The value of a promise

You’ve heard the old adage – underpromise and overdeliver.  “Knock their socks off.”  Impress them with a grand gesture.

But does it really work?

A study from the University of Chicago, asked people to imagine a scenario in which a friend promised to help them with an important task.  Then the researchers presented three outcomes:

In one, the friend dropped the ball and broke his promise.

In the second, the friend did exactly what he’d promised.

In the third scenario, the friend over-delivered.

Of course, no one was happy with the friend who broke his promise. But what’s surprising is that those in group 3 – the over-deliverers – fared no better than the second group.

That study tells us something important: it’s keeping a promise that matters more than the size of the gesture.

It’s actually best to avoid the “knock your socks off” approach if there’s a chance you won’t be able to deliver.

When you’re building your business, the best thing you can do is focus on consistency.  

Clients will see you as trustworthy, reliable and credible and they’ll love you for it.

This doesn’t mean you can’t give a grand gesture, you just have to be sure you can deliver on it.

Disappointment lies in the gap between expectations and reality.  If we are promised something and it doesn’t happen, that’s when disappointment sets in.  And honestly, that usually feels way worse to a client than if it had never been promised in the first place.

In an industry that relies so much on word of mouth and repeat clients, disappointment will kill your business.

There’s another problem with the ‘underpromise and overdeliver’ approach.  If you know you can deliver 5 star service, why would you only promise 3 stars?

Why promise 30 images when you know you’re going to deliver at least 60?

Why would you not mention that you include a reel in every session, if you know you’re always going to do it?

If your promise is too small, then you might not stand out from the crowd enough to get the job in the first place.  You might lose out to someone who is ready to make the commitment.

It’s a delicate balance. We want to surprise and delight; but not at the expense of potentially missing out on the work because we haven’t communicated our full value.

So where do we start?

If you aren’t viewing your client journey as an opportunity to build trust with your clients, then you’re missing a trick. A huge one.

Your client journey is like a series of small promises. It’s an opportunity to show your client that you are reliable and trustworthy.  Someone who shows up when they say they will.  Someone who’s got their back with the information they need, at the right time. Someone who delivers within their promised timeframes. Someone who isn’t constantly on their instagram stories apologising for missing deadlines, or thanking clients for their patience.

Clients who get quick, reliable, knowledgeable and friendly service will spend more, leave reviews, tell their friends, and come back to you year after year.

But most importantly, they will trust you. Clients who trust us are the easiest and best to work with. And that’s when we produce our best work.

If your client experience is lacking, then let’s chat. Click here to find out how Stacey and the team can overhaul your StudioNinja and PicTime in a matter of weeks, and help you to never drop the ball again.