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Nail It: Stories for Emerging Designers on Negotiating
Nail It, available for free at iTunes through January 15, is the first book to lead emerging designers to the salaries they…
Worth It: Online Negotiation Class for Designers
CreativeLive is hosting a free online class on negotiation and workplace communication for creative of all stripes - designers…
The Five Fears of Negotiating Design Fees
A few weeks ago I led a negotiation seminar with my colleague Charles Wiggins, who was my negotiation coach back in 1998.
Survive and Thrive: Five Recommendations for Mid-Size Design Firm...
I've been visiting independent design firms and talking with owners and managers for several weeks now.
Ten Interviewing and Negotiation Tips for Creatives
You're a creative professional, a photographer, designer, web coder, event producer, etc., and you've spent your career developing…
Worth It, Using Creative Vulnerability to Enhance Expertise
Creatives are more open to their personal vulnerabilities.
Creatives: Establish Your Fee or Salary First
It's called throwing out an anchor. When you know the range and the scope of work it's to your advantage to establish your…
Uncovering the Issues
I paid the cab and hoped I'd landed at the right Starbucks.
Ten Strategies for Negotiating Success for Creatives
A Virtuous Cycle is a series of events that result in a favorable outcome, over and over again.
Aligning Conflicting Agendas
A New York design consultancy is rebranding a 500 year-old Swiss specialty brand for the global market after its purchase by…
The Email
We won the assignment in a competition with two gigantic management consultancies and a global branding agency, an odd combination of competitors.
Inbound Call
I was having coffee with Barry, a long-time client, when he told me this story.
The Power Play
Julia's firm had worked intensely in preparation for this meeting with the VP.
Negotiating: The Procurement Effect
Fin led the team that designed the packaging for the client's most successful hair care brand, "Z." It resulted in sales of…
A Strategy for Successful Negotiations
By definition, a Virtuous Cycle is a series of events that result in a favorable outcome, time and again.
Three Keys To Increasing Your Design Fees: Confidence, Distance, ...
Design firms routinely underprice their work. It seems as though they don't trust their own value, thinking, "If I can do it…
Fit In, Stand Out, Stand Apart
In the high stakes game of new business this is how designers can win.
Why Design Firms Must Leverage Their Right Brain
When I started in business I had no idea what "leverage" was, let alone how to use it.
From Crafting to Consulting
Mary had just retired from a senior VP position with a major corporation.
How to Use Creative Power to Negotiate
Here's the dilemma. Our power to create is what makes us human.
Referral, Expertise, Inspiration, Summary: Close
Ben awoke at 4:00 am with that old familiar anxiety.