I hate saying no. There is something primal that happens in my gut, a twinge of anxiety that jabs me when I do. "Am I going to regret this?"
When you own your own business as I do, or when you're a freelancer in production, getting a call for a job is the best feeling in the world. I'll be able to eat! Pay rent! Live! To state the bluntly obvious, saying yes to that call is vital to survival. So when the moment comes where, for one reason or another, I have to say no, it's damn near impossible. More often than not I've actually said yes when I should've said no. And I've paid the price every time I've done it. Here's how you can tell when you should say no and why it's OK.
If it sets a bad precedent for your rates
There's an approach to getting new business I've heard some companies use where you set the project rate so low the client can't afford to say no. It's the Trojan Horse method. You get in the door, establish a relationship and, after you dazzle them with your awesomeness, you hit them with the real pitch from inside the gates. The one where you quote your full rate and they're so enamored of you that they fall all over themselves to say yes. You know what, come to think of it, they double your full rate because they can't stand the thought they'd lose you to someone else. If it were appropriate for a company to marry another company, they'd propose.
That's a lovely daydream. It's not reality. That bargain basement price you charged is your new regular rate with that client. Unless you've got a personal relationship with the decision makers or have managed to negotiate that type of stair step rate increase in your contract with them, once you set the bar, that's where it is. I made the mistake of saying yes to a project like this and the client still calls me expecting my discounted rate. There is no sympathy out there for cost of living increases, you've leveled up your skill set so your rates are higher now, you've got better gear than you did. You've got your reasons for wanting more, but what you've done is educated them on what it costs to produce video content and that's what they latched onto. Period.
If you have to limbo under a certain price point to get the job, it might be worth thinking twice about taking it at all. It could be that they don't value your skills or see the value in your work. It's all fair. It's just business, but it might not be a good fit for you.
If you're at capacity
When it rains, I grab a bucket and collect as much of the rain as I can. Video production is a cyclical business, especially in branded content or corporate video production. In general, it's feast or famine. As much as I've wished and spoken to the universe to manifest a steady stream of jobs throughout the year, it has yet to happen that way. Some months the phone doesn't ring at all. Then, all of the sudden, I'll get three calls in the same day all asking about availability at or around the same time. For some reason, there's never an in between.
So if you're me, you say yes to all of them. Because it's raining! I do the work version of a circus contortionist on my schedule to fit back-to-back shoots and an overlapping edit all at the same time. But when I do this, inevitably one of two things happens. Either 1) a detail on one or multiple of the projects gets overlooked because I'm overwhelmed now. Or, 2) I run myself into the ground and when the projects are done, I'm burnt out. Sometimes #3 happens, which is both 1 & 2.
This isn't in my best interest. It's not in the best interests of my clients' projects. It's not in the best interest of the long term viability of my company. If saying yes compromises your abilities either now or later or it jeopardizes aspects of the client's project, it's worth examining if no might be the best answer to at least one of those inquiries. Beyond that, if you need to say yes to all of them, instead of outright saying yes, maybe one of those projects has some flexibility on its shoot date or can push back the edit start.
If it's not in your wheelhouse, or it's just not possible
It's raining work calls. You pick the next one up and it's a project that's neither in your wheelhouse nor proposed on a reasonable timeline. What do you do?
The obvious answer: say yes and then figure out how to make it work!
Or not. This is where no becomes the most important tool in your toolbox. Put yourself in the client's shoes. You're calling a company or contractor for a project and they sign on and then give you half their attention (or less) and it's not even what they do best. I wouldn't want that. That's not the experience you want your client to have. The most professional thing you can do in this situation is know your limits and be honest about them.
How to say no
Here's the best lesson I've learned in this business. Busy people are more attractive. If you are going to turn down an opportunity, you're not literally saying "no." It's far better to say "unfortunately I'm booked that day" than to outright turn someone down.
It achieves two things. You appear as you are: in demand. In demand = desirable. That's because in our industry you're only busy if you're really good at what you do. The second and most important thing is it keeps the door open. If you're busy, you're busy. That doesn't imply that you'll always be that way. If you just say, "no thank you" or some permutation of that, no means no. And it probably shuts the door to any future calls from that client. The way you turn down work is more important than the actual act of turning it down.
Here's a bonus lesson. If you are busy on a given day you're offered work, offer to replace yourself. If I can't shoot something, I make it a point to offer trusted replacements. Often when a producer or client is calling, it's urgent. We know most people think of video last so it's not next month they're calling about, it's usually tomorrow or at the latest next week. They were hoping you were the only call they were going to have to make to staff this project. Since they have to make another one, taking the guesswork out of who's next on the list and do they trust that person is helpful. Not only is it helpful, it's kind. It's the gift that gives back. You will be remembered for being helpful when most people aren't. That will keep the phone ringing in your direction, too.
If it has to be yes
Sometimes you have to say yes. At the lower rate. When your slate is already full. On the job that's not your direct area of expertise. We all do it.
And I want to be clear it's not wrong to do any of these things. You don't grow if you don't push yourself. Sometimes you just need the money. I get it. Do what you have to do, but do it like a professional. Be honest. Offer replacements. Be kind. And if you say you're going to do something, deliver.
If you've got a project and want a straight answer on whether it's a fit for us, let's talk. Once in a while the most useful thing we'll tell you is no, and who to call instead.