The Power of “No” in negotiations

Today, I was reminded of the power of “No” while negotiating the price for snow removal for a residential property in Ajax.

Often times, clients will ask me to discount my services. I am sometimes tempted to give said discount. I tell myself there is still room for profit. But I have learned from experience that it is never worth it to do so. Clients who ask for discounts almost always have something to complain about, extra work for me to do, or request an even steeper discount. These clients are never worth the trouble and I often feel used after working for them. Giving them a discount tells them that I don’t value my service and then they feel they can walk all over me. Give an inch, they take a mile.

I have learned a very simple trick that seems to work very effectively. Just say no. More precicely – “no thanks”. This tells the client that my price is final and that I don’t need their business. More often than not, when a client asks for a discount and I respond with “no thanks”, the client proceeds to agree to my original price. You do not need to go into detail explaining the costs of labour, and materials, and overhead… A simple “no thanks” is much more powerful.

If you are in a line of business where clients are inclined to ask for discounts, try responding with a simple “no thanks” and see what happens. Show your clients that you value your service and that your prices are not up for debate. Just say “no” to discounts.

Thanks for reading!

Scott Carroll

Carroll Property Services