Why you should start saying 'thanks, but no thanks'

Early in my business, I felt like I had to take on every client that came along. Even if they weren’t a great fit or I wasn’t the best person to help them, I still took the job.

I bet you can guess how that went.

It ended up with me taking on WordPress clients and stressing out over not knowing how to do what they needed. After awhile, I learned it wasn’t worth the extra stress.

Instead of taking on every project I could get, I went narrow. I stopped doing WordPress websites altogether. Now I only do branding and Squarespace web design projects.

The best part? I’m just as busy as ever.

Turns out when you start saying “thanks, but no thanks” to the business that doesn’t fit with your brand values you open the door to saying “yes” to all the right types of clients.

Because getting specific about who you work with doesn’t mean cutting off a whole group of people. It means speaking louder to your ideal clients.

Maybe you’re in the same boat I was in a few years ago. You KNOW who your ideal clients are, but you’re still taking on less than ideal clients because that’s who you’re attracting.

The problem could be going too wide with a brand that tries to appeal to everyone. Your message is too diluted because you’re trying to be everything to everybody.

Instead, you want to get clear on who your ideal clients are and start talking to them. Amplify what makes you the perfect fit for them. Make it part of every single thing you put out, from your logo to your business cards.

Sure, the bad fits might still come along every once in awhile. But you’ll be so busy working with dream clients you’ll be able to turn them away.

Still trying to figure out who you love to work with? Defining your dream client is a key part of The Practical Brand: A DIY Branding e-Course for Creative Entrepreneurs. I’ll walk you through the process of getting to know who your perfect customers are so you can speak directly to them with your branding.