Saying No

I find it impossible to say no most of the time. It is because I am afraid. I am afraid of hurting someones feelings, I am afraid of missed or lost opportunities, and I am afraid that I will be perceived as being rude.

Having this as part of my personality is bad enough, but when it leaks into my business, that is when it gets really bad. The stress mounts up, I loose sleep, I get behind in other obligations, and my family life suffers. Over the year's I have found a few tips and tricks on how to keep organized and how to know exactly when to say no.

1) Keep a schedule. I pt every special order into a calendar. That way when I get another I can work backwards from the due date, see what else I have scheduled and decide if I have time.

2) 100% or nothing. If I can't give a project or order the 100% energy it deserves then I need to say no to it. These things are representing me, often at weddings and showers, where many people are receiving my products for the first time as gifts. I have to put my best foot forward, or not at all.

3) Deadlines. I have a firm date that I will not change for special orders at the end of the year. I just know that I won't get things done in time if I try and start a project later than this. It is hard to stick firm but it is important to (see above #2)

4) I am not the best person to do something. Often I like to experiment and my customers like me to as well. They are patient and kind and understanding. But if I am under a short deadline for a product I have never made before, sometimes it is best to just turn it over to someone you trust. I can either contract out some of the work, or just give my customer the contact info and completely get out of the loop depending on what they need/want.Typically if I am making other things as well I act as a project manager and point person, if it is just one item, I will just pass on the customer to someone else I trust.

5) Say "not now" not "no". I do my best to put off projects when I can. I amazed how often if I just explain that I can't make something right now the customer is willing to wait (a short time) instead of going on to someone else. Just be honest and sincere. Explain how you want to do your best but you can't unless you wait two weeks. Even extend a small discount for waiting, or free upgraded shipping.

For me taking special orders is what keeps me creative. I constantly learn new techniques, new ingredients, and new spins on an old product. They are the heart of what I do, but I can't let them take over my life and the rest of my business either. Hope these things help you the way they have helped me in the past. Let me know if you have any tips of tricks to share :)