When we send a proposal out and offer 100 calls and emails to follow up and STILL don’t get a response, we just have to learn to let go and say, “This is not happening.”
I once sent out a proposal to a client and she came in six times to review it with us. Then her husband came in another two times, and after a lot of emails and calls back and forth, I finally said enough is enough. With lots of love, I told them we were no longer interested in doing their job. This, of course came as a great shock to them.
Bottom line: what did they want? For us to lower our prices to such a point that we would lose money.
I think a few clients think they can actually wear you down if they just keep trying. I pride myself in having lots of patience, not to mention working extremely hard on giving good service, but this just plain pisses me off.
I also think that especially now, with our shaky economy, a few clients (not all) are using this tactic more and more. Well, at times, we just need to learn to say, “No can do.”
Is it just me or has this happened to you too? How do you say, “No,” with love?
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George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
Alexandra Jusino
January 27, 2011
It’s definitely happening more and more. I two have had to tell a few clients it’s just not a good fit.
Lauryn
January 27, 2011
i have to agree. the first thing i get asked is how much? its like, how bout the quality of my work? My website allows me to monitor traffic and see who views my page, i normally find that most people dont even look at my site, or my work, they just email me, how much for this? then i kindly reply with a quote and most of the time dont even get an a response from them. its frustrating. especially since my prices are reasonable! i totally feel your frustrations, i share the same.
Harold Abrams
January 27, 2011
I hear ya Mr. Bailey. Time to move on from forcing a response to my proposal and focus on a new adventure. Oy!
Itzel
January 27, 2011
We had both: we said yes, and we lost money!! We had say no, and the client called us the day of the event to help because the other vendor (that was cheaper than us) ruined the event.
Jeanne
January 27, 2011
I think I’m confused about whether we are talking about refusing work or what to do when people are trying to negotiate a lower price than what is being charged.
People are being told they can negotiate anything and everything so you can’t blame them for trying. Sometimes they think if they are friendly with you, you’ll want to do something for them because of this new-found friendship. It’s probably because it is harder to say no to a friend, right?
But the media articles who tout this “negotiate” everything idea are only on the side of the consumer, not the business. I can’t negotiate my electric bill or my rent – and I have gone as far as suggesting to a particularly persistent client that perhaps if they are successful in negotiating a lower rent or gas bill for me that month, I would then be able to take that amount off of the proposal. It was a way to make the point that I had fixed expenses to meet every month and the price is what it is for my product. If the product is tangible, it’s easy to make a comparison on quality of workmanship, ingredients, presentation – but when the product is not so tangible, it becomes a different story.
Mindy - The Wedding twit
January 27, 2011
So glad vendors are speaking up about this.
I had a recent issue with a prospective Bride & Groom. It wasn’t about the money. After a few discussions about he offending subject & some offending furnishing at our venue I had to sit back and think about it.
Then I very politely called and told them that I was very concerned that they would not be happy even if I could make all the changes they wanted. I told them I wanted them to be happy and that I needed to decline their wedding.
All in all I spent a coupe of days, many phone calls and emails before declining the job.
I’m glad I did.
Just because a client want to use your services doesn’t mean you have to take the job if it’s not a good fit. Thank you!
Halfyard Designs
January 27, 2011
I actually have the opposite problem. My clients seem to think my quote is written in stone and rarely question the value. They see my price then sometimes just go elsewhere without asking if I can bring the item in question down in price. As far as I’m concerned, the price is always negotiable but it will reflect in the size of arrangement.
But on the other hand, I don’t want to let them know that prices are negotiable otherwise everyone would try to talk me down : )
Chris Fig
January 28, 2011
Typically I offer up to 3 hours of consultation to potential clients. If I haven’t earned their business after that much time of discussing wedding videography then I usually determine that they may be difficult to please and I may not want their business.
Sonia
January 28, 2011
Clients are always free to negotiate prices. It’s their right as free moral agents. What ticks me off are the ones who do not understand when you have stated the final price which allows you to make a profit. Frankly I am sick of how much copy catting is going on with people wanting things they cannot afford. They need to stop wasting our time posing as potential clients just to pick our brains and try to twist our arms. What on earth is going on? What’s wrong with staying in your budget and do what you can afford? So many want to impress or compete rather that focus on what celebrations are really about…relationships! Thank you Mr. Bailey for being the wind in our backs to help us do what we have to do. There…I vented…that felt good:).
Debra Biagini
January 28, 2011
AMEN!! I have finally come to the realization that I will not get the contract for every proposal that I send out. This bothers me since I believe that I give so much to my customers and “potential” customers. I love what I do but everyone – me and my custmers – have to remember that this is a business and must earn a profit.
Debra
Savannah (Pearls and Pages)
January 28, 2011
Preston, you’re great! Every time a question’s weighing on my mind, pow, there’s a handy answer or blog post. Thank you!!
Learning to let go is hard, especially when you think of all of the time and energy you’ve already put into the client with the proposal before they even become a client or pay anything. (Not to mention you may have been really excited about the job!) But sometimes it is for the best to say thanks, but no thanks. Sometimes I guess it’s just not a good fit.
Perhaps the shaky economy is a big reason for why so many barterers are being made of people. I don’t know but the constant back and forth meetings, quotes, dickering, etc, can really wear down one’s patience and perhaps in the end saying no to the client, but thank you, is the best option for everyone. Unfortunate to hear this happens, but comforting to know it happens to the best of us.
And sacrificing your profit margin and design style are never worth all of this trouble.
Thanks, Preston. Have a great weekend!!
-Savannah
Boca Entertainment
January 31, 2011
As an event producer, I encounter this situation way too often, but I believe within the first 10 minutes of meeting a potential client one inately knows if the client is a good fit or not. There is a little voice that tells you yes or no…great people or do not take this event….The challenge is listening fto that little voice…
Recently, I had a potential client come to my home to meet for the first time and my 5 pound yorkshire terrier accompanied me to greet her at the door..no barking…just his wonderful happy tail wagging personality…I opened the door of my home, introduced myself and said this is Yogi Bear….referring to my dog….Her response was I did not come here to meet your dog…..
I was so taken aback by her response that I asked her the date of her event before we sat down to speak…I then apologized and told her there was a misunderstanding I was already booked for her date….even though it was not true…I am a very balanced, even tempered person but I knew we could never get along….I spend far too much time with my clients to not have a respectable comfort level…
PS…a few weeks later I booked a huge country club event for that date….
Charity
February 6, 2011
If a client is clearly shopping around obsessively or trying to wear you down, you have to eventually politely say “sorry, but this is not a good fit” and move on. I also have to question how such a client would behave if they did sign a contract, if they are that high maintenance in the contract phase what will they expect during the production phases. Gulp!
Individuals and business alike are using the economy card a lot and there needs to be an “enough is enough” line for that too. We can’t put each other out of business by cutting margins so low that we do not have the resources to do the job expected of us and clients can’t expect six figure production on a thousand dollar budget because something has to give.