When you’re showcasing a product or a service to a potential client, sharing the weaknesses of your product early can be a great way to gain more trust. From Robert Cialdini’s book “Pre-Suasion“:
Rather than succumbing to the tendency to describe all of the most favorable features of an offer or idea up front and reserving mention of any drawbacks until the end of the presentation (or never), a communicator who references a weakness early on is immediately seen as more honest.
The issue, of course, is that you’ve started by sharing a weakness and it may be tough to recover. I could see a potential response being “we appreciate your honesty, but we’re going to get the other product instead.” That can be avoided if your weakness is something that people are already aware of.
Again from Robert’s book:
The tactic can be particularly successful when the audience is already aware of the weakness; thus, when a communicator mentions it, little additional damage is done, as no new information is added—except, crucially, that the communicator is an honest individual.
In many cases, the people you’re talking to are already aware of the shortcomings that your product has, but they’re talking to you because they can appreciate the upside it offers as well. By putting the shortcomings front and center, you’re helping to establish trust throughout the rest of the relationship.
It reminds me of the concept of saying “no” to make your “yes” more effective. If you’re completely honest in your conversations, even when they’re to your detriment, the trust that you gain will likely go far further than you might expect.
