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This is a tale of two providers.  One got the business.  The other didn’t.  And you won’t need a business coach to tell you why.

We went away for 10 days at the end of June and had to board our new puppy overnight, as the timeshare property we go to doesn’t allow dogs.

As new “parents,” we were understandably concerned about his having to be away from us for the first time and how he’d fare.  So, I had a lot of questions for the potential service providers.

After much research, I contacted four businesses.  Two never returned my calls.  Hmmm.  Makes ya wonder what’s goin’ on there.

With the two I reached, the experiences on the phone couldn’t have been more different.

“They tell us not to give away too much.  Honey, you just gave away the farm.”  That’s a verbatim quote from a woman who’d just heard my talk on marketing to a group in Minnesota a few years back.  Guilty as charged!   As a business coach, I was doing exactly what many business experts warned them NOT to do. 

I’m writing this two days after election day.

You can breathe easy … it’s NOT about the election.

It’s about something else entirely.

Waiting.

The Unexpected Value of Saying No

Do you have an issue with telling a service provider no? … something as simple as, “I’ve thought it over and thanks, but no thanks.” It’s been my experience as a business coach and life coach over the last 20 years that a lot of people do!

Some people’s way of saying no is silence … avoidance. They may have said they’d get back in touch to close the loop, but you never hear from them again.

Does that ever describe you?

For example: You have three contractors come out to bid on building a retaining wall. You decide to go with one of them. Do you call or email or text the other two to tell them you won’t be using their services?

How about if you’re looking for an accountant … or a graphic designer … or a coach?

Do you let them know directly, in an upfront, unequivocal, and timely communication … or do you just kinda let it slide and figure they’ll get the message?

Why do I ask? Because how you “say” no matters … especially when you don’t actually say it.

Here are some of the potential impacts your silence has.

It’s a trying time to be in business for yourself. This business coach understands that firsthand!

But what you do now … and what you don’t do … will make all the difference in the long term sustainability of your business.

So, what’s the biggest skill you need right now?

As a business coach and life coach, my job is to listen to people. I listen to what they’re saying … and what they’re not saying.

I recently had a conversation I want to bring to your attention, because there’s a message we can glean from it that’s important to your business … especially if you’re looking to bring in new clients and business.

As a business coach, I see it all the time.

Business owners make a decision … and then they second guess themselves.

I’m a business coach, and I can’t help but observe business owners and how they operate.

I’m always looking at what works and what doesn’t, so I can pass best practices on to you! And recently, I got slapped upside my head with yet another example of how business owners can be shortsighted in how they treat their customers and clients.

If you’ve been reading my newsletter, you know we got married in the Cayman Islands recently.

We hired a wedding planner to help with the legalities and facilitate the details for us, since we live 1,100 miles away.

There’s something she did … or rather didn’t do … that can provide a major learning for you and your business.

As a business coach and speaker coach, I’ve long stressed the importance of just being your genuine, authentic self, But I’ve mostly underscored this in relation to meeting folks before your talk and in terms of how you’re “being” in front of the room during your presentation.

But what about after … when you’re done speaking and you’re interacting with the folks as they leave, especially the ones who hang around to get a little bit of more personal time with you?

The message doesn’t change. You’re the same person … before … during … after … always.

I’m sure that seems pretty self-evident and you probably wouldn’t expect anything different from me in terms of advice, so why do I bring it up?

In my fifteen years as a business coach, working with thousands of small business owners on their business development and marketing strategy, I’ve seen it all.

From businesses that continue to grow and thrive year in and year out, all the way to businesses that never seem to get off the ground!

So what makes the difference?