How To Say No To Clients

There are only a handful of things in life which are harder than saying no to your client. Saying no is an art. While it may have a negative tonality to it, if done the right way, the effect could be more positive than you actually think. If  you are terrified of saying no to your clients, then do not worry. We think these tips might just help you to get back the much needed control!

1. Be empathetic

One of the main ways you can say no to your client is by letting them know that you really do care about them. Let them know, you are saying no only after putting yourself in their shoes and understanding their positions. Often times, a client is extremely demanding when they have external pressures. Tell your clients why you can’t do certain things and explain your side of the situation to them. By laying out your situation and understanding their side, you tend to come with a clear understanding of the picture. Listen, be heard and saying no won’t be that hard!

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2. Don’t say no till it’s absolutely needed

The word no is like a trump card. You save it to the end and use it when only absolutely necessary. The sooner you show your hand, the weaker your client thinks you really are. When you do say no to a particular deadline, make sure you are saying it after you have put more than enough thought into the matter! Say it without thinking it through and not only does your workload suffer, but also the impression your client has on you.

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3. Give your clients alternatives when you say no

One of the best ways to get a no accepted by your client is by telling them, even though you can’t meet certain parts of their demands, you can do other things. Let your clients know why you think the second option is better than the first and why there are more benefits to this than the initial plan. The more cohesively and clearly you present plan B, the more your client is ready to accept the proposal.

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4. Be clear and precise when you say no

Clients are always wary of how wrong things can go. They sniff out a lie or an excuse with the smallest change in the weather and the moment you aren’t a hundred percent honest with them, you get into major trouble. A lot of people have lost clients because they tried smooth talking their way out of a tricky situation. Tell them the situation as is and when you do, lay out why things happened the way they did. While they may get angry/annoyed at first, they will soon realise the no is for the right reasons. A further plus point of this is, being straightforward helps in building relationships!

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5. Follow up

When you say no to your clients, it is always important to learn that following up is a part and parcel of the deal. Talk them through your next plans and lay out the options. If you have offered solutions for the task at hand, make sure you are the first to tell them because the moment they find the solution from someone else, they are out.

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Dealing with clients is a tricky business. It’s hard to understand where to draw the line and where to say okay. If you think we missed out on any other points about how to say no to clients, comment and let us know!