Use Price to Say No

Question: A client asked me to do a project, but I don’t really want to do it. I’ve outgrown it. But I’m afraid to say no because I value the relationship. What do I do?

As a growing entrepreneur, you will, as a matter of course, outgrow the work you are doing with clients.

The projects you did last year aren’t as challenging, so you are looking for new challenges and growth.

One of the best parts of being an independent entrepreneur is that you can really drive your professional growth.

But what happens when the client asks you to continue doing the same work? What do you do?

Use your price to say no.

Determine your new pricing structure, and then quote a fee where you would be excited about doing that work.

If the client really wants it, they will pay. And if you really, really, really don’t want to do it, you can make your price as absurd as you’d like. But then the choice is with the client.

Even better is to bundle that approach with a much broader conversation about how you can really help your client grow their business by growing or changing the work you are doing with them — by creating more value.

They may have a fear about getting that work done, so you can help them address that challenge as part of your new solution, if you’d like.

Your other option, by the way, is to build leverage into your business model by bringing in other professionals to deliver the work – a future topic.