Comments on: Have You Ever Turned Down a Client? http://contemporary-business-solutions.com/2010/07/20/have-you-ever-turned-down-a-client/ She's the, "Get it Done Girl!" Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:33:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Khaled Mabrouk http://contemporary-business-solutions.com/2010/07/20/have-you-ever-turned-down-a-client/comment-page-1/#comment-609 Khaled Mabrouk Thu, 23 Sep 2010 21:55:29 +0000 http://contemporary-business-solutions.com/?p=551#comment-609 Good Afternoon Suzanne. It was a pleasure meeting you today at the GSA Networking event. Regarding your question, it reminds me of one of my mentors from my software sales days; a gentleman named Bill Liggett who worked for Sun Microsystems in Canada in the 1990s. He was a professional salesman who was proud of it. His best advice to me was: "to always be a source of direction for your clients. By that he was saying, you should know enough about your capabilities, and what other people's capabilities are, then learn (by listening) what the client wants/needs. If what the client needs you can provide, then tell them how you can do that. It not, then you need to know who/where to refer them to take care of their need. That way, they will always come to you first with their problems". I have kept this advice close to heart ever since. Good Afternoon Suzanne. It was a pleasure meeting you today at the GSA Networking event. Regarding your question, it reminds me of one of my mentors from my software sales days; a gentleman named Bill Liggett who worked for Sun Microsystems in Canada in the 1990s. He was a professional salesman who was proud of it. His best advice to me was:
“to always be a source of direction for your clients. By that he was saying, you should know enough about your capabilities, and what other people’s capabilities are, then learn (by listening) what the client wants/needs. If what the client needs you can provide, then tell them how you can do that. It not, then you need to know who/where to refer them to take care of their need. That way, they will always come to you first with their problems”.
I have kept this advice close to heart ever since.

]]> By: "Get it Done Girl" http://contemporary-business-solutions.com/2010/07/20/have-you-ever-turned-down-a-client/comment-page-1/#comment-278 "Get it Done Girl" Fri, 06 Aug 2010 22:31:45 +0000 http://contemporary-business-solutions.com/?p=551#comment-278 Hey, Elizabeth...way to go - I'm sure that won't be the first time you refer potential clients on to someone who can better fit their needs - kudos to you for being able to identify that! Hey, Elizabeth…way to go – I’m sure that won’t be the first time you refer potential clients on to someone who can better fit their needs – kudos to you for being able to identify that!

]]> By: Elizabeth Davis http://contemporary-business-solutions.com/2010/07/20/have-you-ever-turned-down-a-client/comment-page-1/#comment-272 Elizabeth Davis Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:00:18 +0000 http://contemporary-business-solutions.com/?p=551#comment-272 Being a fairly new business owner, I have been going through a very similar thought process. At first I thought I needed to accept any and all clients that knocked on my door. Now though I am realizing, that will not create the best environment for my business to thrive in. Just last week I turned down a potential client, for the first time. It was not an easy thing to do, but I know it was the best thing to do. I referred that potential client to a collegue that I know would be a better fit. The potential client thanked me for being honest and upfront with her. She also asked more detail about my business so if she knew of a potential client that would be a good fit for me she could refer them on! I believe that is a win-win situation! Being a fairly new business owner, I have been going through a very similar thought process. At first I thought I needed to accept any and all clients that knocked on my door. Now though I am realizing, that will not create the best environment for my business to thrive in.

Just last week I turned down a potential client, for the first time. It was not an easy thing to do, but I know it was the best thing to do. I referred that potential client to a collegue that I know would be a better fit.

The potential client thanked me for being honest and upfront with her. She also asked more detail about my business so if she knew of a potential client that would be a good fit for me she could refer them on! I believe that is a win-win situation!

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