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The Art of Expectation Setting - Do It Properly and Close More Faster
The Revenue Leader’s Secret: The Art of Expectation Setting
In the race to close deals, many sales teams make a fatal mistake: they move fast at the expense of clarity. For a CEO or GTM leader, this lack of alignment manifests as “stalled deals,” “unrealistic ROI expectations,” and “implementation delays” that eat into your margins.
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Setting the Rules of the Game
Expectation setting is the practice of creating absolute clarity by communicating exactly what a customer can expect, and, more importantly, what is expected of them. Think of it as setting the rules of the game so everyone knows how to play. When your team does this early and right, they aren’t just selling; they are controlling the process and teaching prospects how to buy.
The ROI of Clarity
For leadership, the benefits of a team that masters expectation setting are measurable:
Shorter Sales Cycles: A well-defined process removes the “back-and-forth” that slows down momentum.
Higher Close Rates: Prospects are significantly more likely to move forward when they have a clear roadmap and zero surprises.
Protecting Brand Equity: Setting realistic expectations builds professional credibility and prevents the loss of trust that occurs when promises aren’t met.
Better Qualification: It allows your team to disqualify “bad fit” leads earlier, saving your most valuable asset: time.
The Leadership Standard: What “Good” Looks Like
To scale this across your revenue org, your team must move beyond “checking in” and start “controlling.” A super-powered salesperson uses expectation setting to:
Address the “Ghosting” Problem: By being direct and asking, “If you ever ghost me, what’s the best way to get a hold of you?”, they turn a common frustration into a moment of accountability. Of course, say this with a smile :)
Formalize Evaluation: They don’t guess how a decision is made; they align on evaluation criteria and stakeholders upfront.
Give to Get: They identify what the company needs (a meeting with the DM, a clear timeline) in exchange for what the prospect wants.
The Bottom Line
Expectation setting requires the courage to be direct and honest. While it may feel difficult for some personalities, it is the only way to ensure a seamless buying experience and a happy, long-term customer.
Take This GTM or GTFO Action
Try this Expectation Setting approach in your next meeting. This is What Good Sounds Like.
Thanks for the great meeting the other day. Of course we’d love for you to work with us - but only if this is the right fit for you and we can solve your problem better than anyone else.
I am pumped to build a great relationship with you and no matter what happens during this process my first focus is to make sure this is the right fit for you (and for us) and make you look good in the process :). If I can help you in any other way I will do so - sometimes I have been able to help people find new employees from my network.
I’d love to chat with you to set expectations with each other and to make sure this is as easy as possible for you. Can we do that?
When they say yes.. you say…
In order to ensure a seamless process and to make sure this is the right fit for both of us, can we chat about the process we are going to go through?
Here’s how we typically work with clients in your position…Does that work for you? Or is there anything unique we need to change to make this more effective for you?
Do you mind if I dive into a few more details here…
now review any outstanding discovery questions, and then say…..
Regarding communication - on my side - you can call, email, LI DM or text me anytime. I am here to help you. I will do my best to respond to you as quickly as possible. If I don’t know answer I will tell you and I will work to get it for you asap. But I will always be super responsive. My goal for this is give you a great customer service experience no matter what.
For communication with you - What is best for you? Email, phone, text, Teams, Slack? If I really need to chat or there comes a time when you ghost me, what’s the best way to get a hold of you?
say the last part with a giggle and a smile, just saying out loud will likely avoid them from ever doing it as they will remember this discussion.
P.S GTM is your only moat. Get it right. Or GTFO.
Why GTM or GTFO Exists: The GTM is bar is low - big talkers, best practices and bullshit. Being elite is your moat. Do the work that matters and get sh!t done.
P.S If this was valuable, please share it , post it, comment on it, or DM me. GTM or GTFO comes out every Saturday. See you next week.