Comments on Small Biz Survival: Say NO gracefully

This one came in via email from Deb Brown @debwork...

2010-05-08T18:28:41.495-05:00

This one came in via email from Deb Brown @debworks:
Thanks for the invite. I'm always open to brainstorming, but outside of that I'm not taking on any new projects right now.

Many thanks to our friend Patsy Terrell who works at the Cosmosphere in Hutch.

We sometimes have to say NO to prospects - which c...

2010-04-17T16:36:54.030-05:00

We sometimes have to say NO to prospects - which can be tough. Especially since we provide financing and many prospects really need it.....

We tend to use "We are not the right solution for you". Alternatively, we'll use "We are not the right match". We like both because it get's the message across but it's also gentle on the prospect.

Denise, thank you. I need to print it out and re-r...

2010-04-10T19:15:38.029-05:00

Denise, thank you. I need to print it out and re-read it daily, too.

Mark, you make a good point. When we share answers that way, it can be a resource for coping with certain kinds of requests. I encourage small biz owners who are considering blogging to write down every question a customer asks for two weeks.

Get-it-Done Guy, thanks for the link. I'm listening now!

Joe, you're AJBombers! My friend Phil talks about you often! :)

Thanks for the advice. Definitely a significant ch...

2010-04-10T19:07:49.443-05:00

Thanks for the advice. Definitely a significant challenge for any growing business for sure, I try my best to use a no with options.

I did a podcast on saying "No" where we ...

2010-04-10T18:52:15.672-05:00

I did a podcast on saying "No" where we did some role-playing to actually hear someone who's good at saying "No" (not me, alas) saying it respectfully, but firmly. You can read the transcript or listen to it here: http://getitdone.quickanddirtytips.com/Saying-No-with-Honesty-Respect-and-Style.aspx

Becky, I use the 15 minute and "here's s...

2010-04-10T18:49:14.166-05:00

Becky,

I use the 15 minute and "here's someone else who can help you" strategies, but I also let them know when I *could* spend time with them, just in case.

Making your business more scalable (ie: not dependent on every hour of your life) as your success / reputation grows is critical.

For example, plumbers can make videos, perhaps showing how to replace a seal and spring in a faucet - something I had to do today for the first time ever.

Maybe its free, maybe its a "member benefit" or maybe its part of a DVD set or website the plumber offers. Regardless, there's value there.

This is really wise advice. When you don't take th...

2009-03-28T09:02:00.000-05:00

This is really wise advice. When you don't take the time to say no, it drags you and the other person down. I think one of the biggest problems with small business owners is that we want to do it all. And we can't. Every small business owner should print out this post and paste it where they will see it on a regular basis.

Annie, great post, with some terrific insight to h...

2008-04-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

Annie, great post, with some terrific insight to how we feel about saying no. I really like Connie Reece's comment, "I'm 40 years old, and I don't have to do this any more." Take that! :)

I wrote about this a bit last year on my blog (at ...

2008-04-22T14:33:00.000-05:00

I wrote about this a bit last year on my blog (at http://banannie.com/blog/2007/05/10/productivity-hint-no/) but despite that I still struggle with saying no from time to time. These are great responses!