The dirge, bane, and curse of sales is the over-promise.

“I guarantee I and my product will solve your problems.”
“I will only take a few minutes of your time.”
“You get a free vacation if you’ll take a few minutes to look at this time-share.”
“Could we meet for what you think will be a friendly coffee so that I can give you on my latest multi-level marketing pitch?”
(No one is that transparent, but nearly everyone has sat through one of those awkward coffee’s.)

Traditional sales are all about over-promising. It’s the American economy at work.

If you buy this knife you will become a master chef. (And you can get two for the price of one if you order now! That’s slice and dice nirvana!)
If you buy this workout band, you will be in a bikini for your vacation next month and it will be easy.

Most of us have fallen for the over-promise.
Most of us have experienced the disappointment of the over-promise.
Most of us will fall for it again.
Most of us are cynical of sales and people who sell.

Stop selling. Connect and build credibility.

The solution for the over-promise isn’t necessarily to under-promise. No one buys because they think what you have to offer “might work”. A sheepish, apologetic product isn’t going to win anyone over.

Does your product or service deliver on its promise?

Prove it.

Give away some samples.
Get some genuine testimonials.
Prove your credibility with relationships and real people.
Actively listen to people and their problems and seek to provide real solutions. This could mean pointing them someplace else.

Serve people. Don’t sell people.

Credibility is more important than promises.
This is counter-intuitive for those trained in the art of manipulation. But at the end of the day, manipulated people always figure it out. Nobody likes that feeling.
This is short-term, quick win, easy money thinking.

Be credible.

It makes the world a better place — and you still have friends when it’s all said and done.

Plus, you will sell more product over the long haul.