Have you met Hattie, our 17hats AI generator? Yes, you now have instant access to AI help when writing emails inside 17hats. This powerful feature becomes really valuable when it comes to writing difficult emails that you don’t know exactly what to say. 

When you encounter difficult leads, writing emails can be time consuming trying to find the right words; but with Hattie that doesn’t have to be anymore. For example, how do you handle leads who come off way too strong with their demands or leads who don’t fit your ideal client? 

I’d like to start out by saying that the majority of your clients are wonderful. They appreciate your time and services as a business owner and are excited about working with you. Having clients that value what your business values is the dream.

However, reality is that every once in a while a not-so-right lead will reach out to you and you know right away there’s going to be a problem. On one hand, business is business and it’s hard turning away money. On the other hand you know this particular lead will be a distraction costing you time and money. 

Signs That a New Lead Might Turn into a Difficult Client:

The ‘I Needed This Yesterday’ Lead

This type of lead isn’t concerned with your processes or how you can provide quality service. They expect you to drop everything, which includes your existing paying clients, and take care of their needs NOW. It’s also very likely that they are not willing to pay a rush fee. They have the expectation that they can get the same results you provide within their very limited time frame, which isn’t always the case. Quality service and products take time; it’s a process.

The ‘You Charge How Much’ Lead

It’s ok if you’re out of their budget. Don’t allow leads to sway you into adjusting your prices and lower your worth. If they truly are interested in your services and see value, they will find a way to pay. In the end, lowering your prices will cost you more than a discounted rate. It’s a huge wake up call when you realize that by tweaking your prices, you are actually paying them to hire you. 

The ‘Too Good to be True’ Lead

Right out of the bat, they make an offer that sounds too good to be true. By working with them on this project, you will get so much exposure and reach a very niche market. “If you do this project with me, a whole world of opportunities will open up.” They usually want to collaborate with you for free and expect your full service to help make their idea come to fruition.

The ‘I’m the Expert’ Lead

Up front, this person is so excited to work with you and they have lots of ideas. They usually dump everything inside their mind on you without a filter or thought process of how this will all come together. They know best and just want you to carry out their ideas, even though they are all over the place. As a professional, sometimes you can help guide them. However, this lead isn’t budging and wants things done their way. They will also likely change their minds of what they want multiple times, draining your time and energy..

Hattie Can Help You Write an Email to Politely Decline a Lead

How do you write an email that says, “I don’t want to work with you?” 

Let’s say a lead who’s name is Sarah, contacted you for your services that she needed yesterday. She is stressed out looking for someone to provide services for her immediately. She filled out a questionnaire and you sent her a quote with pricing options for your services and products. After looking over your prices, she sends you an email saying:

“Well thanks for your time! But, I find your prices outrageous.”

Reading messages like this can be a lot to take in. A few things may be going through your mind. It’s best to keep your composure, take a deep breath; everything is going to be okay. You have two choices; meet their financial needs and lower your prices or pass on this opportunity.

If you feel that it’s NOT in your best interest to move forward with Sarah, as a professional, it is courteous to follow up with them. With Hattie, all you need to do is pop into the lead’s 17hats Project, and open a new email.  

Inside the message area ask Hattie for help in writing the email. For example, you can say:

Help write an email to politely decline this lead. They do not have the funds to meet our budget. It’s not in my best interest to move forward with them. I’d like to follow up as a courtesy. What’s the best way to say, “I don’t want to work with you?” 

Hattie allows you to write emails in different voices that match your brand voice and can also speak from different perspectives that set the tone in certain situations. When writing an email with Hattie you can select from these different tones:

  • Concise
  • Conversational
  • Elaborate
  • Empathetic
  • Friendly
  • Funny
  • Professional

Due to the professional nature of the email, let’s choose the ‘Professional’ tone in which to write this email.

Dear Sarah,

I hope this message finds you well. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that we are unable to proceed with your project at this time due to budget constraints. It is important to us that we provide the best service possible, and unfortunately, we are unable to meet your financial requirements.

I want to express my gratitude for considering us for your project and for the opportunity to discuss your needs. Should your circumstances change in the future, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We would be more than happy to revisit the possibility of working together.

Thank you for your understanding and I wish you all the best with your project.

Warm regards,

Wow, what a time saver! At this point can you send as is, or make adjustments to fit your needs.

Email communications can be overwhelming and require a lot of effort and thought especially with negative emails. With the use of Hattie in your day, you are sure to write emails quicker and better. No more staring at a blank screen figuring out what to say.  

Bonus:

Avoid any future headaches dealing with difficult situations should you encounter another lead like Sarah. Save this Email as a template! You can even tweak it with your own words if you like. Templates allow you to reuse this same email response over and over. 

Before you hit send, name this Template: Lead Response – Out Of Budget, so that you can easily find it for next time.

Dealing with difficult leads can be frustrating. However, maintaining your composure and responding professionally in a timely manner doesn’t have to be. Hattie is just one of the many powerful features that 17hats provides you as a business owner to manage your business better.

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Try out Hattie in 17hats today and breeze through your inbox with ease!

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