“Let’s meet for coffee. I want to pick your brain about something.”
You oblige. You meet. Then, you quickly discover that what was supposed to be a simple chat over coffee has turned into a free consultation.
Does this situation seem familiar to you? You’re not alone. The request for free brain picks is rampant among successful women. Many women-in-business have expressed mixed feelings about these types of requests. Almost everyone I have talked to want to genuinely help by sharing their time, encouragement, and expertise, but are unable to do so because they are already maxed out.
In today’s episode, I will be sharing 5 tried and tested strategies on how you can handle requests for free brain picks with respect and care towards the person, while also protecting yourself in the process.
“Remember that NO is a complete sentence. No explanation, no apology required.”
Key Points from today’s Fierce Feminine Podcast:
- While most women-in-business want to be helpful, they are unable to do so because they are maxed out. They want to use the spare time that they have, outside their business or careers, with family, friends, and for themselves.
- Many women find it difficult to say no to brain picking meetings, because they know that it’s dangerous for a woman-in-business to be perceived as “not nice” or “unhelpful”.
- Free “pick your brain” sessions are different from connection calls or networking meetings, because with the latter there is a clear win-win for both parties. With “pick your brain” sessions, the help is clearly going in one direction alone.
- Networking is critical for your business. You need to spend enough time networking and this means that sometimes you will need to say no to requests, such as “pick your brain sessions”, to prioritize meetings that are crucial for your business.
5 Strategies to Say No to Free Brain Picks
- Send them to your free content.
- Thank them and connect them to the next step of your sales process.
- Tell them the next networking event that you will be attending and meet them there.
- Allot a specific time per month for “pick your brain meetings”.
- Just say NO.
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And, if you really want to ramp up your fierceness…
Reach out to us for a free 30-minute Bold Women in Business Makeover Session with me or one of the fabulous coaches on my team!
Explore your path and discover how you can be the fiercest lady-boss possible.
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