I get it. I am the same way. I don't love saying no. And it is even harder to say no to someone you have reached out to hire. But it has to happen! And it is ok. It can be any number of reasons you have to say no.
True story: I was reached out to a bride via Social Media. She had seen my name mentioned in many places as a wedding coordinator. We scheduled a consultation and got down to business. Her wedding was quickly approaching and her previous coordinator was gone. I gave her my pricing and emailed it to her mom as well. I gave it a few days before reaching out and no response. A few days later and nothing. I still haven't heard from her. All I needed was a yes or a no response on if she would like to move forward with a booking.
There are a few things you should do when you turn someone down:
Thank Them: he or she spent considerable time to get to know you, plan out your meeting, researching things they will need to provide for you and created a proposal for you.
Be Direct: Don't give false hope, be direct in letting them know you will not be needing their services.
Explain Your Reasoning: Make it clear exactly why you are not interested in the offer. This will help the wedding vendor correct anything that may be standing in their own way, like prices that are too high for your budget, a personal approach that’s putting brides off or different services that needs to be offered.
These are things you should not do when you turn someone down:
Complain: About the price tag. If it is not in your budget, it isn't in your budget. A wedding professional will price themselves to compensate themselves for their time, knowledge and skills. If you don't like the price, that is ok. However, complaining about it and asking for a lower price to fit your budget is insulting. It shows you don't value their talent.
Apologize: You haven't done anything wrong!
Ignore: It is inconsiderate. A quality vendor will reach out to you and make sure all of your questions are answered, ask if you need anything more from them or want to know where you stand. This includes ghosting. If you do the things above, you will have less stress!
In the end, saying no is never easy, but it is necessary. Give any vendor you speak with the respect to move on with their business!
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