Client service helps generate serious returns — account growth of 30% to 346% year-on-year, EBITDA uplifts of 250%, campaign ROI of 20:1. These are not hypotheticals. They are outcomes documented across the categories in the recent Client Impact Awards, all directly attributable to the quality of strategic relationship management.

The role has been shifting for years: from bridge or buffer role focused on stability, to growth architect focused on commercial value.

Yet the role has been systematically undervalued, under-defined, and — most damagingly — badly measured. That has to change.

Agencies commonly use utilisation as the primary metric for performance. In a classic time-based model, it’s a reasonable rule of thumb. For studio resource management, it’s essential — without it, designers end up triple-booked and burnt out.

But utilisation is a blunt instrument for relationship management. When we treat client service time as a commodity to be “filled,” we incentivise activity over impact. A client service person measured on 50% utilisation looks expendable on a spreadsheet. A Client Partner measured on account growth and relationship advocacy becomes retention-critical.

Changing the measurement model for client relationships is the first step to building a partnership strategy aligned to both agency and client commercial priorities.

The second step is redefining the role itself.

Now is the moment to retire the term “Client Service” officially. These professionals are not in service. They are strategic allies. And that distinction matters enormously — because a strategic ally has a fundamentally different focus, different behaviours, and different conversations with clients.

The primary job of any client-facing team is to nurture trust. Trust is the foundation of every sustainable commercial outcome. Trust creates access. Access enables influence. Influence drives growth.

Everyone contributes — strategists, writers, designers, producers, project managers. But the person who holds the lead on this is the ‘Client Partner’. And that title is neither cosmetic nor interchangeable with account handling.

There are specific skills and behaviours that distinguish a Client Partner from its service-based foundations and other client-facing roles. Client Partners are relationship strategists; skills such as business and commercial take on a new meaning. Their internal team role is to have a centralising, multiplier effect.

The era of the Client Partner has begun.

This shift is being driven by clients. Marketing teams are smaller, more generalist, and faster-moving than they were a decade ago. Senior marketers rotate through organisations more frequently. The institutional memory that once made long-term agency relationships easier to sustain is eroding.

As a result, successful client partners must now function as outsourced brand custodians — people with deep, visceral knowledge of the client’s world, their strategic priorities, their internal politics, their commercial pressures. That knowledge takes time to accumulate, and a strategy for how to deploy it across the whole agency team — so the client gets a consistent, authoritative experience whoever they speak to.

The measurement gap clients don’t know they have.

Here is the critical paradox: clients know they want partnership. Almost none of them measure whether they’re getting it.

There is no KPI for relationship quality in most marketing plans. No budget line for relationship investment. No annual review of whether the agency partnership is delivering at its full potential — separate from whether campaigns are hitting targets.

This absence reinforces the myth that relationship management is soft and fluffy. But the data says otherwise. When the Six Client Needs are met, the agency experiences measurable commercial value in 75% of cases. The Client Impact Awards confirmed this again and again: the outcomes were experienced differently by client and agency, but the value was matched on both sides.

I’m running a two-part DBA Masterclass on 25 and 30 June for those in client-facing roles. We’ll be examining the “value gap” – the persistent, commercially significant space between what clients say they want from their agency and what they typically receive and I’ll introduce a practical framework for relationship measurement you can take directly to your clients — turning “good chemistry” into a defined, trackable commercial focus. (Here’s how to join us)

It’s time to recognise client partnership today — the role of Client Partner as relationship strategist for growth has begun.

The economic outlook:

• At the start of 2026, the European economy was looking positive; inflation was near targets, consumer and business confidence were improving, and growth was expected to return to near pre-pandemic levels. 
• However, the war in Iran is already impacting the region’s outlook. Consumer confidence has weakened, real purchasing power is coming under pressure, private investment remains subdued, alongside the increase in energy prices.
• Even with a permanent ceasefire, we won’t feel the impact of a reduction in oil prices immediately, and the Straight of Hormuz may take years to return to its pre-war operating capacity.
• While this energy shock is less severe than the one triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it is still influencing C-suite decision-making. Many businesses are pausing on investments, passing increased costs on to consumers, exploring expansion into new markets, and investing in AI to improve productivity and strengthen supply chains.

How design businesses are reacting:

• With ongoing reorganisations in client businesses, keeping in regular contact with clients has never been more important. Stay vigilant to the issues they’re facing and have more than one point of contact.
• Great work alongside strong relationships is the safest place to be; focus on the quality of output, be proactive, and make your clients look good.
• Getting the balance right between clients with long term projects, but also building agility for last minute opportunities.
• One member discussed seizing opportunities around AI and using a core framework in different ways with different clients depending on their risk appetite and experience.
• Control your costs and consider what you can do to reduce spend – are fixed term contracts an option? Or a core set of freelancers? 
• Remember the importance of benchmarking your salaries and fees against businesses that look like yours – there’s still time this week to submit your data into the DBA In Focus report survey. Email adam.fennelow@dba.org.uk for more info.
• Make new business decisions quickly and strategically – prioritise opportunities where have you the greatest chance of winning, disengage from unlikely prospects early to reduce team burnout.
• Some markets, particularly China and South Korea, continue to show strong growth – if you have a way in, now could be a time to consider expansion. 
• Evaluate your marketing approach – double down on your expertise and focus resources where they generate the greatest impact. If you need support, we have a great 3-part online course coming up that can help. 

Check out our upcoming events and training and if you’re looking for a good book, we’ve got a great list of recommended reads.

The next DBA Member Forum is on Monday 6 July, 1.30-2.30 BST. 

