Recently I attended a conference where they promised we’d be fed every morning and lunch.
Arriving at the first breakfast I realized I should have packed my own! I sat through the first 3 hours starving.
Lunch arrived – time for redemption. I knew they could do make up for breakfast.
And then it happened: pathetic…slim pickins!
“What is the deal with this conference?” I wailed aloud.
I purchased $300 worth of tickets for my wife and I to attend their fundraising Gala, dinner included…only to arrive (on time!) and there was actually and literally NO FOOD LEFT!
This is called A Broken Promise.
Not only were we deceived, disappointed, and disgruntled, but after the dinner debacle, as we walked to the only open restaurant in the hotel, all we could talk about was how ripped off we felt.
Have you experienced anything like this before? If so, then you know…
Your Business is Your Promise!
Hey Leaders: If you market, advertise, or promote that one thing is going to be delivered and then it isn’t, guess what?
You’ve broken a promise to your customer and may have just lost them!
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Another example of The Commercial being greater than The Reality (which is something you don’t want to have happen): P90X (video below)
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In the email The Hustle this past week they outlined the amazing story of Hoover vacuums in London, while in a recession year, decided to offer a promotion –
“Spend over $100 on our products and you’ll get 2 roundtrip tickets to fly to the U.S!”
Knowing they couldn’t afford to make this promise, they made the entire process to redeem the tickets so impossibly difficult they figured few would go through the challenge.
However, that eventually upset people enough they were uprising and forcing Hoover to pay up and keep their Promise.
There was no way Hoover could keep their Promise, and the business fell apart under this one promotion.
I had never heard this story, but was floored by the audacity of a business to assume they could risk such, and make a Promise that couldn’t be kept.
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Your Promise, and the discussion of it in a business meeting, promotions department, or within your team, may not seem like a sexy thing to have to talk about…but what is sexy?
Integrity!
Character!
Ethical business practice and keeping your Promise!
Remember it simply: Your Business is Your Promise!
Offering food at a convention? Make sure there’s enough for everyone!
Offering a promotion? Better follow through or you’re done for!
Offering to deliver something more than you’re capable of actually following through on?
Be careful what you Promise.
What’s Your Promise?
~ jason
Leadership Expert * Author * Speaker Hall of Fame * Award-Winning Entertainer
The Promise: Become a Legendary Leader and discover your Signature Moves
Ready to become a Professional Speaker? Let Jason show you how click here
4 Responses
Jason!
I’ll buy you lunch to make up for… okay, breakfast and lunch… oh, yeah, dinner too. It’s a promise!
Your message of keeping the promise you make and how that is so often an unstated but assumed promise — assumed by others because of your branding — and how that promise includes your signature move — is a powerfully important message.
This is a critically important core value each of us should adopt no matter where that promise is made, at home, at work, in the community…
A couple years ago, I was with one of my speakers I coach. This speaker is a successful, prolific, speaker. Really. He always does a great job, so this is not meant as a criticism at all.
After he delivered his keynote, I asked the meeting planner (who was also the CEO) how he felt about it.
The CEO hesitated, smiled thinly and said “It was great, thank you.”
I gently pressed. “What’s up?”
“Well,” he said, “He forgot to tell his story about ________. I asked him last week to be sure and tell that story. Everyone missed hearing it today. I even told a friend about it before the speech. We waited and he didn’t tell it, like he said he would. We’ve all heard it before, but we really love it coming from him… and… well… It’s okay, he probably just forgot. It was a good speech. He did a good job. Thanks.”
How do I remember exactly what the client said? Because it hit me right in the heart. The client actually looked sad. Over one little story?
My client had actually delivered a great speech. It was awesome, actually. But because the Promise wasn’t delivered, with his Signature Move, the client was disappointed and a great speech became merely a good speech.
I never realized what exactly it was that the client was so disappointed about, until you began to deliver your message about keeping the Promise, which includes always providing your Signature Move. It is a powerful combination.
I love it — and you, Jason!
ox
Thomas
That’s an incredible story and perfect example. I know I’ve been guilty of this with clients unfortunately so it’s a great reminder. Thank you for the kind and affirming words my friend.
This is so on point, and not just for business. I remember years ago we had a neighbor who told my husband he would be right over with something for us. He literally was a neighbor, less than 5 minutes away. After 45 minutes, my husband called to find out when he was coming. He did come right over then, but that seriously messed up our plans. I love The Promise and its message is valuable in so many ways. Thanks Jason.
What a great example, Camille, of something so simple, so casual, and yet has such an effect on others without someone realizing it. Thank you for sharing and for your kind words on The Promise!