Day 10 30 DC - The Power of Saying NO

I'm finding it hard to let go of some of my favorite niches. I chose them in the first place because they are topics I am passionate about, or that I believe others would find compelling. They are, for the most part, highly marketable niches, and I do have some experience and reasonable success in getting things to the right market.

I also liked many of them because I could quite clearly see the related products and services that would generate revenue, and I felt I knew how to attract the target market.

But the numbers just don't hold up. Even though I have run the analysis on my top eliminated favorites a few times (silly girl, the results aren't going to change in a day!), hoping to see potential I missed, they are still "no go".

That's not to say they must be abandoned, only that acting upon them would take certain resources that are beyond the scope of this challenge.

There is a great deal of power in saying "NO". I wish more of my clients would realize that. NO, we're not releasing the product before it has been thoroughly tested. NO, we are not skimping on the manual. NO, we are not spending money on a marketing campaign that doesn't have a specific objective. And so on.

Sometimes, you say NO to gather more data, and that is good. Your decisions will likely be better if based on thorough research. Sometimes, you say NO in order to wait for a more opportune time, thus increasing chances for success. And sometimes, you say NO to a good idea so that you can take advantage of a better idea that is just about to come along.

"NO" creates boundaries. It draws a line that you state you will not cross. And if you cross it you had better know the potential consequences. "NO" clearly establishes your position, without any vacillation or weakness. But you have to mean it.

"NO" is very empowering, in business, in relationships, in life. Try it sometime. Trot it out and give it a go. Let me know how that works for you.