which factors are present (and which are missing), people fall into one of four distinct zones. Only one of them leads to trust, and that’s the one where sales actually happen.

Let’s first start by understanding the 3 factors of trust: 

1. Alignment

This is the connection layer.

People are asking:
Do they understand me?
Do I relate to how they think, speak, and show up?
Do they feel like someone I’d enjoy working with?

This is about shared energy. Not just likability, but resonance. Do they feel like someone who gets your situation, your style, or your story?

2. Clarity

This is the logic layer.

People are asking:
What exactly do they do?
What’s the result or outcome I can expect?
What’s it going to cost me: time, money, or energy?

Clarity is about reducing confusion. If someone doesn’t immediately understand how you help or where you fit into their journey, they won’t move forward.

3. Competence

This is the certainty layer.

People are asking:
Can I trust them to deliver?
Do they have the experience and skill to back this up?
Will I walk away with what I’m expecting?

Proof builds certainty. That’s why results, testimonials, and well-structured processes matter. It’s not about sounding smart, it’s about making people feel safe with their investment.

The Gray Zones: Where Things Break Down

When only two of the three positioning factors are present (alignment, clarity, or competence), people land in what I call one of The Gray Zones.

They’re called that for a reason: these are the in-between spaces where your offer almost lands, but not quite. You’re not getting a hard “no,” but you’re not getting a confident “yes” either. There’s uncertainty. Something’s missing. And that missing piece creates just enough friction to stall the decision.

Let’s break down each one.

The Friend Zone

This happens when alignment and clarity are strong, but competence is missing.

They like you. They get what you do. But they’re not convinced you can deliver.

This is where people hesitate because they haven’t seen enough proof. You might be newer to the space, or you just haven’t done a good job showing what you’ve done.

⚒️ How to fix it:
Show your work. Share outcomes. Highlight client wins. Break down your process in a way that makes people think, “Okay, they’ve done this before.”

Another great way to show competence is by teaching. Write content, share frameworks, go live; anything that displays how you think and solve problems in your domain.

The Guru Zone

This is when clarity and competence are strong, but alignment is missing.

They know exactly what you do. They believe you can deliver. But they don’t feel connected to you.

Maybe your messaging feels distant. Maybe your brand voice doesn’t feel relatable. The polish and professionalism are there, but the human layer is missing.

⚒️ How to fix it:
Lean into storytelling. Share your worldview. Let people in a bit more. This doesn’t mean oversharing, it means letting people see who they’re actually working with behind the offer.

The Confused Zone

This is when alignment and competence are strong, but clarity is missing.

They like you. They trust you. But they’re not exactly sure what you do or how it helps them.

If you’ve ever heard someone say, “I know you’re really good at what you do, I’m just not sure how it applies to me,” you’re likely here.

⚒️ How to fix it:
Simplify your message. Get specific on the problem you solve and the people you solve it for.

A great principle for this is the Carrot and Rabbit Hole concept, which I’ll break down in my next article. It helps you lead with what people want, then guide them into what they really need, without creating confusion.

The Trust Zone: Where Sales Actually Happen

The 4th Zone of Positioning That Only Exists When all 3 Factors Align

The goal is to sit right in the middle of all three zones: alignment, clarity, and competence.

This is where trust is high, friction is low, and people move forward without needing to be convinced.

But even in the trust zone, two things still need to be true before someone will buy:

1. You need to be the obvious next step.
   Not just a good option. The right option, right now.

   If there’s doubt or delay, they’ll move on or put it off.  But if they stay in your Trust Zone; if they still see you as aligned, clear, and capable, they’ll often come back when the timing is right. The key is staying top of mind until then. 
   

2. They need the resources to say yes.
   That includes money, time, and mental bandwidth — on their end.

   If your offer requires a level of commitment they just can’t make right now, it doesn’t matter how good it is. The value could be obvious, the trust could be there, and you could be positioned perfectly…but if they don’t have the capacity to act, they won’t.

   This is why even great offers can fall flat: the offer isn’t the problem, it’s a mismatch in readiness.

⚒️ The fix?

Make sure you're speaking to the right people.  People who actually have the resources to hire you. Whether that's budget, time, or mental space to take on the work, your messaging should be designed to attract those who are ready and able to move forward.

How to Move Toward the Trust Zone

Here’s what I recommend focusing on:

Start with clarity.
Make sure your offer is specific. If it’s too vague, it adds friction. People won’t say yes to what they don’t fully understand. If you’re multi-disciplinary, that’s fine; just make sure your front-end message is simple and clean.

Ask why people choose you.
Don’t guess, ask. Reach out to your best clients and have a real conversation. What made them say yes? Why did they choose you over someone else?

I do this regularly, and the answers are gold. The most common things I hear: my 16 years of startup background, my ability to solve problems without needing a ton of handholding, and the boutique experience that feels personal.

That feedback has directly shaped how I position myself and it can do the same for you. Your clients already know what makes you stand out. You just have to ask.

Prove your competence.
Use content to show your thinking. Case studies, how-to breakdowns, or even a short post unpacking a project win can go a long way. When people see how you think, they start to trust your ability.

Keep showing up.
Being visible and consistent helps people remember you when the timing’s right. Make it easy for them to understand when your offer makes sense for them. That’s ethical positioning; helping people gain clarity, not manipulating them into urgency.

Final Thought

Positioning is how people decide if you’re the right fit, and it’s happening in their heads whether you guide it or not.

When you build around the factors of alignment, clarity, and competence; you give people the confidence to say yes, without needing to be sold.

If this resonated with you, I break down ideas like this every week at buildwithjake.club. No fluff. No pitch-fest. Just real strategies for building a business that actually works and fits your life.