Close on the heels of compiling 46 Ways to Say No, another option occurred to me. One that actually lets you elevate mediocre opportunities instead of saying no.
You’ll find this most helpful when wrestling with what I call “mixed blessing opportunities”.
For example: let’s say someone offers you the opportunity to speak for a group of your ideal clients (YAY!), but requests a topic that isn’t aligned with your core offerings and you don’t have an existing presentation created (BOO!).
If you say yes, you end up sacrificing your time to create a new presentation just so you can get in front of a great audience. But because you also sacrificed strategy by giving a talk that is off-topic and off-message, the likelihood that you’ll attract new clients is slim.
If you say no, there’s that pinch of regret for a missed opportunity.
So instead of saying YES and damn the consequences, or NO and completely miss out on the opportunity, here is a different way to handle these mixed blessings.
The first thing is to recognize that when someone gives you an opportunity, they are interested in you. Then it’s just a matter of exploring if there is a way to adjust that initial interest so it fully aligns with your business strategy.
To elevate a “meh” opportunity, include the following:
- Open with gratitude and a yes: this builds rapport and doesn’t dismiss the opportunity outright
- Ask permission to explore alternatives
- Make an alternative suggestion
- Elaborate a little on the benefits of this alternative
- Ask if this is something they’d be open to
Example:
Thank you so much for the invitation! I would love to present for and serve your group. May I make just one suggestion?
The topic you requested is not one I present on, but I have a talk called More Clients, Less Marketing that – from what I know about your members – would potentially be a great fit. It’s my most popular talk because it’s so interactive with solid tools and take-aways. For groups like yours it has a track record of attracting higher-than-normal attendance.
Would you be open to considering bringing me in to present this topic instead?
Obviously when you embrace this approach, you’ll navigate those “mixed blessing opportunities” more effectively and see better outcomes.
But there’s another benefit. And it’s a biggie.
You’ll start to become a stronger advocate for yourself in every situation.
And that could come in handy, don’t you think?
