Underpromise. Overdeliver.
My friend Bruce, like many singles, uses online dating services to meet new people.
You know how they work… You create a profile and post a photo. You provide your stats, vital information, interests, likes, dislikes, etc. And this is the same information you read about others to find a mate (or at least a date).
One of the disappointing things I’ve heard from Bruce and many users of online dating services is false advertising. Not only are members older, shorter, and fatter than their profile states but they are also not as attractive as their posted photo.
A bit of false advertising.
But that’s not surprising, is it? It seems natural to provide your ideal or “first thing in the morning after going to the bathroom” weight… To list your height on a “tall day.” And, of course, upload the best headshot you can find.
Bruce doesn’t do any of these things.
He is a taller, good looking guy. He weighs more than he would like, but he’s not “huge.” Nevertheless, he overstates his weight. He understates his height. He posts a bad picture of himself. (More like what he looks like first thing in the morning, versus how he looked on prom night). And, he states his actual age.
This is a self-confidence issue, it’s a deliberate strategy. A bit of false advertising.
His results? The people he meets are pleasantly surprised. They typically tell him he looks and is better than he described himself. His dates are delighted.
While this may not be the right strategy for your product or services. And it seems risky, huh?
Can you imagine a computer manufacturer listing their laptop screen size as smaller or the processor slower than they actually are? Or what if a car manufacturer understated the miles per gallon and safety ratings?
Sound crazy, but you have to admit, it is nicer than realizing the screen is measured diagonally, and the processor speed is only under laboratory conditions. And the MPGs are actually accurate only when going downhills with a tailwind.
What about leaving out details that will result in a surprise and delight for your customers? What if you promised Tuesday, but got it there on Monday? What if you said it offers 100 uses, but actually stretches to 150?
It sure beats a bad date.
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That’s very cool. I kind of did the same thing when I tried internet dating. I’m a nice looking woman, but I always stated that I was just average. I made it seem like I weighed more than I did too. So like Bruce, my dates were pleasantly surprised.
I find the same to be true for co-workers, don’t you? You want to please your superiors, so you say “I can have that report to you in half an hour!” But wouldn’t it be less stressful and more practical to say “I’ll have it to you by the end of the day.” That way, when you *do* get it finished in an hour or so, everyone is fantastically surprised! I think “underpromise, overdeliver” is a smart rule to practice in everyday life, not just to customers. (So long as people don’t start catching on to your crafty ways…)