Do What You Say You Will Do
Forty practical ways to do what you say you will do, because reliability is the most powerful trust builder.
Trust is built one kept promise at a time. Small promises matter most.
40 tips that really help
These ideas come from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen Covey), Getting Things Done (David Allen), The Go-Giver (Bob Burg and John David Mann), and The Checklist Manifesto (Atul Gawande), and everyday practice. The first six help the most. Pick one and try it today.
Trust is built on kept promises
Doing what you say, every time, is the base of all trust. Each kept promise is a small deposit. Trust is built on promises that you keep.
Look at the promises you made this week. Check which ones you kept, on time.
Promise only what you can deliver
A promise you cannot keep is worse than no promise. Be realistic before you speak. Promise only what you can truly deliver.
Before you promise, ask: do I have the time and the means? Ask: do I control the result?
Write down every commitment
The mind forgets, but paper remembers. Write each promise the moment you make it. If you write it down, you will keep it.
Choose one place for all your promises. Write each one at once: who, what and when.
Set clear dates
‘Soon’ means nothing. A date means a promise. Name the day and the time. A clear date turns a hope into a promise.
Replace ‘soon’ with a day and a time. If you do not know, say when you will know.
Warn early if something changes
Early warning shows respect. Do not wait for the deadline to tell them. Warn early, and a delay need not break trust.
As soon as you see a risk, tell the customer. Say what changed, the new date and what you are doing.
The promise ledger
Keep one list of every promise you make. Tick each when it is done. A promise ledger is your guard against forgetting.
Make a simple table: date, person, promise, due, status. Add a line each time you promise something.
Add ten percent to every estimate
Things take longer than we think. A small buffer keeps you reliable. A small buffer helps you to keep a big promise.
Make your honest estimate. Add at least ten percent.
Deliver on time or early
On time is expected. Early is remembered. Aim to finish before the deadline. Early delivery is a pleasant surprise that customers remember.
Set a personal deadline before the real one. Break the work into steps with dates.
Apologise sincerely if you fail
Everyone fails sometimes. A sincere apology repairs trust. A sincere apology followed by action repairs trust.
Say sorry clearly, without excuses. State what you will do and by when.
Offer a solution with the delay
Never bring only a problem. Bring a plan as well. A delay with a solution shows care and skill.
Before you call, think of one or two solutions. Tell the news, and offer the options.
Track small promises
Tiny promises are easy to forget. They show who you really are. Small promises kept make a big reputation.
Write down even the smallest promise. Do the quick ones right away.
Say no to overload
You cannot keep every promise if you take on too much. A kind no protects your yes. A kind no protects the promises you make.
Check your list before accepting any new task. If there is no room, say no warmly.
Confirm completion
When you finish, say so. A short message closes the loop. Confirm completion, and close the loop.
When you finish, send a short message. Say what you did and what comes next.
Make reliability your brand
Let people describe you as dependable. That description wins business. Reliability is a brand that never goes out of fashion.
Decide: I want to be known as reliable. Be consistent in small things, every day.
Say "I will" only when you mean it
Use those two words with care. They are a promise. Say ‘I will’ only when you mean it.
Before you say ‘I will’, ask: can I and do I intend to? If unsure, use ‘Let me check’.
Keep tiny promises too
Even ‘I will say hello’ counts. Small acts show your character. Tiny promises kept make your word solid.
Notice the tiny promises you make. Write them down.
The twenty-four-hour rule for follow-ups
Follow up within a day. Speed shows that you care. Follow up within twenty-four hours.
Block ten minutes after each meeting for follow-up. Send what you promised within a day.
Own your calendar
Your calendar is a promise to your time. Be honest in it. An honest calendar helps you keep your word.
Block time for promised work, not only meetings. Leave gaps between appointments.
Use reminders you trust
A good reminder is better than a good memory. Set it as soon as you promise. Trusted reminders protect your promises.
Choose one reminder tool you will trust. Set a reminder at once when you promise.
Do what you said in meetings
Meeting actions are promises. Write who does what, by when. Actions agreed in meetings are promises.
End each meeting with who, what and when. Send the actions in writing within a day.
Keep promises to your team
Reliable colleagues make reliable service. Treat inside promises as seriously as outside ones. Trust inside the team becomes trust with customers.
Treat each promise to a colleague as a real promise. Write it down, and do it on time.
Keep promises to yourself
How you treat your own word shapes how you treat others. Keep one private promise today. Keep your word to yourself, and it is easier to keep it to others.
Make one small private promise today. Keep it, and notice how it feels.
Promises by email: be exact
An email promise is in writing. Name the what, the when and the who. Exact promises in writing build trust and avoid doubt.
State what, when and who in the first lines. Avoid words like ‘hopefully’ and ‘try’.
Promises on the phone: repeat them back
Say the promise back before you hang up. It checks that you both agree. Repeat the promise back, and both sides are clear.
Before you hang up, repeat the promise. Ask, ‘Is that right?’
