As a “good enough” Salesforce consultant, you’re going to be in demand. It’s natural you will receive offers from many potential clients. And it’s also natural you won’t want to work with all of them.
Politely saying “no” to a client takes practice. You don’t want to make the client feel bad or to burn bridges.
The basic principles of saying “no” are
- The issue is yours, not the clients
- Keep it brief; no need for a long explanation
- You are high-valued and in-demand
Here are a few specific lines you can use.
“I would really enjoy working on your project. Unfortunately I don’t have the bandwidth at the moment, and don’t want to give you only a fraction of my time. Your project needs more attention than I can give it.”
“Based on our conversation and your desired goals, I don’t believe I’m a good fit for you.”
“It feels like we are operating at different levels, and that’s OK. If you want to bring your business to match my level, I am here for you.”
The next one can be used when they ask something from you that you just don’t want to do. For example, to meet with you to just pick your brain. “Thanks for thinking of me but as a rule I don’t do this sort of thing.”
The takeaway
Use and adapt these lines based on your specific situation. They are a great starting point to effectively communicate you won’t move forward with them