Defense in Depth Why Overpromising is a Dangerous Sales Tactic
Mar 5, 2026
Octavia Howell, VP and CISO at Equifax Canada, a veteran leader in enterprise security. She discusses why vendors should stop overpromising. Conversations cover bluffing that damages trust, scare-tactic outreach, being upfront about limitations, and what true partnership looks like in complex sales.
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Overpromising Destroys Long Term Trust
- Overpromising destroys trust faster than it wins deals.
- Geoff Belknap and David Spark note that bluffing salespeople may close short-term deals but ruin long-term reputations and careers.
Require Evidence Before Sales Meetings
- If a vendor claims they found sensitive data, demand the findings be reported immediately through your bug bounty or security intake.
- Geoff Belknap and Octavia Howell say handing evidence over first avoids scare-tactic meetings and speeds remediation.
Listen First Then Tailor The Pitch
- Start meetings by listening, not pitching; take client requirements and promise to come back after internal validation.
- Octavia Howell says she rejects 15-minute pitch calls and values vendors who ask about her environment first.