Illustrative examples
Sample Diagnostics
These examples are illustrative. They are based on publicly available information and observable buyer behavior. No internal access. No execution. No outcomes claimed. They exist to show how we think.
What each sample shows
- The decision leadership likely believes buyers are making
- The decision buyers appear to be making instead
- Where those diverge
- What type of risk that divergence introduces
Sample Diagnostic 1 — HubSpot
What leadership believes they are saying
HubSpot positions itself as a single, unified customer platform that brings marketing, sales, service, and operations together.
Source (HubSpot’s own positioning):
https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm
What prospects and customers often hear
While the platform is described as “all-in-one,” many buyers experience it as a modular system of hubs, tiers, and add-ons that must be unlocked over time.
Independent coverage noting pricing and expansion complexity:
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/hubspot-crm
Observed divergence
The promise of unified simplicity collides with the lived reality of incremental buying decisions. Buyers walk in expecting one decision and discover a sequence of budget approvals.
Resulting risk
Late-stage friction, sticker shock, and hesitation — not because the product fails, but because expectations were framed too broadly too early.
Sample Diagnostic 2 — Salesforce
What leadership believes they are saying
Salesforce frames its offering as a platform that unifies customer data, teams, and workflows into a single operating system.
Source (Salesforce platform positioning):
https://www.salesforce.com/platform/
What prospects and customers often hear
Prospects frequently interpret this as powerful but heavy — a system that requires significant configuration, administration, and implementation effort.
Independent review highlighting complexity and learning curve:
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/salesforce-crm
Observed divergence
“Unified platform” implies reduced effort. The buyer experience often shifts work upstream into implementation, governance, and long-term administration.
Resulting risk
Deals stall when executive sponsors and operators realize they were optimizing for different outcomes — consolidation versus operational lift.
Sample Diagnostic 3 — OLIPOP
What leadership believes they are saying
OLIPOP positions itself as a better-for-you soda, emphasizing low sugar and meaningful fiber content for gut health.
Source (product nutrition and claims):
https://drinkolipop.com/pages/our-story
What customers often hear
Consumers often interpret the message as “soda, but healthier”, expecting a near 1-to-1 replacement for traditional soft drinks.
Third-party reporting on consumer digestion tolerance and expectations:
https://www.axios.com/2023/06/02/healthy-soda-olipop-poppi
Observed divergence
For some buyers, the experience is closer to a functional beverage than a traditional soda — with taste and digestive effects that differ from expectations.
Resulting risk
Surprise undermines trust. Even when labeling is accurate, unmet expectations increase negative reviews and quiet churn among first-time buyers.