Are you turning away new customers because you have more farrier clients than you can handle? It's time to stop saying no.

"If you say no to new business because your appointment book is full, pretty soon the word gets out that you are not taking any new customers," warns Lamar, Mo., farrier Chris Gregory. "Before you know it, you won't have the option. You will be stuck with the clientele that you have."

Instead of rejecting a new customer, raise your prices.

"No one likes to be rejected," says the owner of Heartland Horseshoeing School. "If your prices go up substantially when the new customer calls, one of two things will happen - either you will shoe more horses for more money, or the prospective new customer will say no."

If the potential client decides to go in another direction, you avoid permanently closing the door to a future opportunity.

"If that person has a change of fortune or needs your expertise," Gregory says, "at least they will still call because they were not rejected."

Yet, if the new client accepts your prices, you'll get a nice raise.

"So now," Gregory says, "you've figured out a way to get a new client in, but your rates have just gone up for everybody."

Do you have a helpful tip that you would like to share with your fellow farriers? Please send it to Jeff Cota at jcota@lesspub.com. If we use your tip, we'll send you a free shirt.