Say what you do not do on your website

Key takeaways

Saying what you do not do, such as 'we do not take on jobs under £500' or 'we do not repair gas boilers', saves you time on poor-fit enquiries and makes your real offer sharper. It also builds trust, because a business that turns some work away sounds more credible than one that claims to do everything.

• Naming what you do not do cuts poor-fit enquiries.
• A clear boundary makes your main offer sound more expert.
• Word it kindly and, where you can, point to who does help.
• Keep it to the 3 to 5 requests you most often decline.

Should a website say what you do not do?

Yes, when you regularly receive enquiries you decline. A short, polite statement of what you do not do saves both sides time and sharpens the description of what you do. Global Bridge Labs (GBL) suggests limiting it to the three to five requests that most often waste a call.

• What information should every business website have?
• Say who your homepage is for, and who it is not for

Does saying no put buyers off?

It puts off the buyers you would turn away anyway, which is the point. For everyone else, a clear boundary reads as expertise and honesty. Specialist firms that say what they leave to others are easier to believe when they claim to be good at what they keep.

• Poor quality leads from your website: causes and fixes

How should you word it?

Word it factually and helpfully: 'We do not install solar panels, but we work alongside installers on battery storage.' Avoid sounding dismissive. If there is someone better placed, such as a trade body directory or a partner, say so; it is good service and earns goodwill.

• Tone of voice for your website: sound like a business

What kinds of things should you name?

Name the services, job sizes, areas and customer types you decline. Common examples are jobs below a minimum value, areas outside your coverage, services a related trade does, and work for certain sectors. Each should be something people actually ask for.

• Services: 'We do not do domestic electrical work.'
• Job size: 'Our minimum job is £750.'
• Area: 'We do not cover north of the M62.'
• Customer type: 'We only work with VAT-registered businesses.'

• Minimum job size or order value on your website
• Show where you work on your homepage

Where should it appear?

Put it near the point of decision: on service pages under what is included, in the FAQs and near the enquiry form. A line on the homepage helps only if a large share of enquiries are poor fits. Do not bury it in terms and conditions, where buyers will not see it before contacting you.

• Say what is included in your service, line by line
• FAQ pages: when they help the journey and when they hide answers

When is this the wrong move?

It is the wrong move when you are trying to grow into new work and would take those jobs at the right price, or when the list would be long and negative. In that case, describe your focus positively and handle edge cases on the phone.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a commercial firm gets regular domestic enquiries because its site never says it is commercial only. A single line on the homepage and contact page, with a link to a directory for domestic work, cuts those calls and makes the business look more focused.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses

What we don't do checklist

• List enquiries you declined in the last three months.
• Pick the three to five most common.
• Write each as a plain sentence.
• Add who can help where you can.
• Place it near the enquiry form.
• Review it when your focus changes.

Next step

Count the enquiries you turned down last month and group them. The biggest group is your first 'we do not' line.