As a business owner, sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself and your business is to say, NO.

Deciding which seemingly good opportunities to pursue and which to pass on. Tough right? Especially when the opportunities you’re presented promises to be the solution to all the pain points you’ve been experiencing. And how do you know for sure if saying NO causes you to miss out on an amazing chance to sell even more of your products or services. We’d love to tell you that this is going to be easy because it’s not when you don’t have a narrowly focused plan or purpose for your business. Every well-spoken sales offer is going to sound like a good idea. Decisions will be made based on your emotions instead of solid truths—ultimately doing something you’ll regret later. But with a good business or brand strategy in place to serve as your checks and balances, saying NO will be easier.

Here are some thoughts on when you might need to say NO…

• Say NO to opportunities that seem fantastic on the surface, but, in your spirit, you know it will pull you further away from your business’s true purpose.

• Say NO to great ideas that do not align with your purpose, mission, and values.

• Say NO to prospects that have the ability and availability to do the work you require but are in no way a suitable match for the culture, you want to develop.

• Say NO to providing products or services that in no way adds value to, benefits, or improves the lives of others.

• Say NO to that notion that giving excellent work can only happen if you have a lot of money or a big business, and not standard for a small business like yours.

Each mismatch opportunity, idea, or practice you say yes to is little and fairly harmless on its own. But those little things add up to the big experience and overall impression of you that people need to determine if and how they fit in your world.

If you really care about your business perception and message, say NO more often to those things that distort your image. Sometimes saying NO is the best gift you can give to yourself and your business.

In short, say “NO” more often to what may seem attractive, but ultimately be a harmful business opportunity, idea, or practice. It’ll help keep your message clear and even create space to build a better, more likable business!

What are your thoughts on saying NO in business? Can you think of any others reasons?