Positioning oneself as an Expert

It’s a bold, confident word ‘expert’. As for its literal definition, an ‘expert’ is someone or a firm with a high level of skill or knowledge in a particular field. For me this raises some questions… – Is the very definition of the term ‘expert’ somewhat vague and open to interpretation? What actually constitutes having a ‘high level of skill or knowledge in a particular field’? – Is being an ‘expert’ something that one can authentically declare of oneself? – And is being an ‘expert’ something that is more appropriately bestowed upon you by others, like an award or privilege...

Retaining and developing clients – the designer’s Achilles heel?

Interesting to read and reflect on the findings of Up to the Light’s latest and very informative report What Clients Think 2016 published in March 2016 in association with the DBA. For anyone unfamiliar with this report it presents the findings of 435 interviews, conducted with clients of design agencies during 2015, to monitor the health of client/agency relationships. As I read through the section ‘Keeping Clients’ which covers client service and client development issues, I found myself recalling and comparing this to the key findings of a client survey I conducted back in 2001 at a time when I was running...

Design agency owners and leaders…more ON, less IN?

Owners and leaders of small and medium size design firms can often be found working predominantly IN the business tackling the day-to-days.  Understandable maybe in the multitasking hands-on world of the SME. But are many positioning themselves and focusing where they could or indeed should be for the firm? Most will follow what is meant when we use the term ON or IN the business, but for the sake of clarity… Working ON the business is stepping back and looking into the business and equally what’s happening outside the business in the market. It’s concerning yourself with the bigger picture...

To Increase Revenue Stop Selling

A candid perspective from Mike Myatt for Forbes Creating or expanding business relationships is not about selling – it’s about establishing trust, rapport, and value creation without selling. Call me crazy, but I don’t want to talk to someone who wants to manage my account, develop my business, or engineer my sale. I want to communicate with someone who desires to fulfill my needs or solve my problems. Any organization that still has “sales” titles on their org charts and business cards is living in another time and place, while attempting to do business in a world that’s already passed them...

Outcomes at the outset

Graphic designers are clearly stimulated by the creative process and frequently provide ‘effective design solutions’, but how often do they make a concerted effort to monitor the outcomes of their work, or provide any meaningful evidence of return on investment? Business owners and marketers on the other hand, that engage the services of graphic designers, may also be stimulated by the creative process, yet they are absolutely focused on the outcome of their investment in design. So, whilst both sides work together with the common objective of a ‘positive outcome’, it could be said they have a somewhat different focus....

The power of Proactive Working for designers

Design agencies are missing out on a simple and creatively rewarding way of attracting new clients. It’s nothing new, but it’s rarely used. I call it, ‘proactive working’. It’s all about seeing an opportunity for good design, arguing the case for change, then pro-actively approaching clients with proposals. Almost every agency invests time and resources pitching for new business. Based on research I commissioned, the typical design consultancy will take part in between 10 and 20 pitches a year. There are obvious benefits to pitching: the agency knows there is an opportunity. Be it a new project or a new...

Help clients understand what makes you special

The question of whether an agency should position itself as a ‘specialist’ or as a ‘generalist’ remains something of a conundrum. There is a dilemma for growing agencies – it is a mistake to be too broad/undefined in approach (no USP – just a design firm like others) but it can also be a mistake to be too specialised (cannot afford to rule out potential business). An agency that specialises can be perceived as having real expertise and knowledge in its field, yet maybe a narrow offering. An agency that offers a broad range of integrated skills and disciplines can...

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