Informing someone, you may not be able to work with them may not be the best way to start with a potential customer. It begins with communication with yourself. Below are ways to deliver “no” without completely breaking off the relationship.
Ask Yourself if You Have Enough Time
Turning down an opportunity may be challenging, especially during a financially tricky time like these. However, handling more projects than you can bar also is not the necessary answer when you’re not certain how long it will take you to complete them. If you keep this question in mind and are struggling to know whether you can find more hours from the day, it can be a red flag.
Be Gentle and Provide the Next Steps
It is crucial for you to be upfront and transparent with your clients gently. Because you run a business, they are the most valuable asset, and you will need to be real with them if you don’t want them to stop using your services and products. When telling them no, always make sure to let them know of your company’s policies and provide them a recommended solution to show that you are also trying to improve the situation.
Keep Your Opinions to Yourself
After offering an explanation and suggesting a recommendation where the customer can ask for help, you have done the necessary etiquette of what it means to be a real professional. However, how the customer chooses to react does not consider you. Almost 99% of the time, clients will take note of your answer and find another company to offer a partnership.
However, some will take your refusal personally and may get vocal towards your business through social media or your office. Keep in mind that no matter the words they say or the various ways they threaten to attack, maintain your professionalism by keeping your composure. Always have faith in your audience that they will try to perceive the situation from your perspective and what happened out of context.
Try to Refer Them to Another Business
Perhaps after hearing the project, you immediately realize that it’s promising and know it may not be for you. That is entirely okay and valid! It may also be an exciting opportunity to recommend the company to other businesses in your network. Not only are acknowledging your needs by ensuring your honesty with yourself by admitting this may not be for you, but you also make sure your company is not hanging by a thread.
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