PRACTITIONER
It’s a big word, and one shared by the likes of Bob Ross, Marie Kondo, the Dalai Lama, and Bruce Lee. I wasn’t interested in becoming a practitioner of karate chops and fast fists, but as a thirty-something Creative Director looking to level up, the idea of transitioning from creative everyman to compelling expert was too enticing to pass up.
I picked up Blair Enns’ Win Without Pitching Manifesto at a pivotal time in my career—and not necessarily a good pivotal time either. After nearly eight years at a boutique creative agency (cough cough Fifteen4 cough cough), I was experiencing (you guessed it) burnout. Budgets were getting slashed, much of my strategic advice was ignored, and my creative concepts—though original, well-informed, and likely effective—were left on the cutting room floor.
Win Without Pitching offered a glimmer of hope by promising how creatives, consultants, and marketers like myself could reclaim our status as prized practitioners and carve a new path forward. A path that would let me win without pitching.
Now, any good treatise, manifesto, or systematic written discourse needs rock-solid principles, right? So, let’s get down to business:
We Will Specialize
Focus on doing fewer things better by narrowing your expertise and differentiating yourself in a specific niche.
Hot Take: Specialization is no walk in the park. Should you focus on a specific service line, product, or industry? The decision comes with big risks—and even bigger rewards—shaped by factors like economic shifts, evolving customer sentiment, and rapid technological advancements. Despite the challenges, specialization is essential. It allows you to hone in on where you can deliver the most value, creating deeper expertise and stronger outcomes for your clients in the long run.
We Will Replace Presentations with Conversations
Engage in meaningful, two-way dialogue instead of relying on formal presentations to win clients.
Hot Take: This is a tough one. At Fifteen4, we always push for face-to-face conversations throughout the process, from the sales cycle all the way to project completion. However, I’m still not convinced that presentations don’t play a role in winning work. Many clients (if not most) want to see visuals, read copy, and have something to take home to stakeholders at the end of a call.
We Will Diagnose Before We Prescribe
Take the time to understand a client’s problems before offering solutions. A doctor provides a diagnosis before treating, and so should we.
Hot Take: Thriving in the marketing industry requires more than delivering commoditized creative—you need to be a strategic thinker and a true advocate for every client who comes your way. This means staying ahead of industry trends and proactively identifying ways to add value, even when it’s not explicitly requested. Asking “Why?” is the most powerful tool in your arsenal. It helps uncover the deeper goals and motivations behind a client’s needs, allowing you to deliver work that truly makes an impact.
We Will Rethink What It Means to Sell
Shift the mindset from selling services to helping clients see the value of your expertise.
Hot Take: Gold. Value, value, value—it’s a transformative word. Much like we market our client’s products and services, value always needs to be at the forefront of every conversation.
We Will Do With Words What We Used to Do With Paper
Use compelling conversations and verbal agreements instead of relying heavily on proposals and documents.
Hot Take: Contracts are king. While compelling conversations and verbal agreements set the stage, it’s the signature on the dotted line that truly seals the deal. At Fifteen4, we take it a step further—we never simply send a proposal or creative deck and hope for the best. Instead, we always schedule a meeting to review the details face-to-face. This approach allows us to address questions, concerns, and feedback in real time, provide reassurance, and strengthen the client relationship from the start.
We Will Be Selective
Choose your clients carefully and ensure alignment with your values, expertise, and vision.
Hot Take: When times are good and cash is flowing, I’m 100% behind this philosophy. The ability to be selective is one of the greatest privileges in business—it’s a feeling like no other. But, as my partner and business development lead, Will Smallman, often says: “GET HUNGRY OR GO HUNGRY.” When sales hit a lull and responsibilities loom, that selectivity can sometimes take a back seat. Still, it’s crucial to stay clear on the clients, relationships, and projects that align with your goals—and to chase those opportunities whenever you can.
We Will Build Expertise Rapidly
Continuously learn and grow in your chosen niche to maintain your position as a top expert.
Hot Take: You either grow or die on the vine—there’s no in-between.
We Will Not Solve Problems Before We Are Paid
Avoid doing speculative work or offering solutions during the sales process; be compensated for your thinking.
Hot Take: This is a mantra that sounds sweet to the ears but is hard to follow in reality. How does one build credibility and trust with a new prospect without offering some solutions to help seal the deal? I’ve certainly been burned by spec work in dead-end RFPs (who hasn’t?), but there have been times when it helped push the sale across the finish line.
We Will Address Issues of Money Early
Discuss budget and pricing early in the relationship to establish clear expectations.
Hot Take: More gold. Nothing takes the wind out of your creative sails like creating budgets, high-level concepts, and presentations, only to find yourself completely misaligned with the client’s budgetary expectations. While qualifying pricing early in the conversation may feel like asking about kids on the first date, it speeds up the sales process and creates a foundation of trust from the get-go.
We Will Refuse to Work at a Loss
Value your work appropriately and reject projects that undervalue your expertise.
Hot Take: You won’t find me complaining about this one! Recognizing what projects are profitable and which aren’t is a skill learned and honed over time.
We Will Charge More
Increase your fees over time, aligning them with the value you bring and the outcomes you deliver.
Hot Take: Hey, we just lived through 8% inflation. While the concept of rising prices is still painfully present in all of our lives, the conversation about rate increases with clients is delicate—and made easier if you’ve built a good relationship, provided great service, and delivered even better work.
We Will Hold Our Heads High
Maintain confidence and self-respect, knowing the worth of your contributions to your clients.
Hot Take: Confidence, self-respect, and understanding your worth are what keep us going.
“Those that do not claim meaningful territory are rarely attacked.”
Win Without Pitching Manifesto is really about empowering creative professionals to recognize their value while offering meaningful contributions to their businesses, employees, clients, and work. The shift from selling hours to offering purpose-driven solutions is a mindset that lifts us out of the rat race at a critical time in the creative industry—especially with the advent of cheap labor, AI, ubiquitous gear, ever-accelerating timelines, and increasing competition. While Blair Enns’ vision of a pitchless world often feels a little rosy, it’s a great reminder that there is an ideal we can all aim for, even if we fall a little short along the way. So go ahead—stake your claim, stand your ground, and level-up; challengers will arise, but so will opportunities for growth and recognition.
After all, who would Bruce Lee be without stepping into the ring, kicking some butt, and changing the status quo along the way?
The Win Without Pitching Manifesto
by Blair Enns
Meet blog author Sam Oddo,
Partner & Creative Director, Live Action + Animation
Read his bio here
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