The other day, a potential client inquired about having me speak at his company's annual meeting. Typically in this situation, one of the first questions I'm asked is "Are you available on this date?"
That one was easy to answer. (I was.) Once we started discussing his goals, however, I realized that I was not the right fit for the meeting. So I happily recommended one of my colleagues. My would-be client was surprised that I was so willing to turn over business to a competitor. While I consider my competition to be "friendly," nevertheless, I was turning away business.
Why would I do this? Three reasons:
1. It was the right thing to do. I wasn't a good fit, and it would have been a mistake to speak at my prospect's meeting. The success of his event was at stake, and I wasn't about to be the reason it failed.
