Big, fat, juicy and tempting…there it sat. An $11,000 project just waiting for our friend to say “yes” and book the business.
Our friend was drooling over the deal. Wouldn’t you? What’s not to like about $11,000 for one project? The project hit her product sweet spot, and she had the capacity to take it on. The client was ready to say “yes” and get started. Everything was ready to go.
Everything except our friend. Something was nagging at her. Something kept whispering in her ear, and that something was not saying “do it.”
She had this funny feeling that the potential client was less than ideal. The project was great. The client? Maybe not so much. But that was a maybe. She didn’t really know.
Our friend twitched because she was feeling some frustration might be coming her way. Maybe some rocky interactions, too. Yet she had never said “no” to someone who was ready to say “yes.” She had never turned down a piece of business worth that much.
I’m betting you can relate. Someplace in your past—or maybe even right this minute—you’ve faced the same situation. Say “yes” and grab the revenue plus potential problems with the client. Say “no” and turn away money that you want. And what if the client wasn’t a problem and your scare hairs were rising for no good reason?
As you begin your planning for 2013, as you begin to think through the business you want, this situation might raise its confusing head for you.
Planning is about not only what you say “yes” to. It’s also about what you say “no” to.
The only way to know the right answer is to have your plan, know what you want to accomplish in 2013, and bring the right customers through your door so you aren’t dependent on The $11,000 Project with potentially the wrong customer.
As you can guess from the subject line of this email, our friend said “no” to the business. She learned a lot from that decision and much of that learning is now in her 2013 plan.
I mentioned to you last week that Chris and I are going to do a couple of business planning sessions so you can build your plan for 2013 with guidance and easy planning tools. It won’t be difficult. It will be thoughtful.
Mark your calendar for Wednesday, January 2nd. All the details will follow for those planning sessions. Just set that date aside now. We’re doing it in January because we know how the end of the year can be. Plus…none of your clients will be ready to roll on January 2nd. That gives us plenty of time to work together while everyone else is sliding into 2013.
Go forth and do great things,
Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams