As a young entrepreneur, you may be inclined to take on any new business you can get your hands on. Fighting in the trenches and taking whatever comes your way shows great ambition and is sometimes necessary to keep the lights on. However, there will come a time when you have to utter that one ear piercing word to a client that is mutually agonizing – No.
Don’t worry, just like the decision you made to stop attending house parties two years post college graduation, you will know it is the right thing to do for both parties.
Congratulations. You’ve reached a turning point in your professional life and you know your value, which is why turning down a client now will actually garner more respect for your company.
Some of the many reasons to send them packing are:
1. They do not have the budget to complete the project at a level that represents your company.
2. Regardless of how much you haven proven your abilities, they don’t allow you to do what they hired you for – sometimes, this one comes after a project has started and their unending questioning is hindering progress. It’s not you, it’s them.
3. Their service or product does not align with your company or personal values.
4. TIME. You know you can complete the job, but with sub-par results, no one is a winner.
Additionally, there are reasons to not take on certain business that come with experience and maturity. Knowing your own style or limitations, and admitting to it, can reap those golden referrals just as easily as hitting it out of the park with an ad campaign. Telling someone why the two of you will not be a great fit, and giving them names of others in the industry is not just courteous, but a great business practice to build relationships with both the client and the other industry professionals.
So, the next time you hear “no”, it might just be the right answer for everyone.
