Go Ahead And Just Say No

Is business going really well? Are you so busy that you couldn’t possibly take on another client? This means sometimes having to say “no”. Do you have trouble saying “no”?

Here are 5 strategies to help you manage the overwhelm and learn ways to say “no”:

1. Set your business hours and stick with them. Once you set a precedence by replying to a client at 11:00 pm when your office closes at 5:00 pm, don’t be surprised to receive more requests after hours that you will be expected to respond to and this won’t always be possible. Most people are reasonable and won’t expect you to drop everything and respond right away but once you set a precedence it’s hard to go back.

2. Sometimes saying “no” may simply mean unsubscribing from mailing lists you signed up for. Don’t worry about offending a fellow business owner who’s a friend and puts out an awesome weekly ezine. She’s probably inundated with email too and will understand. Many of us are suffering from overwhelm and this is one way to reduce the amount of information coming at you. Pick only one or two mentors in your industry to follow and unsubscribe from the rest.

3. Start a waiting list as opposed to squeezing in ‘just one more’ client. As a business owner, you still need to address your own sales and marketing functions, attend networking events and grow your business. If you neglect these tasks and only attend to clients’ needs, your own business will fall apart.

4. Another way to say “no” is by saying “not now”. In my business I ask for 4 days turnaround time. I plan my upcoming week on Friday and my schedule for the week is set with little flexibility for last minute requests. To drop everything for an urgent request can negatively affect another client. Let your client know when you can handle their request, if not right away. You’re demonstrating that you value all your clients equally and that you wouldn’t push their work aside for another client either.

5. Have a backup plan. If a client has an urgent request and can’t wait your standard waiting period, refer the client to an associate who you trust will give your client the same expertise and high level of service as you would. Your client gets the work done and your associate is happy for the referral.

Saying “no” does not have to be considered a negative response. It is about setting realistic boundaries and expectations. Clients, family and friends can trust that you will respond honestly and will know that when you commit to something you will follow through. Saying “yes” when you should be saying “no” is setting yourself up for failure. To be successful, make it a rule to never promise what you can’t deliver.

The Top 5 Ways To Balance Your Commitments

Are you at the point of overwhelm in your business? Do you have so many clients or commitments that you’re not sure how you’re going to meet everyone’s demands? With too many commitments the quality of your work can suffer along with your good reputation and sanity. Does this overwhelm spill over into your personal life? If you work from a home office, others may not respect the fact that you have valid work to do and may put unreasonable demands on your time. Are you saying ‘yes’ to these requests too often?

If you’re at this point of frustration, it’s not too late to restructure a few things to achieve work, life and family balance. After all, as a business owner you have a highly sought after benefit that employees in the corporate world value highly – a flexible schedule. It’s time to get things back into perspective and enjoy this perk.

How? Here are the top 5 ways to balance your commitments:

1. First, start by setting boundaries: Solopreneurs working from home must have clear cut business vs. personal time. Set your business hours and stick with them. Ensure personal time is spent away from work-related activities. Don’t run errands during working hours or answer your business line when you’re about to sit down to dinner.

2. Next, start a waiting list: Too many clients may seem like a good problem to have when in reality it’s better to have fewer clients that get your full attention than more than you can handle. Never promise what you can’t deliver. There will always be an ebb and flow in your business which means that you can offer to put potential clients on a waiting list and contact them when you are available to fully accommodate their needs.

3. Or refer the work to others: Chances are that you have business relationships with others in your industry. Some potential clients may not be the right fit and you can choose to work only with those who are a good fit. Be honest and let the client know that a fellow business owner may be more suitable. Make the introduction.

4. Or build a team by subcontracting and/or outsourcing: Do you have a close knit group of colleagues that share your skill set, work ethics and standards that you would feel comfortable working with? Put together a team that you can subcontract out the overflow work to. And/or outsource to a Virtual Assistant rather than spending your own time on administrative and technical tasks. When you stop trying to do it all yourself, you’ll have the potential to offer more services, increase revenue and grow your business. Not to mention you’re helping others by employing them.

5. And last, but not least, make commitments to yourself equally as often as you do to others: What really matters to you? Make a commitment to yourself today about what you want to achieve. In my yoga classes we have been practicing making our ’sankalpa’ (a Sanskrit word meaning to set an intention using a short phrase or sentence). When you incorporate your intention into your daily routine, in time you can bring about positive change.

As a small business owner you already have many responsibilities. Setting boundaries, getting help and honouring commitments to yourself will satisfy the need for balance and boost your success.