--- title: You Are Being Judged By A Higher Standard | The Sales Blog description: Your dream client is making judgments about you. They are holding you to a higher standard. Your Dream Client is Holding You to a Higher Standard You are being judged by higher standard than your competitors, especially your dream client’s incumbent. You are there to make an improvement, and if your dream client were interested […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/The%20Sales%20Blog-2.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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They are holding you to a higher standard. **Your Dream Client is Holding You to a Higher Standard** You are being judged by higher standard than your competitors, especially your dream client’s incumbent. You are there to make an improvement, and if your dream client were interested in maintaining the status quo, you wouldn’t be being judged at all. You are being judged by a higher standard than all of your competitors who have presented their solutions before you. As your dream client’s understanding grows, their education creates a more informed and higher standard. You are being judged by that higher standard. You are being judged by a higher standard than your dream client holds for their employees and their staff. Because they are known, and because they have proven themselves, their behavior and their motives are no longer suspect. Because you are not yet part of the company’s team and part their culture, a higher standard is applied. You have informed your dream client that you are [different](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/02/differentiate-the-ability-to-stand-out-in-a-crowd/) than all of your competitors, that you are a value-creator the likes of which she hasn’t seen, and that you have the ability to help in ways that your competitors do not. Your dream client is going to hold you to your word, the higher standard that you have set for yourself. **You Created the Higher Standard** The reason you are being held to a higher standard is because you promised to hold yourself to a higher standard. You have promised your dream client that your [business acumen](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/02/business-acumen-a-general-understanding-of-business-principles/) and your ability to [diagnose](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/02/diagnose-the-desire-to-understand/) and understand their business [challenges](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/05/why-your-opportunity-requires-dissatisfaction/) will help them to bridge their performance gaps. This is higher standard than your vendor-competitors have ever held themselves to, and it is the new standard for your dream client. You have represented yourself as a [change agent](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/02/change-management-the-ability-to-help-others-improve/) with the ability to make a difference for your dream client. You have sold and promised to help them achieve a better outcome by [leading](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/02/leadership-the-ability-to-generate-results-through-others/) that change yourself. By doing so, you have created a higher standard for yourself, and the standard by which your dream client judge you. You have represented to your dream client that you will [own](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/02/manage-outcomes-the-ability-to-achieve-results/) and manage the outcome that they need. They have bought [you](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/06/why-should-i-buy-from-you/) and they have [hired](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/07/your-dream-client-didn’t-hire-a-sales-rep/) you based on this representation and this promise. You are going to be judged by this higher standard. **Conclusion** Greatness in sales isn’t gained by delivering the status quo. You have set yourself apart by promising to hold yourself to a higher standard. Your dream client is going to hold you to that higher standard. **Questions** 1. 1. In what ways do you hold yourself to a higher standard than your competitors? How does your dream client recognize that higher standard? 1. 1. In what areas of your foundational success attributes and your sales attributes could you increase or improve your own standards? How about the standard you have for prospecting? How about the standard for nurturing dream clients? How about the standard for value creation on every interaction? 1. 1. Is your standard for delivering the outcomes that you have promised greater that your competitors? How could you raise your own standard to both increase your ability to create a better outcome and to take more ownership of the end result? What would this do for your sales? 1. How much do you need to raise your own standard? How much would your results improve if you held yourself for a higher standard? For more on increasing your sales effectiveness, subscribe to [the RSS Feed](https://www.thesalesblog.com/feed/) for The Sales Blog and my Email Newsletter. Follow me on [Twitter](http://twitter.com/iannarino), connect to me on LinkedIn, or friend me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog/). If I can help you or your sales organization, check out my coaching and consulting firm, [B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy](http://www.b2bsalescoach.com/), [email me](mailto:anthony@gmail.com), or call me at (614) 212-4279. Read my interview with Tom Peters ([Part One](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/03/the-sales-blog-interview-tom-peters-on-the-little-big-things-part-one/) and [Part Two](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/03/the-sales-blog-interview-tom-peters-on-the-little-big-things-part-two/)). Read my [Blogs.com](http://www.blogs.com) featured guest post on the [Top Ten Sales blogs](http://www.blogs.com/topten/top-10-sales-blogs/). Read my monthly post on [Sales Bloggers Union](http://www.salesbloggers.com/author/iannarino/). Get The Sales Blog iPhone App to read The Sales Blog and [Twitter Feed](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) on your iPhone. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2010](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2010) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on July 22, 2010 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2022-06-16T3:07:43 PM", "datePublished" : "2010-07-22 22:22:44", "description" : "Your dream client is making judgments about you. They are holding you to a higher standard. Your Dream Client is Holding You to a Higher Standard You are being judged by higher standard than your competitors, especially your dream client’s incumbent. 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