When Saying No Benefits Your Business

“Saying “no” is one of the hardest lessons to learn in business. Of course you want to grow your business but you don’t want to overcommit or stress yourself out in the process.

When I started my etiquette training business 18 years ago, I joined just about every networking organization in town. Each one asked me to give a 20-minute talk, for free, in exchange for the proverbial chicken dinner. At the time, this was a great way to get some publicity and meet a lot of potential clients. However, I took on too many requests and felt taken advantage of and resentful.

Today, I realize the value of my time. I can’t give away my advice and seminars like I used to. I also realized that knowing how and when to say no is actually good for your health and sanity. If you sometime find it hard to say no, here are some suggestions.

1. Say no to toxic clients.
When you have a stressful client – one that is more trouble than they are worth, or one that doesn’t pay on time – it can be beneficial to limit your commitments with them or discontinue the relationship altogether. Keep the lines of communication open by setting boundaries on what you will and will not accept and clearly state your company policy upfront. This will reinforce, not ruin, your relationship. At best, it will weed out those you shouldn’t work with anyway.

Read the full post here.