Bernie Anderson

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Credibility? You Betcha.

# Credibility is the critical aspect for making a sale, landing a client, or getting a job. You might be able to do these things with smarmy talk and the right adjectives in a resume. But even that’s simply an attempt at fake credibility.

Credibility has two aspects.

1. The technical ability to fulfill a promise.

Or the ability to gain the necessary technical ability to fulfill a promise.

When I was in college, a friend of mine and I earned money by doing odd jobs for people. We considered calling our company “You Betcha Enterprises” because there was no job we would turn down.

“Can you boys clean gutters?”
“You betcha.”

“Rake leaves?”
“You betcha.”

“Take out this giant oak tree without destroying my house?”
(A barely detectable pause)
“You betcha.”

I’m not saying this was wise. (We were 20. Of course, it wasn’t wise.). But we did figure out how to do a lot of things, learning along the way.

This sometimes works in the real world. Sometimes it doesn’t (and shouldn’t. Don’t do tree work without the proper experience — and insurance.)

That’s why the second aspect of credibility is even more important than the first.

2. The character to fulfill a promise.

This is the part of a sales cycle that takes time. No one wants to buy anything from someone making empty promises.

The most important thing is to do what you say you’ll do when you say you’ll do it.

Credibility happens when you under-promise and over-deliver.

Credibility is undermined when you do the opposite.