The Professional Fib Embellishing The Truth To Land New Work

(Monday, November 22, 2004) - For marketing executives who constantly find themselves writing proposals and meeting with potential clients about new business, sometimes the greatest challenge isn't discussing what you can do -- it's discussing what you may not have done. When asked to present case studies of their successful work, most companies describe projects that were completed up to five years ago, when many of the staff members who may have worked on that project have long since left the company. That leaves the marketing team with the task of describing success on a project they may never have actually worked on.

"The talk is always of job hunters misrepresenting themselves on their resumes. No one ever discusses companies that misrepresent themselves on a business pitch - something that is prevalent, but also something that I firmly believe should be avoided," says Peter Handal, president and CEO of Dale Carnegie Training. "Although Dale Carnegie Training does not endorse lying in the workplace, we acknowledge that little white lies in the pursuit of new business are a reality that managers must deal with."

This type of "professional fib" can be detrimental to the company's image and the staff's morale, especially when, "Salespeople already have a cloud over their heads," says Handal. "Whether it's real estate, insurance or the typical car salesman; most potential clients see salespeople, in any form, as out for only one thing."

Handal stresses, "Smart business development includes emphasizing how you as a company can provide services for a client; it is important to convey that in your own image and language. Regardless of whether you're discussing your own past experience, the company's experience or the work of a long-gone employee, you have to connect with your prospective client as a person in addition to a service provider."

Some advice:

If you're being pressed to discuss a project you didn't work on and don't feel comfortable, say so. Often, business development happens with groups of people, so if you don't feel right about a part of the presentation, let someone else present that portion.

Remember the "collective we." You must remember that during new business presentations, the "we" that employees use to articulate their work on a project is the "company we," says Peter Handal. "In that, there is the notion of a team that works together for a client to execute a successful project. Business development really is a team effort and while past projects are being discussed, the refocus is on the potential to provide a new client with great work."



About Dale Carnegie Training
Dale Carnegie Training (www.dalecarnegie.com) is a global management training company with experts in corporate management, workplace issues and leadership trends. The company provides leadership, sales and management training to over 400 of the Fortune 500 companies, training over 6 million adults worldwide.

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