This session, led by Zweig Group’s Justin Smith, reframed how lighting professionals should think about pricing their work—moving away from time-based estimating and toward fees that reflect the true value delivered. Justin emphasized that most business challenges in design firms—tight margins, burnout, under-resourcing, and difficulty growing—stem from one core issue: fees that do not align with the outcomes clients actually value.

The webinar demonstrated that value-based pricing begins with asking better questions. Through five discovery questions, designers can uncover what clients genuinely care about: speed to market, brand consistency, sales uplift, safety, risk reduction, or personal accountability. These insights allow firms to quantify impact—such as revenue gained, delays avoided, or change orders prevented—and tie fees directly to measurable outcomes rather than hours spent.

Justin introduced the Outcome-to-Fee Map, a framework that links client outcomes to proof actions, risk mitigation strategies, and specific scope items. This method helps firms create proposals that clearly articulate why fees differ and shows clients how each option supports their stated priorities.

A major takeaway was the power of three-option proposals—core, enhanced, and premium service tiers—designed to reflect increasing value rather than increasing time. This structure helps clients self-select their priority level while reducing negotiation and scope creep.

The session also covered practical objection-handling strategies, teaching attendees how to pivot from price debates back to client-defined outcomes. The overarching message was clear: firms can unlock higher fees, better margins, and stronger client partnerships by confidently pricing work according to value, not labor.