Think about your current client load and project pipeline. If you are like many creatives, you may feel worried about how to manage all of the tasks and requests that you’ve agreed to. You may be jumping through hoops for a client’s every whim to get them on board with your vision. Or, maybe you are dealing with once-trusted vendors whose product quality is getting cheaper with every order you place from them, or loyal contractors that are no longer putting in the same effort you hired them for at the start.
Struggling with Selection
As creatives, one of the toughest things we face is saying “No”. We love what we do. And when someone invites us to be creative with them, we want to say “Yes!” We want to bring our gifts and our talents to the table to help them. It is what lights us up.
However, there are times when saying “Yes” will not bring joy but instead will bring us closer to burnout or dissatisfaction. We often get ourselves involved in projects or agreements that do not necessarily align with our standard of business because we are solely chasing monetary profits or word-of-mouth advertisements.
The Power of “No”
Not every project is one that is worth our time, energy, or effort. This is especially true when you are dealing with clients that are not a perfect fit for the size of your business or vendors whose quality or workmanship is not up to par with your standards.
Impossible deadlines may be another problem that you may find yourself agreeing to, thinking that you always need to move your entire life around to fit the needs of a client when instead, they should be waiting to fit into your expertly-crafted timeline. Or, perhaps, you’ve become accustomed to chasing after hard-to-get clients with relationships that feel forced and unnatural without enough pay-off to be worth the struggle.
These are just some examples of things that you should not tolerate in your business because they rob and starve the soul of your business. And ultimately, they will show up as negative results at your bottom line. Yet, there are so many more prospects that you need to avoid agreeing to without thorough consideration.
When you’re ready to take your design practice to the next level, explore your expert coaching and training options with Melissa Galt. To catch the entire podcast episode LISTEN HERE.
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