This Week's Feature ↓
The Power of Saying "No" in Business
As entrepreneurs, we often feel the need to say "yes" to everything. Yes to clients. Yes to new opportunities. Yes to price changes.
But learning to say "no" is just as important—sometimes even more so.
When someone asks for a discount on your services, it's easy to consider it. After all, a client is a client, right? But think about this: Do you want this client?
They’ve already discounted your value without even seeing the full impact of what you can do.
As someone juggling a full-time job and a side hustle, I've found the art of saying "no" to be one of the most important skills I’ve developed.
A Recent Example: When Saying "No" Worked in My Favor
A potential client found me by searching "Full-Stack Marketer" on Google (yay!). We had a discovery call to talk about their Google and Meta ads.
After a few weeks of audits and calls, the client decided to go with someone else. You might expect I’d be upset. But I wasn’t.
Here’s why:
- During our conversations, they asked me to change my entire pricing model.
- They wanted to pay me based on metrics that didn’t make sense for managing Google Ads.
- For a moment, I almost agreed. But I held firm.
Instead of completely giving in, I offered a slight adjustment to show I was willing to compromise, but I stuck to my core pricing structure.
I didn’t get the client—but I felt relieved.
Why Saying "No" Was the Right Move
Most people would be bummed to lose a client after all that work. But not me. Here’s what I realized:
- The client didn’t see the same value in my services that I do.
- They were trying to control the terms, not collaborate.
Agreeing to their demands would have meant compromising my standards and the quality of work I provide. Saying "no" allowed me to protect my time and business.
The Costs of Saying "Yes" to the Wrong Clients
When you say yes to clients who don’t respect your value, it can hurt your business in several ways:
- Low Morale: Working with clients who don’t value your expertise is frustrating. It drains your energy and passion.
- Missed Opportunities: Time spent on difficult clients is time you could be using to find better ones.
- Setting a Bad Precedent: Agreeing to discounts or changing your terms tells future clients that your prices are negotiable.
Why Saying "No" Attracts the Right Clients
Each time you say "no" to the wrong client, you’re saying "yes" to the right ones. Here’s why:
- It helps you protect your time, energy, and value.
- It signals to others that you’re a professional who respects your own worth.
- It attracts clients who will appreciate and pay for the quality of your work.
Next time you’re asked for a discount or a change in your pricing, pause. Ask yourself: Does this client see my value?
If the answer is "no," then saying "no" might be the best business decision you make that day.
