NO!!!

Sandy Paluzzi
The Bead Peddler

There are all kinds of dirty words.  No is a very dirty word in business.  It is best left unsaid.

If the customer wants something you don't sell, your best option is to refer to another vendor.  You come across as very helpful and the person will remember you.  If you don't want to refer, take the customer's name, tell them you'll do a search and get back to them.  If you honestly don't have a clue where to find the customer's object of affection, you can take their contact information with a promise to keep an eye out for the product and get back to them.

If the customer wants terms you don't accept, you can offer options.  For example, if you don't accept credit cards, you can accept layaway.

Probably, the most important time not to say no is when the person offers you something.  If you just flat out say no, the customer will feel rejected and remember you as a negative person.  There are several ways this could happen.  For example, someone may want you to hire her - either refer them to someone who is hiring or say you're not hiring right now, but will take their information and get back to them.  The same principles apply if someone offers you sales literature.  Take the literature even if you know you're not interested.  Don't give the person false hope, but don't flat out reject them.  You can say you'll read the literature later or keep it on file.  You never know when someone else will be looking for exactly what that person's selling.

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