Why Saying No Will Help You Grow + How To Do It Nicely
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Ever found yourself overextended, wondering if taking on that extra client was worth the stress it added to your plate? This week's hot take is a deep-dive into the art of strategic refusal, a counterintuitive approach to scaling your business that may just be the secret sauce you've been missing.
How do you say no without burning bridges? Victoria has got you covered with stories from the trenches and tips on managing those awkward conversations with poise. You’ll explore the balancing act of resource management, maintaining team morale, and why every declined project is an opportunity to build community through thoughtful referrals. And for those moments when your gut says a client doesn't quite fit, learn to trust that instinct—it's your brand's sixth sense.
Lastly, you’ll wade into the crucial waters of online presence and its role in attracting your dream clientele. Victoria shares the pitfalls of a mismatched digital footprint and how fine-tuning your brand's online persona can help you command the rates you deserve. Remember, your portfolio is your brand's handshake—make sure it's firm, confident, and leaves a lasting impression. So, grab your earbuds and let's get into the subtleties of crafting a brand that's not just selective, but spectacularly so.
You’re hurting yourself by taking on business from anyone [01:19]
When you take on anyone with a debit card and they don’t fall within your target audience, you usually end up regretting it. It’s actually hurting your business and more importantly, it’s hurting your brand when you continue to do so.
Why you shouldn’t say yes to anyone with a debit card
It dilutes your brand power. [02:00] – It dilutes the effectiveness of your brand. When you say yes to anyone with a debit card, you inevitably hinder your ability to grow in a specific area or with a specific audience and become known as the expert in your space.
It dilutes your resources. [04:06] – If you’re a solopreneur and you’re spending time working on a client project that doesn’t really fall in your wheelhouse, you’re wasting a precious resource. Your time. Your brain power and your creative energy are also resources that you’re not using to get you closer to your end goal, which is to be known as the go-to for your industry.
It’s going to send conflicting messages to those who should be in your target audience. [05:16] – When BrandWell would showcase a Shopify mockup on Instagram, it would send a conflicting message to someone who is specifically seeking out a Squarespace website design company. “If you confuse, you lose” - Donald Miller If you are confusing potential customers about why you exist and who you’re there to serve, they will likely go and find somebody else or they will try and get you down to the cheapest rate that you’re willing to go, because they’re not really looking to you as the go to.
How to respectfully decline a client…
…when they ask for something that’s not quite what you want to be known for. [09:11]
“I’m so sorry, I don’t offer ____. I wish you all the best. Thank you for reaching out, thank you for thinking of us for your project.” You can be as blatant and direct as that. You can still be kind by sharing your appreciation for them considering your business, but it’s okay to say we no longer offer ___ or we do not offer ___. Another option is, “Thank you for inquiring about my business. At this time, we do not have the resources to take on this project.” This is a good one if you’re busy or if there would be a learning curve to taking on this client and that seems overwhelming to you. It’s okay to not have the resources. A third option is, “This sounds like a very important project and I don’t believe my company is the best fit to carry out your vision.” Then if you’re able to refer the person inquiring to someone else who might be a good fit, do so. It’s a great way to promote community over competition.
…when the client isn’t a good fit in terms of vibes. [13:35]
As the owner of your company, you are the gatekeeper. Your role is to protect the morale of your team and the overall culture of your company. If you let in people who are rude, demanding, or simply just not a good fit, then you jeopardize every member of your team and their satisfaction at your company. Which ultimately will affect every other client you take on.
No matter what the reason is, always be professional. Try and avoid going into a lot of detail. Keep it short and sweet. Phrases you can use would be, “Thank you for your interest. We’re unable to fulfill this request at this time.” Or, “This project is not a good fit for my team.”
Why you’re attracting the wrong type of clients [17:30]
Where are you promoting your services? Are your ideal clients really on the platforms you’re spending all your time promoting your business on? Maybe it’s not that you’re marketing the wrong places, but rather you’re not really marketing at all. Online presence is incredibly important because your online presence should be aligned with the people that you’re trying to attract. Another reason you might be getting leads that are constantly not the right fit, is because you’re in the cycle of always saying yes to anyone with a debit card and because of that you’re getting a miscellaneous group of leads. If you truly want to be the go-to in your industry, you’re going to have to get off that cycle. You’re going to have to start saying no. You’re going to have to specifically feature more of the work that you want to attract more of.
Don’t put every project you’ve ever done in your portfolio [20:14]
A few quality examples of work done for those who fall in your target audience will always be better than hundreds of random examples that make your work look scattered. People don’t pay premiums to work with specialists. If you start to establish yourself as a specialist in one specific industry, category, or genre, then people are going to be willing to pay the premium prices that you want to charge.
Key Quotes
“Time is a resource. Your brain power, your creative energy, all of these things are resources that you're not using to get you closer to your end goal, which is to be known as the go-to.”
Victoria Marcouillier
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