We don’t sell time, we sell value.

Design, where the dance of creativity meets the rhythm of commerce, we are faced with a profound question: How do we price the priceless?

This conundrum of assigning value to the innovative, the intangible, and the yet-to-be-discovered forces us to confront the inherent tension between charging an hourly rate for our creative endeavours and the doubt of whether we are truly valuing our work appropriately. We strive to ensure our time is valued, that the prices we set reflect our depth of expertise. However, we must acknowledge a fundamental flaw in this approach—

𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲; 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲.  
𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦.

Our clients engage not in the purchase of our time but in the wealth of our experience and expertise, seeking outcomes that will propel their businesses into realms of uncharted success.

In my soft good design business, this realisation led to a value-based pricing model. We assess projects on various factors—pattern and construction, systems and usability, and the number of colourways to name a few—to directly confront and navigate the complexities of innovation. This method allows us to align more closely with our clients' needs, ensuring that we're not just fulfilling a brief but elevating it.

The benefits of this approach extend beyond simple transactional relationships. For designers, it creates a platform for more impactful, meaningful work, enabling us to invest fully in the creative process without the constraints of hourly billing. Clients, in turn, receive transparent, justified pricing that reflects the true value and potential impact of their projects. This fosters stronger, more collaborative relationships, building trust and aligning financial incentives with project outcomes. Clients are not just paying for an end product; they are investing in a partnership that seeks to understand and amplify their vision.

This shift has also simplified the pricing discussion, focusing conversations on project objectives and innovation. When a client considers a price too high, it opens a dialogue about the project's scope and priorities, allowing for adjustments that align with both parties' goals. This process transforms price negotiation from a potential conflict into a constructive discussion, ensuring both the client and designer are committed to a shared vision of success.

As we navigate the design landscape, let's embrace our role as cultivators of value, shaping experiences and outcomes that resonate. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts on value-based pricing and its impact on the design industry. Product design is changing, evolving and it is up to us to shape it to its better form.