The power of saying “No” to clients and customers

September 19th, 2008 — by Wayne Smallman

Saying “No” to a business client or customer needn’t be the world-ending event you imagine it to be. In fact, you might find that it makes your business life that little more easier.

Conversely, saying “Yes!” to everything can be far more harmful than ever saying “No”. In the seedy underworld of dodgy sales tricks & tactics, saying an emphatic “Yes!” to every single thing a prospective or current client requests is just a way of securing work.

However, if your team doesn’t have the right skills to progress with the work that’s just been won, you’re all going to look bad. And the interesting thing about bad news in the business world is that it moves at close to light speed!

Saying “No” can have two powerful effects:

1. You’re demonstrating your willingness to stand by something, be that an idea, a belief, or a methodology, which most people will respect you for.
2. If you’re saying “No” with respect to a request to perform services you’re either not happy with, or not skilled enough to complete, you’re demonstrating your honesty, which everyone will respect you for.

Of course, you need to have a good, strong relationship with your clients, or my advice probably isn’t going to serve you too well. Also, being able to justify your reasons is critical. Failure to do that will pretty much ensure your objections are disregarded.

In the end, good business is all about being honest to yourself and your clients…

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