Mastering the Art of the Graceful, Professional "No"

Entrepreneurs tend to be an accommodating lot, willing to go over and above to please customers, and even to exceed expectations. While the urge to operate that way comes from a place of service and dedication to professionalism, it can easily lead to burnout - or at the very least, a sense of being overburdened by the demands of serving your clients.

A way to preemptively prevent experiencing that sense of overwhelm with your workload is to master the art of the graceful, "No." Although it may initially seem counterintuitive to good customer service, an empowered, yet empathetic, "No," to client requests that pressure you to give more than was agreed upon, will actually heighten their respect for your professionalism (while keeping your workload manageable).

Not every customer request needs to be declined, so it’s important to know where your line is. Determine your professional limits, capacity and boundaries. Take into account your own non-negotiables, like your personal priorities, mental and emotional well-being, income goals and desired lifestyle, because honoring those will increase your overall professional satisfaction.

Once you know where your "line in the sand" is, create a policy for yourself that applies to every customer, every project or deliverable. Clearly communicate your expectations for working together from the start. Include the details like the scope of the project/deliverable, costs that are/are not included, fees for extra work, your standard hours of operation, and preferred means of communication. Being clear upfront ensures that the expectations are clear from the beginning; you can refer to your original agreement should the client ask something above and beyond its parameters. Go into it with the mindset that you need to be treated like a professional and setting these expectations ensures that your needs as a business owner are being met so that you can do your best, most efficient work for your clients.

Saying, "No," with grace and professionalism

With this policy in place, when it’s necessary to say, "No," you’ll have a clear rationale for saying so. You can approach it by explaining that:

• "My workload is at capacity and I don’t want to compromise the quality of the work I’m performing for you and my other clients."
• "I can’t communicate with you about this project via text - it’s not efficient for the system I have in place."
• "Another round of revisions is not covered in our agreement. I can do another round for an extra fee.
• "I can’t meet with you after hours to go over details because that eats into my personal time."

Another way to gracefully decline a customer ask is to provide them with options or alternate solutions, like in these scenarios:

• If more detail or scale is requested, instead of "No" propose breaking the project into phases so the details can be completed as the customer desires, but on a timeline that reasonably works for you. This demonstrates your willingness to help them get what they want, while acknowledging that it will take extra time and energy to accomplish it.
• If you simply lack the time to work on a particular project, instead of a flat out "No," suggest someone else who can fit it into their schedule. This demonstrates that you are taking their request seriously and a willingness to help them get it done.
• If there’s an alternative you can offer, instead of "No" present what you can provide instead. This demonstrates your willingness to accommodate their request to the best of your ability.

At no time are you saying you are unwilling to work with the client; you’re merely enforcing boundaries that you’ve determined will help you to uphold your own professional standards, perform at your best and produce your best deliverables.

It’s important to be unambiguous when saying "No" to a client. They must know it’s not an invitation for negotiation to "change your mind." Explain clearly, yet concisely, the reason you can’t accommodate their request in the most positive and helpful way possible. Most clients will respect your boundary and in turn, gracefully accept your "No" in the spirit it is offered. Those who don’t lack respect for you and are not customers you want to work with anyway. Maintain your standards for how clients treat you by mastering the art of the graceful, professional "No."

When - and how - do you say, "No," to your clients?