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  • Home
  • what we do
    • we mentor
    • we research
    • we write
    • we advocate
    • we run workshops
      • How to find higher-fee design work
      • How to manage and lead a creative business
      • How to explain the measurable impact of design
  • Design Business Review
  • Who we are
  • How we can help
    • Costing pricing profit toolkit
    • …build financial knowledge
      • Financial mentoring for designers
      • ebook: Finance in a design studio ebook
      • ebook: Bookkeeping for designers
      • ebook: What’s a fair wage?
      • digital copy: the business of design publication
    • … grow your business
      • Business development mentoring
      • ebook: LinkedIn for designers
      • What’s a fair wage ebook
      • digital copy: the business of design publication
    • … build management and leadership skills
      • How to build a great creative business: good for people and profits
      • What’s the risk? ebook
      • What’s a fair wage ebook
      • digital copy: the business of design publication
    • Free resources
  • Connect
Design Business Council > designers
Client relationships = new business development
21
May

In 2014 when I bought the newly published Value Proposition Design by Alexander Osterwalder, I quickly adapted the ideas and developed the Design Value Proposition. It looks at design from a clients’ perspective – what value we can add to their world.

Posted in: Business of design , creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy ,
Tags: Agile design business , Business of design , capability building , Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
Forget about new business development
13
May

Last week I met with one of my regular clients – a studio where I perform the role of Chairman.
In this case, I’m there to help the studio develop new directions – specifically – help them get a swap of new business through the door.

Posted in: Business of design , creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy ,
Tags: Agile design business , Business of design , capability building , Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
How to think like a client
07
May

In May 2019, Design Business Council facilitated an UNseminar titled ‘What client’s think’.
We invited three clients to share their views about designers: what they liked, and what they didn’t.
This is a summary of the night written by Serpil Senelmis.

Posted in: Business of design , creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy , Design value chain ,
Tags: Agile design business , Business of design , capability building , Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
Getting more work from existing clients
30
Apr

We all know the best way to new business is to get more work from existing clients but it can be hard trying to find new avenues to sell our skill.
This is a new service most designers can confidently add to their pitch.

Posted in: Business of design , creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design value chain ,
Tags: Agile design business , Business of design , capability building , Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good
23
Apr

Innovation whooshes past designers steadfastly committed to producing innovation solutions that keep their clients products and services up-to-date. But while we keep them relevant, who keeps us relevant?

Posted in: Business of design , creative business coach , Design value chain ,
Tags: Agile design business , Business of design , capability building , Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
A new way to find new business
09
Apr

In a crowded marketplace, designers need to explore different ways to find new business. Our design value chain, evolved from Michael Porter’s value chain, works brilliantly to identify where an organisation uses design, how effective it is, and the benefits of using more design.

Posted in: Business of design , creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy , Design index , design value , Design value chain ,
Tags: Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
What do you do?
02
Apr

Of all the line items in an estimate of costs, clients seem to question design management the most. They seem to think that paying for design management is like paying for bottled water…

Posted in: Business of design , creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy , Design index , design value ,
Tags: Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
What clients think
What clients think.
19
Mar

This research report titled ‘What client’s think’ is based on 500 individual client interviews conducted on behalf of (and paid for by) UK design agencies. We think the results are relevant to the Australian design community and worth sharing.

Posted in: creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy , Design index , Design pricing , design value ,
Tags: Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
We are the sum of our experiences
13
Mar

We’ve been working with designers to discover their ‘onlyness’ and that reminded me of the research I did in a previous life. It’s still relevant so I thought I would share…

Posted in: creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy , Design index , design value ,
Tags: Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
Design is like baseball. Designers are pitchers and clients are catchers.
19
Feb

Great pitchers don’t just chuck the ball in the general direction of the plate. They lean back and pitch it with all their might at a well-researched target with a well-researched strategy. They have a clear goal in sight.

Posted in: creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy , Design index , design value ,
Tags: Design management , designers , designers pitching , new business , new business development , pitching , pitching to clients ,
Am I a designer who writes? Or a writer who designs?
29
Jan

Am I a designer who writes or a writer who designs? And does it matter? Both words and images are integral to clear communication.

Posted in: creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy , mentoring for freelancers ,
Tags: Design management , designers ,
When it all gets boring
11
Dec

In a truly collaborative studio, all opinions are treated equally and with respect. Problem is, that relies on everyone sharing their opinion and that doesn’t always happen.

Posted in: creative business coach , Design business coaching , Design business strategy , Design index , Human centred design , mentoring for freelancers ,
Tags: Design management , Design professional development , Design strategies , designers , Studio management ,
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