Before we came to Thailand, Kalia and I read all the warnings.

“Beware of the mosquitos—they’ll eat you alive!”

“Don’t even brush your teeth with the tap water!”

“Street food? Are you insane? Avoid it unless you want to spend your trip regretting it!”

So, armed with these warnings, we braced ourselves.

And then reality hit.

The mosquitos? Sure, they were around, but I got bit exactly once in five weeks. If that’s being “eaten alive,” I’ll take it.

The tap water? We didn’t drink it (because, you know, common sense), but after about a week of using bottled water to brush our teeth, we got lazy and used the tap. Guess what? We were totally fine.

And the street food? Some of the best meals we had were from street vendors. Yes, we were careful, but we didn’t miss out on the incredible flavors Thailand is famous for because of overblown fears.

Here’s the thing: These warnings weren’t outright lies, but they were definitely overexaggerated.

And that brings me to today’s lesson about credibility: Exaggeration kills trust.

When you’re working with a prospect, resist the urge to overhype or stretch the truth about what you can deliver. Yes, you should highlight the benefits of your service—but always in a way that’s grounded in reality.

Why? Because if you promise the moon and fall short, you lose credibility. And once you lose that, you’ve lost the sale—and likely the chance of ever working with that prospect again.

Instead, focus on painting an honest picture of the transformation you can provide. Be specific, be clear, and set realistic expectations. It might not sound as flashy, but here’s the truth: Underpromise and overdeliver wins every time.

Because when your prospects discover that the reality is even better than what they expected, you’ll have done more than just earn their business—you’ll have earned their trust.

And in this world, trust is everything.

Kick butt, make mucho DEEnero!

Dave “Still Not a Mosquito Magnet” Dee

P.S. This month’s Inner Sanctum newsletter is your step-by-step guide to creating a Signature Credibility Report that builds trust, establishes authority, and attracts high-value clients. The issue goes to print tomorrow—don’t miss it. Join here: www.davedee.com/innersanctum