You read that correctly. When you are ready to get started on a website redesign or a new website project, be prepared to hear the word no. Because a good web designer/developer won’t be afraid to say it.
We get a lot of inquiries at Sumy Designs. Clients and potential clients who all have ideas about their next project. Sometimes they are great ideas and sometimes they aren’t. My favorite quote from my very first WordCamp was from Chris Lema:
“If you say no to people’s stupid ideas, they’ll pay you for the good ones.”
That’s not to say that we have a lot of people come to us with stupid ideas. But, we do get inquiries from people that sometimes aren’t going to be a good fit for the services we offer, and we’ll have to tell them no.
Let me share a story. A few months ago I had a call from a really great lady who had an idea for a new website. She had been referred from another client, and had heard great things. We talked for a while, and I really liked her idea for the site and felt like she had a great energy. And then I had to turn her away.
The reason I said no wasn’t because her idea was stupid, it wasn’t because I didn’t think she’d be a good client. The reason was because her project was too big and I knew it. It was too big of a project for a small agency like ours to take on. Luckily, I’ve had some good interactions with bigger web development companies and I was able to give her some quality referrals. We had a great conversation and I have absolutely no doubt that when she needs a smaller scale project, she’s going to come back to me because I wasn’t afraid to say no.
Knowing what I do best, but also knowing my limitations, is my super power. I’m not going to say yes to your project if it’s not a good fit, if I don’t think it’s a good idea, and if I don’t think you are going to be a great client. That’s why when we start talking, I am going to ask a lot of questions. Because I want to solve your problems. And if I can’t, I want to tell you who can.
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Amy Masson
Amy is the co-owner, developer, and website strategist for Sumy Designs. She's been making websites with WordPress since 2006 and is passionate about making sure websites are as functional as they are beautiful.