How Saying “NO” Can Make Your Business More Profitable

For some people, saying ‘no’ might be a pleasurable pastime. A first instinct. A go-to response. For others, it may feel like a word that clings to that little dangly thing in the back of their throat and just won’t come out. It may or may not be obvious, but those people who are unable to say ‘no’ are significantly decreasing their value. 

The word no offers a plethora of benefits; in all aspects of life, but especially in business. I’ve mentioned this before in a past blog, but I’ll say it again. Every single human in this world is limited by at least one thing; time. We all have the same 24 hours in our day and we have to wake up each morning and decide what to do with it. 

So if you’re saying ‘yes’ to everything, you’re literally using up your time on things that you may not be interested in and that may not enhance your livelihood. 

As a writer, filmmaker, engineer, wife, and mother, I have had to wear an array of hats. Although the exhaustion of it all has shaped me into who I have become… I’ve still had many, many moments where I felt so tired that I could cry. That’s a weird place to be. Your body starts giving up and your hormones run haywire. You wind up looking like a toddler who’s crying for no apparent reason, besides the fact that you’re tired. 

So even though I like to excel in everything I do, and spend time with family and friends, and never let anyone down about anything ever… I realized that my emotions will wind up creating boundaries where I was unable to.

If past examples have not already proven this, I’ll say it again. I don’t like having meltdowns and I don’t like crying in front of people. Low key, I despise showing any sign of weakness. (I know this is problematic but that’s a discussion for another blog). The point is, I only have 24 hours in my day and if I’m going to enjoy any of them then I have to say ‘no’ to a lot of things. 

Sometimes it’s as simple as saying ‘no’ to going out to lunch. I know food cost me a lot of college dollars that I didn't have to spend and study time I desperately needed to use.  

But as it relates to business, saying ‘no’ will prove itself to be an invaluable skill. Let’s discuss some of the benefits of saying ‘no’. 

#1 - Saying ‘no’ saves time. 

When you are in control of what takes up your 24 hours, you are able to more successfully manage your schedule. From my engineering days, I learned about this little thing called the Critical Path Method (CPM). So CPM takes into account all of the activities necessary to complete a certain project. It also notes the time required to complete each activity. This method offers an estimate of the total time necessary to take a project from conceptualization to finalization.

When you are able to pick and choose what you allow to fill up your day, then you can more successfully implicate CPM thinking into your schedule. You won’t have random people, or assignments, or deadlines popping up that restrict you from doing what’s necessary to complete the project that’s most important. And the time you save will be yours to decide how to use. 

Instead of working constantly to keep your business afloat, you could allot some time to bring in employees who can share your workload and expand your business’s reach.  

OR you could go chill out somewhere and look as crazy as you want until you’ve had a chance to mentally recharge.

#2 - Saying ‘no’ establishes boundaries.

When people see someone who appears weak, their first instinct is to take advantage. They’ll test the boundaries. Going a little further each time just to see how much they can get. 

Maybe they ask for your services and, because you’re friends, you do it free of charge. This incites the little minion sitting on their shoulder. They want to know how much free stuff they can get out of you. So they’ll test the waters and find out. You’ll wind up feeling frustrated and used and this could put an unnecessary strain on your friendship. 

The later you wait to set boundaries, the more awkward things will be. Nevertheless, you have to say something at some point and it’s never too late to set boundaries. 

So, as soon as possible, establish what your demands are in any relationship. Whether it’s a business, romantic, or a familial one, you have to let people know what will and will not fly. 

#3 -  Saying ‘no’ allows you to create a brand.

Every company that has become a household name, developed an emotional connotation with their brand. The way they market themselves and conduct business, even their moral standards, help people determine what to expect from them. 

For example... Chick-fil-a. They have worked hard to establish their christian fast food brand. You know that if you want chicken on the Lord’s day, you will not get it from Chick-fil-a. But on Monday thru Saturday, if you want hot fried chicken and amazingly crispy waffle fries from a polite server who is willing to come to your car in 100 degree weather to take your order, Chick-fil-a has you covered. 

Consistency is key to establishing brand identity. People want to know what they can accept from a company and they want to know that it will be there every single time they need it. Therefore, you have to be careful of what you allow your name/company to be attached to. 

Businesses can’t be out here making and selling and buying and promoting everything. They have to say no to a WHOLE LOT of opportunities. In the words of Tyler Perry,  you have to super serve your niche. He definitely does. When you try to be a jack of all trades you can never become the master of your realm. And when customers don’t know exactly what you do, they get confused. Don’t make people feel confused. They hate feeling confused. 

#4 - Saying ‘no’ increases your value.

No one trusts the opinion of a yes man. But when someone who’s always saying ‘no’ finally says yes, that feels like way more of an achievement. 

This is kind of a sidebar, but still mostly related. DATING. Most would rather not date someone who goes around dating everyone. First of all, a person who dates that much is likely to have a lot of emotional baggage. Also, there’s no compliment in being with someone who dates just anyone. People like to feel special. You want to know that the person you’re considering spending your time with puts in the effort to vet people. It shows that they respect themselves and have a goal for their future. 

Similarly in business. Any company that’s investing in every opportunity that’s presented to them can not possibly have a filtration process in place. Their funds are being stretched to the limit. Their time is being stretched to the limit. And they’re not doing anything to establish their brand. The most successful people in this world have learned the value of saying no. 

Warrant Buffet, the billionaire owner of Berkshire Hathaway, said “the difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything”.  According to him, you have to “to sit there and watch pitch after pitch go by and wait for the one right in your sweet spot”. This forces people to filter their proposals and ideas before they present them to you, which increases your value. 

In conclusion, if you want to make your business more profitable then you must begin exercising your say ‘no’ muscle so that you can save time, establish boundaries, create a brand, and increase your overall value.