EP 152 | Pricing Creativity for Interior Designers with Blair Enns (Part 2)

February 17, 2020

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Can interior designers charge what they’re truly worth — and still earn the trust of clients and trades?

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon continues her conversation with Pricing Creativity author Blair Enns about value-based pricing, profitability, and why creative professionals must confidently lead clients through the design process.

While charging appropriately can feel uncomfortable, Blair explains that interior designers deliver far more than products and services — they create emotional experiences and transformational outcomes for clients. This episode explores how profitability, leadership, and professional positioning all contribute to a stronger, more sustainable business.

In this episode, we learn:
• Why the value interior designers provide is often deeply emotional and experiential
• How value-based pricing can lead to stronger profitability and healthier businesses
• Why profitability is an essential measure of business success
• How acting like a professional builds client confidence and trust
• Why interior designers must confidently lead clients through the project process
• How proper pricing supports better service, stronger systems, and long-term sustainability
• Why charging appropriately allows designers to create better outcomes for clients and themselves

 

Take Aways

Win without Pitching

How to Win the Flat Fee Game

 

Design Intervention

Blair Enn’s Jedi Mantra:

  1. I am the expert; I am the prize.
  2. I am on a mission to help.
  3. In order to help, I must lead.
  4. All will not follow.

Blair Enns is on a mission to change the way creative services are bought and sold the world over. He is the founder of Win Without Pitching, the sales training and coaching organization for creative professionals, and the author of two books on selling and pricing for creatives.

The Win Without Pitching Manifesto​, published in 2010, has sold over 30,000 copies and launched a revolution in how creative and marketing firms approach developing new business development.

Pricing Creativity: A Guide to Profit Beyond the Billable Hour​, published in 2018, is a comprehensive guide to value-based pricing for creative firms. It is available in multiple formats, only at pricingcreativity.com.

Blair also hosts, with David C. Baker, the podcast ​2Bobs: Conversations on the Art of Creative Entrepreneurship​. According to the UK’s The Agency Collective, 2Bobs is the second most listened to podcast by agency owners, after The Tim Ferriss Show.

Blair lives in the remote mountain village of Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada. He can be found online at winwithoutpitching.com and @blairenns on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and provides general business advice for interior designers and design professionals. It is not intended as individual legal, accounting, or professional guidance. Kimberley Seldon and Business of Design® make no guarantees regarding accuracy and are not liable for how information is used. Strategies shared may not apply to every situation—listeners should seek qualified legal, financial, or professional advice before making business decisions. References and resources mentioned may change over time.

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