the art of saying no

Hearing NO is part of being in business. But what about when YOU have to be the one to say no? Sales is a relationship. It’s a two-way street. An exchange between buyer and seller in which BOTH parties have to agree to the terms.

That means buyers are free to turn down your offer when it isn’t a right fit for them. It almost means that sellers can say NO to a potential client that might not be a good fit.

You have the power of NO just as much as your prospect does. And it’s just as crucial–if not more–for sellers to enter into a mutually beneficial relationship as it is for buyers.

The temptation can be to accept every client that comes your way, especially if you don’t have another deal in sight. But that’s scarcity mentality at its worst and it will NOT help your bottom line. Accepting a client out of desperation won’t help anyone, and you could end up souring a client relationship for good.

But how do you know when to tell a potential client NO? And what do you actually say?