2023: Pushing past tougher times in the creative industry

We’ve already hit the ground running in 2023 and are having some great conversations right now with creative and digital agencies about their new business plans for the next twelve months.

by The Hand 11th January, 2023

There seems to be a real buzz of possibility in the air and some really solid business development strategising going on out there. There is, of course, a level of anxiety about the economy and the impact that will have on new business this year, but there is also a sense of taking control and being proactive.

There are two key strategies that will serve you well, no matter what the economy is doing:

Never ever turn off the tap on new business.
When budgets get tighter, often agencies look for ways to cut costs. And their own marketing and new business support can often be seen as a ‘nice to have’. But it really isn’t.We’ve said before (and we’ll say it again) that new business should be an ‘always on’ approach. Keep that front of mind, always. And if tougher times are ahead, then this is an area you should be ramping up, not winding down. Putting in consistent work and effort now will bring rewards in tougher times.

Show your value to clients. Make sure your clients are constantly seeing the return working with you brings. If you understand their objectives and are central to helping them deliver this, then you’re 100% on the right track. Make sure you’re having conversations about results and that you’re getting regular feedback from them. Delivering value wins every time.

Whether there are tougher times ahead or not, you won’t go far wrong with either strategy. In fact, it’s a good practice approach, whatever the economy is doing so if you haven’t firmed up your business development strategy for this year, then make these two pillars central to your approach.

Other News

Body language matters. Reading and giving off the right signals in new business meetings

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by The Hand 19th July, 2023

When you’re pitching for new business it’s often too easy to put the entire focus on ‘what’ you say, rather than how you come across.

It’s really easy to forget that so much of all communication is non-verbal and that it’s the things that you don’t say that can often convey the most information. The way you present yourself in a new business meeting is so important and so it’s worth thinking about how body language can set the tone of both that meeting but also of a future relationship.

Closing the gap on gender

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by The Hand 8th March, 2021

I was recently chatting to a few colleagues at the Design Business Association (DBA) and the conversation turned to gender equality. As the owner and founder of an all-female business, they asked me to share my thoughts in an article they published yesterday.

COVID-19 has turned everything upside down. It’s revolutionised the way in which we work; possibly forever. And it’s presenting some really exciting ways in which the design sector can address ingrained and outdated practices. In a week where we have both International Women’s Day and a return to school for pupils, what a timely moment to look at ways in which changes to our workplace practices could benefit working parents, and in fact, us all.

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