How to politely say no to clients and projects
Rejection is hard. And quite honestly? I’m constantly at a toss up between whether being rejected or being the rejector is harder to handle.
Buuut that doesn’t mean that you as a creative business owner shouldn’t get nice and comfy with the idea of rejecting clients and projects that aren’t a good fit. The longer I’m in business, the more and more acquainted I become with the idea that it is rare to find a client who checks off all the boxes.
You know what kind of client I mean: the one who has a business you want to work with ✅ an audience you understand ✅ a brand voice, personality and aesthetic that jives with yours ✅ and a business owner you actually enjoy partnering with ✅
Are those clients and projects out there? Yes. Are they rare? Absolutely. Does that mean that we should give up on the notion of working almost solely with those clients??? Of COURSE not - that’s crazy talk.
So, I want you to work with clients, brands and businesses that check off all of your boxes. And in order to do so, I know you need a bit of help knowing when to reject a client/project and how to reject a client/project. Which is why I’m here to help.
(Isn’t it amusing that every blog says something of this 👆 nature? Imagine if we weren’t here to help. Imagine us teeing up this fantastically helpful blog, only to say “good luck!” Anyways, I just had to throw that in. Continue.)
Let’s first discuss when you should reject a client or project. After that, I’ll share how to reject that client or project through the three phases of your booking process: after your initial inquiry, intake form, and discovery call.
When to reject a client or project
Quite honestly, the list here is endless - and it’s also going to differ according to you, your business, and your specific wants and needs. However, there are three clear no-nos to keep in mind when considering a new client or project
No-no #1: It (the work AND their brand) doesn’t light you up/excite you/make you feel all fluttery inside/give you the anxiety sweats (the good kind).
No-no #2: The work falls below your financial minimum.
No-no #3: The work oversteps your availability, forces you to rush through other projects, or generally overworks and stresses you out.
THOSE three constitute a very safe baseline for when to say no to projects and/or clients. And then, of course, there are the red flags. (You’re welcome)
My advice for you? Take a trip down trigger memory lane, just for about 5 minutes, and think about a client or two that you didn’t enjoy working with. What behavioral traits did they exhibit? Write those down, and add them to your no-no list.
How to reject a project or client
The three-step formula:
Address + thank
Explain
Close (politely)
…At the initial inquiry
So, really the only thing that will differ in all three of these scenarios is the reason why you’re rejecting a specific proposal or client. Each scenario really requires the same three-part email formula.
Let’s say that a brand’s name pops up in your inbox after they’ve filled out your short and sweet inquiry form on your site. You might only know a few things: their brand name, which service they’re interested in, and potentially their budget.
Many times, you’ll know right away that you’d like to learn more, or that you’d like to politely inform them that you won’t be a good fit. Whether you perused their social media and didn’t feel that their aesthetic or brand type was a good fit for your work, or you simply are too swamped to take on anything else, you have a right to decide that you’d prefer to not pursue the relationship or further the conversation.
So, if we were to apply the three-part formula to this phase of your client journey, it would look something like:
1. Address + thank them
Hi so and so, thank you so much for taking the time to reach out.
2. Give a brief explanation
While I appreciate being considered for x, unfortunately I won’t be a good fit for your needs. I am currently booked until ____//I specialize primarily in _____.
3. Close the email firmly and politely.
(Optional) I’d love to recommend a few other creatives who might suit your needs: (info here). Good luck on your search!
See? You saved yourself the emotional turmoil of worrying whether your email response was too long or long enough, and you also saved the BOTH of you the wasted time of getting on a call for a project that wouldn’t be right for either of you.
“...you have a right to decide that you’d prefer to not pursue the relationship or further the conversation.”
…After the intake form
They’ve filled out your intake form, and you have a bit more information to go off of. You know that this client or project won’t be a good fit for a variety of factors - let’s apply our three-part rejection email formula to this stage of your client journey.
1. Address + thank them
Hi so and so, thank you so much for taking the time to complete my intake form.
2. Give a brief explanation
(List of potential reasons why below)
While I appreciate being considered for x, I of course want to honor your current budget and creative needs. My project minimum is ____ for (services/deliverables) - due to that, I won’t be a good fit for the project.
Unfortunately, I’m booked through ______.
I took some time to review your intake form and creative prompt(s), and unfortunately I don’t believe that I’d be the best fit for what you’re looking for.
3. Close the email firmly and politely.
(Optional) I’d love to recommend a few other creatives who might suit your needs: (info here). Thank you again for thinking of me, and for taking the time to share more information about (BRAND NAME) and your upcoming project/launch. I hope you find the perfect x for your search!
…After the discovery call
So, they passed your intake form with flying colors, and you booked the discovery call. But after speaking with them on the phone and learning more about their creative needs, you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that taking on this client wouldn’t be right for you (and by extension, them too).
1. Address + thank them
Hi so and so, thank you so much for taking the time to chat today/this week!
2. Give a brief explanation
I took some time to review my notes from our conversation and also took another look at your intake form/prompt/etc. While I would have loved for things to work out, I unfortunately wouldn’t be a good fit for your needs.
(List of potential reasons why below)
While I appreciate being considered for x, I of course want to honor your current budget and creative needs. My project minimum is ____ for (services/deliverables) - due to that, I won’t be a good fit for the project.
Unfortunately, I’m booked through ______.
I specialize in (insert: specific approach, service or project type), and I know you’re looking for ______. It’s important to me that (brand name) achieves the work/style/project/aesthetic you’re looking for, and _____ isn’t my area of expertise.
3. Close the email firmly and politely.
(Optional) I’d love to recommend a few other creatives who might suit your needs: (info here). Good luck on your search!
Okay, you made *the* big whoopsie that all creatives make, and you took that not-right client anyways. What now?
Well, depending on how the project and client relationship are going, you might need some help setting (and resetting) boundaries. You also might need to send a breakup email.
Setting boundaries and firing clients are two tricky tasks. My recommendation? Grab my Boundary-Building Email Templates for $37. My Boundary-Building Email Templates include 5 customizable email templates, with mini lessons and how-tos for each.
Don’t mind me, I’m just here to make sure you’ll never be at a loss for words again.
Say no to those not-right clients with my free email template!
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