You've probably heard the quote by Warren Buffett, the famous investor and CEO of Berkshire
Hathaway that goes like this, "The difference between successful people
and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything."
Often our first inclination is to accept every project, every commission, every client that
comes our way, especially if the recent past has been lean.
But, somewhat counterintuitively, saying no can actually help your business grow.
Although the advice I'm offering is from the perspective of a residential architecture
practice, it applies more broadly to almost any field and life in general; it can help
you focus on the priorities that you deem important rather than the priorities of others.
So, here are some things to think about as you decide which projects to take on, and
some insight as to when saying no can actually be a smart idea.
Number one, do you have time in your schedule?
Overcommitting can be quite harmful to your reputation.
Taking on so much work that you're not able to fulfill your brand's promise is a serious
problem that can be hard to recover from.
Clients and professionals can be naive about scheduling when embarking on a project.
Fast-tracked schedules are particularly demanding; if you can't meet one given your resources,
then saying no is the right thing to do.
You don't want to be known as a firm that over-promises and under-delivers.
If the right client and the right project present themselves and your schedule is the
problem, then it's probably time to consider scaling up to handle the increased workload,
but the demands of scale come with problems too.
Determine your maximum project load and time inputs from the outset, so you'll have a better
framework for accepting new work and be confident that you'll deliver the results you've promised.
Number two, is the client good for your brand?
The clients you choose to work with today are the clients that you'll be working with
tomorrow.
This is your brand, your business, selecting the best client and project fit is one of
your primary responsibilities.
If you choose to build designer sheds, own it.
Use times of plenty as an opportunity to hone your brand message, bolster your portfolio
of work and target those clients you're best suited to help.
Saying no to clients that aren't a good fit is in their best interest as well.
Our clients make what we do possible, and we owe it to them to provide the most appropriate
solution to their design challenges.
Refusing work because it's not a good fit is easier to see as a positive, informed choice
when you understand the client-designer relationship to be symbiotic.
Number three, is the client someone you can spend time with?
Let's face it: Not every client will be a good match for your business, no matter how
appropriate the work they're proposing is to what you do well.
Always remember that the project and client are inseparable, a package deal.
Designing a home is unlike designing commercial or civic architecture; it's an intimate process.
You're going to be spending a lot of time together, get to know the owner's personal
habits and lifestyle, so there should be some common ground, a connection.
Is this someone you could envision spending time with?
You often don't have much to base your decision on.
A few phone calls, emails and the initial interview are your only opportunities to formulate
your opinion.
The interview is as much an opportunity for you to interview your clients as for them
to interview you.
Predetermined decisions, difficult personalities, unreasonable expectations and misaligned budgets
are all things to be wary of.
If you have a bad feeling, trust your gut in spite of what the facts may be telling
you.
People are usually on their best behavior during an initial meeting, which means any
personality traits you notice that trouble you will only be amplified during the design
and construction process.
If you have the sense that someone isn't looking to leverage your professional advice and creativity,
it's a warning sign that there's trouble ahead.
Ask about previous projects, working relationships and how problems were solved, paying close
attention to the things the answers reveal.
Hearing "I've worked with a lot of architects in the past" could mean there are trust or
satisfaction issues ahead.
How the client speaks about builders or other professionals involved in previous projects
is a preview of how you'll be viewed too.
Is the language respectful or ridiculing?
Number four, what do other professionals say about the client?
Leverage your network of contacts, especially other architects, designers and contractors
in your area, for help in understanding a client's reputation.
Contractors intimately understand how a client reacts under pressure and can offer insights
into a client's true character.
If you find very strong reactions to certain inquiries you make, it might be best to avoid
those projects.
Number five, is it the right project?
Not every project will be a good fit for your business either.
Often questions of scale inform the decision about whether or not to take on a project.
A sole practitioner may have trouble accepting large-scale work, while a firm of five or
six may have trouble accepting smaller commissions, because the staff's fees make the work extremely
expensive.
Project type is equally important.
The smaller the firm, the more important a niche focus becomes.
Accepting work outside of that niche can make it harder to distinguish the brand in a meaningful
way.
Number six, what are the expectations?
The initial interview is also a great time to gauge a client's expectations.
It's a time to get an idea of the project scope and budget.
If you sense the two aren't even closely in alignment, it's a sign of unrealistic expectations.
I don't expect nonprofessionals to have a full sense of the costs involved for a design
project; it's complicated even for those of us who practice it on a daily basis.
But if I give an opinion on a budget mismatch that's met dismissively, I know it will be
a difficult project to execute to the client's satisfaction.
Unrealistic expectations can lead to unhappy clients and architects.
It's easy to say "yes" but much harder to say no, so how do you do it?
Once you've decided the work isn't a good fit, crafting the message requires some thought.
We've all been on the receiving end of "We've selected someone else to hire."
Delivering the news that you're declining a project can be ego bruising to your client.
Rationalizing the decision as a business decision can help you to react as dispassionately as
possible.
If at all possible, try to remove the emotion from the situation.
Emotion can cause you to react reflexively to a terse response from the client you just
broke up with.
I personally prefer the "I'm not the right architect for your project" angle, because
it makes it my fault, not theirs.
Or: "This isn't a good fit between our strengths and your needs."
Be thoughtful and respectful and trust in the decision you've made for your business.
Suggesting a more appropriate alternative - i.e. another firm - is a great way of offering
value even as you part ways.
There are other ways to say no too.
If a project's schedule is too aggressive, politely saying that you can't reconcile the
client's needs with your availability is an easy exit.
If you remind clients it's about meeting their needs and not yours, they'll understand.
And if they don't, you've seen a side of them that will reinforce your decision not to take
the project.
Pricing your services high enough to dissuade someone from hiring you may seem like a good
idea, but it's counterproductive if the client accepts.
Difficult clients may already be used to a fairly ridiculous set of fees anyhow.
When used correctly, wait lists can be helpful for keeping strong projects waiting in the
wings until you have time to do them.
But don't use them to sideline clients you think are a poor fit.
Remember that every no is also a yes to something else.
Your business and your brand has a set of priorities, saying no to a bad project only
reinforces them.
It leaves the door open for the work and clients that are a better fit.
It's hard to walk away from a perfectly viable project.
Rather than thinking of turning work away as lost revenue think of it as an investment
in freedom.
The freedom to choose the best clients and projects is a good thing for everyone involved:
you, your client, and your business.
Your brand demands this of you, be a good steward.
For more advice and a template for starting your design practice, be sure to check out
my books Architect and Entrepreneur Volumes One and Two.