Under promise and over deliver. This is something I learned many, many years ago when I was in the car business. To me, this statement has way more uses than just for sales. It is a great core statement that when applied in the right areas of your life, it can really help you become more grounded.
What do I mean exactly? Well, let’s get to building up a story of a young man who was eager to sell cars to prospective buyers. The year was 1999. I started a new position with the Honda Motors Corporation as a sales person at a dealership in Atlanta, Georgia. Going into sales was completely new to me so I didn’t know what to expect. Green, but full of enthusiasm!
Day 1 started by being thrown in the deep end and told that I would figure it out as I went. I stumbled but managed to get some good conversations with the potential customers. Later that morning it slowed down and I had nothing to do really and no one to guide me. I decided to go over to the used car side and watch a seasoned salesman in action with a customer.
That was the worst thing I could have ever witnessed. I am very in tune with people so not much gets past me. The salesman was your typical slimeball shady character of that time, like for real. He told the customers he would do this, that, and the other to get them to buy the car that day. The customer looked uneasy but took him for his word. He said he would even have the car repaired, detailed and ready for delivery by lunch time that day.
None of it was true, nor did he ever have intentions of fulfilling his end of the bargain. It literally took three or four days to get the work done. What could have been a pleasant and fun buying process turned into a nightmare for the customers. This was just blatant crooked used car sales tactics. Again, this was many moons ago, I hope and believe that things have gotten better in that sector!
Under promise and over deliver was not something that the salesman would have even dreamed of. He was just making empty promises. It is best to move in silence and let the end result shine. Additionally, it is very important to set the stage for the customer/person in whatever situation. Manage expectations and be clear. But be careful of making any promises that aren’t guaranteed.
Not everything is 100% every time so please be mindful.
The over delivering part is the part where you take extra care of the situation at hand whatever it may be. Be more attentive to the end result. Put in a nice new car smell scent or go out of your way to make it shine! Be creative and do it with pride. Again, these can be a metaphor for any other situations that you may be involved with. It’s all in the mindset!
Disclaimer: These are just suggestions. Please do not try to take it so literally that you end up doing a favor for a friend by taking them home from a hospital and you hang a new car scent tree to their nose. LOL Unless of course they smell really bad, but I accept no liability thereof!
Conclusion
Stop trying to promise people the moon and the stars that you may actually not be able to provide. Your actions will speak louder than your words. You may now go in peace! Good luck my friends and remember, keep your good moral compass going in the right direction!
