Seal the Deal

Stop Chasing Clients! Start Closing Deals – and Keep them Coming

 

You’ve met the prospective client, had a chat, shared your vision, maybe even delivered a presentation to them and sparked their interest. Now comes the crucial step: how do you convert them into loyal long-lasting paying clients and close the deal without feeling ‘salesy’?

This workshop is tailored for designers and creatives who want to turn leads into paying clients, strengthen their confidence in clients conversation and negotiation, master the art of closing deals, build relationships that return and go beyond a single project and keep the pipeline flowing, even during their busiest creative periods.

 

Who Should Attend

Perfect for designers, creative directors, solopreneurs, studio owners and agency leads and anyone responsible for business development or client relationships or driving new business, in the design and creative industry.

Programme objectives – what you’ll take away

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Pinpoint and overcome your biggest challenges in converting clients and closing sales
• Build stronger client relationships worth the return on investment
• Spot when opportunities are worth pursing – and know when to walk away
• Master follow-up techniques, without seeming “too pushy”
• Successfully negotiate with clients and for the right price
• Develop a winning strategy for keeping a steady pipeline of clients, even during busy delivery periods.

What you will Experience

This is not just theory – it’s hands-on, interactive workshop packed with with practical tools, scripts, resources and strategy you can start applying straight away to win more of the right clients.

Schedule

1 x 2 Hours online session

Wednesday, November 19th 2025 – from 12pm to 2pm

Fees

Member Price (IDI, IAPI, ICAD, 100 Archive members)*: €129

Non-Member Price: €170

 

*Current Members of  IDI, IAPI, ICAD, 100 Archive working in the private or commercial semi-state sector and based in the Republic of Ireland can avail of subsidised fees on the workshops! Find out how to become a member and avail of the subsidies.

 

More leads, more chances to close the sale.  Take a step back and find out how you can create a steady flow of leads with Fuel your Client Pipeline or continue on in the journey and find out how to unlock long-term growth with Grow Your Client Goldmine.

About the trainer

Derek is the founder and CEO of ‘The Customer’ and will lead and deliver this workshop for Design Skillnet. He brings excellent knowledge and understanding of the B2B services sector having trained as a chartered accountant with PwC and then spent 20 years in senior Business Development, training and executive coaching roles.

Derek is passionate about helping leaders and their teams to build stronger client relationships and win more business. Always with a focus on excellent service and strong commercial results. He has developed and delivered bespoke training and coaching programmes for a wide range of clients including Design Skillnet on all aspects of sales, pitching, fee negotiation, relationship building, networking and key account management.

Derek works with other experienced sales and people specialists to coach, train and advise clients in meeting their growth ambitions. A qualified executive coach from Smurfit Business School and an accredited member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Derek coaches and advises senior executives and their teams on their business growth, people engagement, talent development and teamwork and in developing and delivering impactful presentations and communication strategies.