317-289-4965When I first started off in sales (25+ years ago), <in my mind> I never realized that you COULD tell a Client ‘NO’. When their requests (or expectations) were unrealistic, I was just happy to get the
sale……..not realizing that I was setting MYSELF up for failure. (and most of the time……..I DID). Then I would get “fired” from the client because I didn’t fulfill what I promised. I wasn’t trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the client, I just didn’t know any better.
Well <fast-forward> 2 decades and (through A LOT OF: trial & error) I can sit in front of a client (or prospect) and tell THEM ‘NO’……….and that their expections are: UNrealistic. And (trust me when I say this)………it’s hard to tell them this.
But, the key to ANY marketing/sales campaign is that you UNDERPROMISE……….and OVER-DELIVER. When you do this, you WILL be a Hero with your client. IF they can’t understand why you can’t deliver on their unrealistic expectations………it’s OK to say NO. The client may not like it, but I’d rather do that…….than to have to go into a client’s office, after the campaign ends, with my tail between my legs and telling them that I’m sorry the campaign didn’t produce the type of results that THEY were expecting.
IF you have <what’s called> an UP-FRONT Contract with a client……..where you BOTH agree to realistic expectations, then you have bench-marks that BOTH of you can live with……….and there will be NO ‘animosity’ on either side.
I found this sign on the web and I think it very clearly sums-up the 3 things that can happen during any marketing campaign. Let me know your thoughts.