The Buzz

Under-Promise Over-Deliver

To me the word satisfactory is synonymous with average. If you get a "C" in a class, you have passed but not with flying colors. Same goes with customer service. If your customers just leave satisfied, you facilitated the need, but you failed to leave a lasting impression. You may not be giving bad service or providing a faulty product, so you may feel thereis no reason to add to your product line or provide additional services. Instead, you might just need to change what you promise and how you promise it.

Consider the concepts of under-promise and over-deliver. Getting a product or service your client never expected provides a more lasting impression than always getting exactly what was promised. Under-promising and over-delivering WOWS! your clients. For example, if the seamstress promised the dress by Friday and delivered it by Friday,the customer was expecting just that. What if the same seamstress could deliver the dress  by Thursday? The customer feels as if they received better service than they were expecting. The trick to under-promising and over-delivering is more about perception than it is about doing anything faster or cheaper. The philosophy is about being realistic with timelines and properly placing promises.

Lets go back to the streamstress when she promised the dress by Friday. If Friday was the earliest she could get it done then she might promise it by Saturday. This way when she calls the client on Friday, she is a hero. If something happens and it takes until Saturday, she has at least satisfied the client. Nine out of ten times, she is going to WOW! her client and the tenth time will still have a satisfied patron.

The concept works for tangible deliverables as well. If you have products that you could throw in on a package deal, work the cost of them into the price and then instead of promising the free-bees before the close, give them after the sale as a gift. You lose no money and WOW! your client with the unexpected.

Under-promising and over-delivering is an old concept that has proven to work time and time again. Most know about it, but think they have to change how they do business when all they have to do is change how they promise their product or service. Try it out the next time you get a chance and see how "WOWed" your client is when they leave.  

I recently read an article about building trust through your website. Katy Cowan, public relations professional and the driving force behind the Creative Boom Website wrote it. What she had to say mirrored my personal thoughts about web design,  I feel compelled to share the highlights. For the full article, click here. 

Katy explains that most people shop online like they shop in real life. You visit multiple stores (websites) and search for a brand you can trust. The stores you visit need to be clean and organized and friendly to walk through. Much the same for websites; they must have good design, easy navigations, and inviting content.

Here are Katy's tips for building trust on your website.

*  Get your design right. If your website looks cheap, you look cheap. Invest in professional design because design can make or break your message.

* Get your copyright. Your content is your only chance to get your message across, but make sure to give the right amount of information without overwhelming your visitors. Also make sure everything is proofread before published.

*  Use quality photography. Like cheap design, cheap photography makes you look cheap. Make sure your photography is optimized for web so your pages load faster.

*  Add testimonials. Word-of-mouth recomomendations are the most credible thing you can add to your website. You should make this a priority in tweaking your website.

*  Include an "About Page". Tell your clients who you are as a person. Make it real becausepeople like doing business with real people.

* Mention any awards or accreditations. If you have won awards, show them off. People like doing business with successful people.

* Publish a blog. A blog is a way to show the real you and show off your expertise.

*  Get Social. Use Facebook or Twitter where you can, but never force it.

*  Limit advertising where possible. Nothing screams scam like a bunch of advertisements on your website. If you must use them, make sure they don't dominate your site.

* Show off your reputation. Be proud to show off where others have shown you off with "As seen in" in your website.

* Get visible. Make sure you are seen in the search engines. People trust businesses that show strength in the search engines.

* Provide security. If you sell products online, make sure to show how their purchase is protected. Use SSL certificates and use phrases like "Your Purchase is 100% safe and secure."

* Satisfy every potential question or need. Take a look at your website from the potential client's point of view. Would you understand what you would be getting if you made the call to your own company after reading through your website?

*  Keep your website fresh. Make sure you update data that can become outdated. Never let your site become static.

* Communicate quickly and effectively. Respond quickly to inquiries or tweets. If they are asking questions, they are interested. Seize the momentum your site has created for you.