How Caring Sellers Manage Tough Customers and Avoid Burnout

Who will help the people you love if you burn out? Don’t Invite Manipulation—use smart communication and negotiation strategies. Their Urgency is Not Your Emergency!

Worry too much what others think and you become easier to manipulate. Apologizing and explaining makes manipulators press harder. Instead:

  1. Make self-care a priority to avoid burnout (and because you’re worth it).
  2. Use “Limit Orders” to control your schedule.
  3. Use pre-written messages to easily hold firm in tough situations.

Message Strategy:

Imagine you are too busy to take on new orders, but a buyer with a large project demands immediate attention and rush service for free. What should you do?

Send an initial pre-written message, and if they reply unreasonably, send the second pre-written one, etc. An example series of messages could be:

  1. Thanks for selecting me for your project 🙂 I am unable to accept new orders right now, but I would love to work with you if you can wait!
  2. I understand completely. You are unable to wait. I’m sorry we won’t be able to work together this time. I hope you will bookmark my profile so we can work together in the future!
  3. I won’t be able to respond to messages for the next few days, but I really do appreciate you considering me for your project! I’m sorry we couldn’t work together this time around.
  4. I am out of the office until [date in the future]. If I have time when I return, I would be glad to help you. Please bookmark my profile so we can work together in the future!

Only use these messages with buyers who are demanding, inappropriate or unreasonable. If they are courteous and respectful, start with something more like this:

  1. Your project sounds exciting—I would love to work with you! Can you wait a bit? I am unable to accept any more new orders today. And if they don’t reply reasonably:
  2. I am in the studio working on orders for clients right now. I’ll get back to you when I am out of the studio.

Many, many more messages you can write in advance.

 

Summary

  1. Be kind, be clear, but above all, be brief! Kindly brevity is a powerful communication method.
  2. Don’t apologize. Don’t explain. Explanations and apologies motivate manipulators to try harder. Hold firm.
  3. Have a strategy. Be consistent. Use a series of pre-written messages.