Add value, don’t give away your thinking for free.

The work of creative practitioners the world over is becoming increasingly commoditised, and as a consequence valued less and less by clients. So argues Canadian business development consultant and author Blair Enns. He believes we can stop the rot if we have the confidence to take control of our creative businesses, reclaim the high ground in client relationships and abandon free pitching. 

Blair Enns will be talking at our final Designer Breakfast of 2011 on the theme of telling the truth. As he digs into the psychology and motivational make-up of creative people, he will tell us some stark truths about why we are sometimes our own worst enemies, alongside insights into how we can harness our talents more productively and get better at getting new business. 

Join us to hear about The Win Without Pitching Manifesto. Find out why – ‘A lucrative future where our enterprise sustains us and nourishes our creativity is within our control.’ Enns will have you rethink some of the decisions you’ve made (or not made) on shaping your practice and pursuing new clients.

£26 including VAT.

Book offer

You can take advantage of a special offer at the event to buy The Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns at half price, for £10 instead of at the RRP of £20. Published by Rockbench, the book sets out twelve proclamations challenging business development practices within the creative industries and offering solutions for change.

IPO Survey

The IPO has asked us to draw your attention to a survey of design businesses and their approach to intellectual property and design registrations. The survey only takes a couple of minutes to complete and your input could contribute to future developments for the benefit of the wider design community.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/cfedesigns 

Housekeeping

Talks at Designer Breakfasts are now being filmed for separate broadcast. Regrettably, this means we will not be able to allow people who are late to enter the session. Please arrive from 8:00 am onwards to enjoy breakfast with us, and certainly by 8:30 am to be sure of admittance. 

2011 Designer Breakfasts on telling the truth 

This is the 10th and last in our series on telling the truth. To round it off, we are publishing 10 critical responses by writers’ group 26 in the New Year. Magpie Studios is designing it for print; their D&AD award-winning director Jamie Ellul featured in our January 2011 breakfast. Sir John Hegarty of BBH and Bonnie Dean (ex-council member, Design Council) who inspired the series, will contribute to the introduction. 

In January you’ll be able to see all 10 2011 Designer Breakfasts online, free in return for telling us what you think. Did you miss Wally Olins, Richard Seymour, Nick Eagleton of The Partners, Cheryl Giovannoni of Landor, Sophie Thomas, Tim Beard - Bibliothèque, Shan Preddy, Jamie Ellul of Magpie Studio, Joe Ferry and others? We’ll send you a link in the New Year. Thanks to Design Council funding, we have filmed these in a joint venture with The Good Film Company. 

Connecting tutors to the design world initiative 

As a response to the UK Design Alliance - the Design Council's network of networks umbrella initiative to connect and involve colleges and universities with the design industry, we offer two free places for design tutors to come to each monthly Designer Breakfast. If you are a tutor who would like to attend a breakfast or would like to recommend one please email mike@abrahams.uk.com and put ‘Tutor ticket’ in the subject line.

Stand-by tickets for students 

We will be offering stand-by tickets for students for £5. If there are free places still available two days before the breakfast, students should email mike@abrahams.uk.com and put ‘Student ticket’ in the subject line.

Got a good story?

If you have a piece of news or an offer designers can't resist, let us know. We'll consider it for our next newsletter. Mail us: events@designerbreakfasts.net 

Designer Breakfasts is the hub for people who own or work in small creative businesses. It stages monthly events around the themes of entrepreneurship, co-ownership and co-creation (new models of engagement), selling creative thinking, not just outputs, and taking designers' vision to SMEs. Designer Breakfasts was established in 2005 by design businesses Abrahams and Tatham Design, and communications specialists The Ministry of Love. Visit www.designerbreakfasts.net for more information.