How to Turn Down a Potential Client That's Not the Right Fit
There are countless reasons why a potential lead may not be a good fit for your business. Some of which could include timing, budget, workload, experience, client goals, and more. Nearly every business needs social media management, so as a social media agency we have perfected not only what we look for in an ideal client, but how we respond to those who might not be the best fit for us. Read on for the top three things to include when turning down a potential client that’s not the right fit!
1. Thank them for their interest in your services.
Regardless of whether or not someone is a good fit for your business, always take the time to thank them for their interest. This is just standard etiquette and will set the tone for the message to follow.
2. Provide a general explanation as to why it will not be a good fit.
Politely explain why you are declining your services without going into too much detail. Perhaps you do not have the bandwidth to take on this project right now or you believe you have a different offering that could better serve their needs. Briefly explain this to the client and be sure to mention that you want to see them succeed. Re-stating their needs to them will help show your understanding of what they are looking for and that your decision is made with their best interest in mind.
3. Refer them to one of your other offerings that could help them OR refer them to some else in the industry they should connect with.
Although the service they are inquiring about may not be a good fit, you can still be a valuable resource by sending them in an alternative direction. For instance, sometimes we will have personal brands contact us inquiring about social media management when in reality they would most benefit from one of our one-on-one consultations. Consider referring them to another one of your services, courses, downloads, or blog posts that they would benefit from instead!
If you feel that your company would not be able to provide for them in any capacity, refer them to someone else in the industry that could. For example, maybe someone reaches out to you from an industry that you do not have experience working with, but you know of another awesome agency that has. If you’re not interested in tapping into that industry yourself, send the potential client their contact information. Both the client and agency will likely be thankful for your referral. Plus, the agency might then keep YOU in mind when they encounter similar circumstances in the future!
Pro Tip: Save your favorite referrals and categorize them in a beautiful .pdf file that you can quickly attach to an email when needed.
We hope this blog post was helpful to you in navigating how to politely turn down a client that is not a good fit! For more client assistance, check out our Social Media Client Success Bundle. In the meantime, subscribe to our social media newsletter and follow us on the ‘Gram. Chat soon!
xx- The Homies