When you cannot keep a promise: the plan
Sometimes you will fail. Have a plan ready. Tell them early, say sorry and offer a new date. When you must fail, tell early, say sorry and renew.
Tell the person as soon as you know. Say sorry, with a short honest reason.
Ask before you commit
A quick check protects your word. Ask your team, your calendar or your supplier first. Ask before you commit, and your yes will mean something.
Say, ‘Let me check and come back to you today.’ Ask the people involved, and look at your list.
Say "let me check" instead of guessing
Guessing risks your credibility. Checking builds it. ‘Let me check’ is a sign of care, not weakness.
If you are not sure, say ‘Let me check’. Give a time when you will reply.
Deliver more than the minimum
A small extra makes a kept promise memorable. Add one thoughtful touch. A small extra turns a kept promise into a memory.
Keep the promise well first. Add one small, useful extra.
Finish what you start
Half-done work damages your name. Close what you open. Finish what you start, and your word means more.
List your unfinished tasks. Pick the oldest, and finish it today.
Close the loop after every meeting
Send a recap, with actions and dates. It proves you listened. A short recap after every meeting closes the loop.
Send a recap within a day. List decisions, then actions with names and dates.
Handle other people's delays
When others are late, you still carry the promise. Keep the customer informed. When others are late, you still own the promise.
Tell the customer what is happening, without blame. Chase the others politely, and look for options.
Reliability during busy seasons
Busy times test your word. Plan before the peak. Busy seasons test your word, so plan for them.
Look ahead to the busy season, and plan your load. Add buffers, and say no to extras.
Reliability when no one is watching
True reliability shows in private. Do the right thing when nobody checks. Reliability in private builds trust in public.
Pick one task that nobody will check. Do it as well as if it were reviewed.
Reliability in small details
Names, dates and numbers must be right. Details show care. Getting small details right earns trust for big things.
Before sending, check names, dates and numbers. Use a short checklist for repeated tasks.
How consistency beats charm
Charm opens a door. Consistency keeps it open. Charm opens the door, and consistency keeps it open.
Decide the standard you will keep every week. Keep it in good moods and bad ones.
Build a track record in writing
Keep proof of what you promised and did. It becomes your evidence. A written track record turns reliability into proof.
Save thank-you messages and delivery confirmations. Keep a short log of key projects and results.
Ask clients about your reliability
Ask, ‘How reliable have I been?’ Listen to the answer. Ask your clients about your reliability, and then act.
Ask, ‘How reliable have I been? What would make it better?’ Listen without defending, and thank them.
Keep promises to prospects who may never buy
Your word matters to everyone. Prospects talk to other people. Keep your word to everyone, even those who may never buy.
Treat promises to prospects like those to clients. Keep them on time.
Review your promises weekly
A Friday review finds loose ends. It takes ten minutes. A weekly review keeps your promises under control.
Set aside ten minutes every Friday. Check what is done, late and open.
Be someone people can count on
This is the aim of the whole lesson. Choose one promise to perfect this week. Become the person that others can count on.
Choose one reliability habit for this week. Practise it every day.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many sales conversations.
“I will send it by Friday noon.”
“I have put it in my calendar.”
“Here it is, as promised.”
“I need another day, and I wanted you to hear it first.”
“Thank you for your patience.”
“Does that meet what you needed?”
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
List the promises you made this week
Write each with a date
Complete one early
Send a status update on one
Say no to one thing you cannot do
Review your record
Celebrate kept promises
Further reading
- How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)
- The Go-Giver (Bob Burg and John David Mann)
- The Trusted Advisor (David Maister and others)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
More lessons in “Build Trust That Lasts”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: The First Five Minutes ChecklistNext: Be Honest About What You Cannot Do →
- Smile Like You Mean It
- Use Their Name the Right Way
- Find Common Ground Fast
- Match Their Pace and Energy
- Small Talk That Opens Doors
- Be Interested, Not Just Interesting
- The First Five Minutes Checklist
- Do What You Say You Will Do
- Be Honest About What You Cannot Do
- Share Bad News Early
- Admit a Mistake and Fix It Fast
- Give Before You Ask
- Show Proof Instead of Making Claims
- Keep Promises Small and Real
- Be an Expert Who Teaches
- Give Free Value That Matters
- Recommend What Is Right, Even If It Is Smaller
- Tell Customers What You Would Do
- Be Independent and Honest
- Think Long Term, Not This Month
- Make Customers Smarter
- Open Posture, Open Mind
- The Right Amount of Eye Contact
- A Voice That Feels Safe
- Mirror Without Mimicking
- Dress for the Customer You Serve
- Make Video Calls Feel Personal
- Read Signs of Discomfort
- Remember the Small Details
- Send the Unexpected Thank-You
- Check In Without Selling
- Celebrate Their Wins
- Introduce People to Each Other
- Build a Simple Relationship System
- What to Do When You Make a Mistake
- A Sincere Apology That Works
- Turn an Angry Customer Into a Fan
- Rebuild Trust After a Missed Deadline
- When a Customer Doubts You
- Rise Above Gossip and Reviews
