Appointing an agency could be seen as a choice for the client. But agencies can have just as much say in the matter as their clients-to-be. But choice doesn’t appear by magic. It has to be worked on and created into being. Chris Lumsden, Partner at brand consultancy, Good talked me through how they do
Next Step Coaching Programme Case Study When a client had to let some people go, they asked me if I could design a short coaching programme to support them to move forward. Background 2020 is proving to be more challenging than any I’ve known in my 26-year career. I’m feeling this. And I’m hearing this
Creative businesses are built on the crackle of in-person exchanges. The spark as one idea collides with another. The flow of conversation that leads to the discovery of the new. What has the move to remote working and reliance on video meant for communication? What challenges are creative business leaders encountering and what are they
Starting up your agency is an easy topic of conversation. At the beginning, everything is ahead, optimism and energy have no limits. The world is your oyster. You get started and keep going. When do you think about the ending? How you will leave the business you are building? When was the last time you
Being appointed Creative Director can be a goal that many senior designers set for themselves. What changes await the Senior Designer with this ambition? What helps them manage the transition? And what can they do in the run up to give themselves the best opportunity to be successful? I spoke with three Creative Directors who
What comes to mind when you think about the personal impact required to step up to a leadership role? How do you acquire it? When do you start? Is it a case of waiting, doing a great job and expecting that to sell you? Or are you developing your personal impact now to be ready
Great ideas sell themselves, so the saying goes. You simply enter the pitch with your idea, gently nudge it in the back and it will start talking. But what happens when it refuses to speak? Agencies that rely on this tactic when presenting their work run a real risk that some of their best ideas
As a design business owner, do you want to develop yourself and your people? What gets in the way that, if you were to change it, would open up amazing opportunities for you, your people and your studio? I was recently shown an interesting piece of research undertaken by an Australian designer Carol Mackay, Co-Founder
Your client relationships are a key way to build your business. How do you start them? And then, once started how do you maintain them? Here are ten steps to design a client relationship building initiative. Envisage the types of relationship you want to have: Picture your most successful, enjoyable client relationship. What makes
How do you persuade a client to reject you as their agency? Is it difficult and how good are you at it? I spoke with a number of clients about what they look for and what turns them off. If you’ve ever wondered how to lose a pitch, the answers could be below. Mystification: Agencies