No.  It’s such a simple word.  Yet, we are so afraid to use it.  Why?  I think there are many reasons which I’ll address today.  My hope is for you to use this word “NO” much more in 2011.  Being able to say “no” opens you up to say “yes” to many more things.  It gives you the ability to prioritize for your business and personal life.  It gives you balance.  It gives you strength.  It gives you opportunity.

Fear of “NO” #1: Fear of not servicing the client

We are pleasers is in this industry.  For many of us, it’s the reason we are wedding planners, invite designers, photographers, and so on.  We want to take care of people’s needs.  (“I saw a need in the wedding industry for XYZ and I wanted to fulfill it.”)  Our businesses are often founded on this premise of fulfilling other people’s desires and dreams.  And, we often say “yes” to too many things.  We say “yes” to some RIDICULOUS things because we want to do a “good job”.  We want the gold star on our chart.

Fear of “NO” #2: Fear of being mean

We are nice people.  We want people to know that we are nice.  We don’t want anyone to think any less of us.  We want to be liked by everyone.  We are scare of “no” because if we use it we are not being nice.

Fear of “NO” #3: Fear of losing the sale

We are scared of losing sales and losing business by saying “no”.  If we do not say yes to everything and everyone we may just lose a sale.  And, everything is riding on that sale.  We are in a bad economy and we need every penny that comes through that door.  And, until then we are “yes” men and women.

HERE’s THE TRUTH…

We need to say “no”…

… to answering email at 11:30pm.  (We need to set boundaries for our business.)

… to doing things that are not our specialty.  (It’s best to communicate our specialty, our niche, or we risk being the “jack of all trades and the master of none.)

… when we are being asked to do RIDICULOUS thing for which we are not being paid.  (I’ve heard one too many stories of wedding planners volunteering to hand address and mail wedding invites “just because”.)

… to people who do not respect us as business owners.  (It’s just not worth it.)

… to doing things for free.  (You will be out of business soon.)

… to other wedding vendors who take advantage of our skills and want a “freebie”.  (You will end up being the wedding pro who gives away the farm to the industry.)

… to feeling like we need to be everywhere at all times.  (Burnout is real.)

What else?  What do you need to say no to?