We often say no. This week we are feeling the weight of those "no"s in a big way, so I thought I would directly take to the blog to chat about why we make this choice. The shortest explanation is "we are growing on our own terms" but that isn't satisfying, so here are some of the key components of our no decisions.
This is perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle. Just because they knocked on your door, doesn't mean you should do the work. A responsible business knows this. If you can feel the dissonance in communication starting at the first impression, walk away. Today, we are at the foot of two "no's" and we are taking some heat. Referred business that we knew we wouldn't do a great job at, so we aren't doing it. If you don't fit, say no.
So you think you can probably help them but you are entirely disengaged from their concept/business/idea? Walk away. If you can't get behind the concept, don't take it to market with them. It doesn't make sense. People are dreamers, people are doers, people are inventors, investors, educators, the list goes on. If you can't see yourself finding the excitement in a project, don't take the work. It won't be a great end result.
Ask them if they feel engaged. Ask yourself if you really have the time. Ask yourself if you are willing to walk away from cooler things that come up because you are booked with a project you're not into. The team will tell you what they want, listen to them, they are who keep your business going.
We walk through a few more levels, one of them is of course budget and if we can make something work for a client in the budget they have provided. If we can't, we walk. And while our recent "no's" have been a result of the above, other "no's" have come from gut instincts and less tangible reasons to oppose taking on work. We love our jobs, and to keep on loving them we have to keep on being specific about who we are working to support in a marketing capacity. But don't let this discourage you. We love to meet new businesses and get the opportunity to find that perfect fit. Please give us the chance to get to know your company, your brand and your team by clicking here for a free consultation.