Beware of making promises, claims, or even casual comments. Customers have selective hearing and selective memory, and you can bet that they will remember conversations and interactions in a way that suits them best! If you tell customers you can get something in a week, they'll be calling you in three days wanting to know where it is. If you tell them you think you can get it for free, they'll want to know how much you're going to pay them to take it. And if you say you can do something and then have to renege, your chances of getting that customer to come back to you are very slim.
ACTION ITEM
When you make statements or promises that could be interpreted by prospects or customers as certain, remind them: “If it ain't in writing, it ain't so.” Then, when you know you can make a promise, put it in writing for them.
When Betty, a financial-services representative, called on a potential customer, she told the person she was pretty certain that she could offer a promotional package at little or no cost. Those words came back to haunt her. On her very next prospecting call, the broker wanted to know where the “free complete promotional package” she had promised was. What she quickly learned was that a casual comment can be turned to a disadvantage.
TAKEAWAY
Some people lie, and some people truly
have selective hearing. Regardless, they
will try to use your words against you.