Business advice
DBA members enjoy
access to a host of independent consultants with extensive
knowledge of the design industry. We can connect you to management
advisers and auditors, insurance advisers and lawyers, as
well as book-keepers and copyright specialists.
DBA membership provides:
- A business management helpline
Unlimited free access to leading business management experts
with direct understanding of the design industry and experience
in issues from business planning and financial management
to health and safety, tax and employment.
- A legal advice service
Access to solicitors highly experienced in design law able
to offer expert advice on any issue. This service provides
free advice on a range of subjects.
- A professional indemnity insurance scheme
DBA members can take advantage of a specialist scheme developed
purely for the design industry. The scheme offers comprehensive
cover at competitive rates.
- Training by experts
The DBA runs a range of tailored Training
courses aimed at everyone working in a design consultancy,
covering topics such as presentation skills, design law
and project management.
- Benchmarking
The DBA provides a benchmarking service that offers you
a bigger picture of your position in the industry and helps
to identify areas where you may need to increase efficiency.
DBA membership provides:
- Annual Salary and Charge Out Rates Survey
This survey, conducted by a leading chartered accountancy
firm, allows you to compare your salaries and fees with
the industry average. It also enables you to competitively
price your services.
- Quarterly Performance Ratios Reports
These reports offer a fast, accurate and confidential analysis
of participating consultancies' financial performance according
to a range of key financial ratios.
- Best practice case studies from DBA Design
Effectiveness Awards
Advice, ideas and case studies on how to measure the difference
your work makes to your client's product or service.
Industry credentials
Your clients are increasingly looking for hard evidence that
demonstrates your professional standing. As a DBA member, the
professional credentials you hold could provide a crucial point
of difference on the pitch list or during client presentations.
DBA membership provides:
- A Code of Conduct
This sets out a series of business behaviour guidelines
for members and is a significant mark of your professional
standing.
- Professional credentials on procurement pitch
lists
As a DBA member your consultancy gains greater credibility
and your pitch stand out to the many large corporate and
public sector design purchasers that require design consultancies
to belong to a trade association.
- Guidance on free pitching
The DBA can provide you with a recommended course of action
when faced with a request to free pitch.
Partnerships
Linking with design decision-makers in business and government
is fundamental to the DBA's role and creates opportunities
for you and your team to build your contacts.
DBA membership provides:
- Business partners
The DBA has embarked on direct bridge building with business
to enable them to value and use design more effectively.
We run joint events and seminars with organisations such
as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Institute
of Directors (IoD) aimed at both designers and their clients.
At DBA Masterclass events, leading business figures from
different industry sectors talk about the impact of design
on their business. Bring your clients to an inspiring
forum for debate about the value of investing in effective
design and network with other business figures and design
practitioners.
- Government partners
We run courses for, and work alongside, a range of government
agencies including the Department of Trade & Industry and
Business Links to raise awareness of design among the public
sector.
- Overseas partners
The DBA is actively involved with UK Trade & Investment
and with relevant overseas bodies to create opportunities
to showcase your consultancy and export your services.
Read
about the other 2 strands of DBA membership activity:
People
Profile
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