It’s okay to Say No

How does your business grow? With more business or more clients it will continue to thrive. But, there may come a time when you can’t handle any more clients. We think it is our duty to continue to accept more clients because we are in business. But, it is okay to turn down clients if your business can’t support them.

"No" seems to be the hardest thing for us to say. It could be that we are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings or that it will negatively impact our business. But saying no is helpful to our business in many ways.

Earning more money at the expense of customer service is always a step backwards. Initially, your business may be able to accept a new client, but the initial contract is only the beginning. You must continue to provide a good product and answer any questions and concerns that crop up. This may get harder as you go along.

Consider your other clients. They have been with you for a while and have been loyal. Their quality of service could suffer as you try to find more hours in the day to accommodate them and the new clients you keep taking on. Don’t be fooled into thinking that they will forgive shoddy service so that you can make more money.

Refusing to take on clients is a turning point in your business. This can be the time for you to consider the idea of expansion and hiring employees or contractors. These additional people will allow you to expand the number of clients that you can accept. You will be free to delegate more tasks to others and handle the administrative or marketing duties of the business.

A client that wants to use your services will contact you about work. A polite response that you are not accepting any new clients at this moment but will be in the next few months is a signal to them that you are doing good business. To be on a waiting list for anything means that others are willing to wait for a good thing. That potential client will want to know more about you and may be willing to wait like the others until you can handle their business.

Growing your business is not only achieved by new clients but also by an increase in repeat business. A client may expand the work that they want done or will buy more products than they did before. Offering new services entices current clients to use you for more of their needs. In that way, your business is also growing.

Learn to say no when you have to. It may be time to expand so more clients can come on board. Waiting until you are ready will keep current and future customers happy.

Learn how to implement smart tactics like this one to start, operate and promote your business each month when you join the Smart Tactics Inner Circle