Set Yourself Up for Failure

This may sound awkward, but believe it or not, you have to set yourself up for failure. Overpromising is a wonderful way to set yourself up for failure. It is also a great way to put your company and customer support teams in a no-win situation. When you over-promise, you are essentially telling your customer that you can do something that you either know you can’t or don’t feel confident that you can fulfill your promise.

Why do sales professionals over-promise? Usually, it is to close a sale but sometimes they over-promise out of fear or ignorance. It is amazing how quickly common sense goes out the window when some sales reps are forced with either telling the truth or deliver a promise that they won’t be able to deliver!

When you over-promise, the damage you do is mostly to your career and your reputation. While your customer may suffer some loss due to your decision, it is yourself that you have set up for failure. Not only will you set yourself up for some seriously challenging conversations with your professional network when and if they learn about how you treat your customers, but your company may also be less than enamored with the position you’ve forced them into.

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