The EU AI Act (“Act”) is a legal framework under EU law aimed at the development, placement and/or use of AI within the EU marketplace.

In this guide you can find details on:

• Which UK businesses are affected
• What The EU AI Act is
• The transparency rules
• What steps your business should be taking
• Timeframes 

Which UK businesses are subject to the Act?

UK businesses that provide or distribute AI systems on the EU market (known as “providers” and “distributors” respectively) or that place AI systems on the UK market where the output of those systems is used in the EU (known as “deployers”) are caught under the Act. Many UK businesses could fall within the category of being a “deployer”. For example, a design agency that uses AI to produce a brand marketing strategy or marketing materials which ultimately may be distributed to individuals in the EU.

What is the EU AI Act?

It is a set of binding rules for AI systems within the EU, having regard to a defined risk-based approach. Certain unacceptable AI practices are prohibited under the Act, whereas specific requirements are laid down for high-risk AI systems and obligations are imposed. In addition, transparency obligations apply for certain AI systems.

There is a general requirement of “AI literacy” in that providers or deployers of AI systems must take measures to ensure a sufficient level of AI literacy of their staff and other persons dealing with the operation and use of AI systems on their behalf.

Prohibited AI practices include matters such as the placing or use of an AI system that deploys subliminal techniques beyond a person’s consciousness or purposefully manipulative or deceptive techniques that cause people harm or exploit people’s vulnerabilities in ways reasonably likely to cause significant harm.

Article 50 of the Act places transparency obligations on providers and deployers of certain AI systems, for instance:

• providers of AI systems intended to interact directly with people must ensure they are designed and developed so that the persons concerned are informed that they are interacting with an AI system (unless obvious from the point of view of a reasonably well-informed person);
• providers of AI systems generating synthetic audio, image, video or text content, must ensure the outputs of the AI system are marked in a machine-readable format and detectable as artificially generated or manipulated;
• deployers of an emotion recognition system or a biometric categorisation system must inform the people exposed to it of the operation of the system;
• deployers of an AI system that generates or manipulates image, audio or video content constituting a deep fake, must disclose that the content has been artificially generated or manipulated.

What steps should your business be taking?

UK businesses should consider whether any of their activities fall within the Act. In essence, if any of their products or deliverables end up in the EU where they have involved or involve AI systems, then they are likely to be caught under the Act.

UK businesses should carry out an internal audit to understand how and where AI is used in their business and whether as a “provider”, “distributor” or a “deployer” in respect of the EU market. As part of this, we recommend a review of “supply-side” and “client-facing” contract terms is carried out. This should reveal what AI any suppliers are using and whether any protections need to be put in place. Likewise, consideration should be given as to whether any restrictions or parameters need to be inserted in client contracts concerning use of the products and deliverables.

If the UK business does fall under the scope of the Act then they should consider if the AI literacy requirement is being met, whether any of the transparency obligations apply, whether any of the AI systems sit within the higher risk categories under the Act, and what steps, therefore, need to be taken to ensure compliance.

Breach of the rules on the prohibited AI practices, and breach of the obligations regarding high-risk and limited risk AI systems, could mean a significant fine. More info can be found at the European Commission’s AI Act Service Desk. 

When does the AI Act come into force?

The Act came into force on 1 August 2024, with phased implementation now through to 2027/8 under the EU’s proposed “Digital Omnibus on AI Regulation”.

The provisions concerning AI literacy and prohibited AI practices came into force on 2 February 2025.

The provisions concerning general purpose AI (“GPAI”) models, governance and penalties (without the fines for providers of GPAIs) came into effect on 2 August 2025.

The transparency obligations for providers and deployers of certain AI systems under the Act are due to come into force on 2 August 2026.

As above, the EU’s proposed “Digital Omnibus on AI Regulation” has pushed back certain of the other implementation deadlines through 2027/8.

There’s a familiar rhythm in design agencies. New business is quiet, so marketing activity spikes. New business picks up, marketing stops. Delivery gets busy, outreach disappears. The pipeline dips, and the panic returns.

If that sounds familiar, you’re absolutely not alone. But the good news? There’s plenty we can do about it.

Published last autumn, the DBA In Focus Report predicted another tough year. The proportion of member agencies feeling positive about their business fell for the third year running, from 80% in 2022, to 72% in 2023, to 66% in 2024, to 60% in 2025. Confidence is the lowest it’s been since the pandemic. And for the second year in a row, “new business pipeline” was ranked the single biggest risk to agencies across the short, medium and long term.

So no, this isn’t a great year to leave your marketing on the “too difficult” pile, but what’s worth noting, is that the agencies who get this right aren’t doing more. They’re just doing things they can keep doing. That’s a much more achievable bar than it sometimes feels.

I’ll never stop making the point that agency marketing isn’t something you switch on when revenue dips. It’s never too early to begin, and it’s not something that should stop. It needs to be the engine that runs quietly in the background, year-round, identifying new relationships, building awareness, starting conversations, demonstrating your value. It’s how you make sure that when a prospect reaches their point of need, which might be next month, next year, or three years from now, your agency is already on their list.

There’s a related point worth highlighting. The DBA data shows the average agency now generates around three-quarters of its income from existing clients. That’s a wonderful testament to the work you do. It’s also a quiet vulnerability. A reliable base built from a small number of relationships is a lovely thing right up until one of those relationships ends. Gentle, consistent marketing activity is how you stay ahead of that risk, by making sure new relationships are always being built somewhere in the background.

And here’s where it gets genuinely exciting. What “sustainable marketing” looks like has shifted in the last few years, and the shift is good news for agencies. The traditional model of the lone agency principal posting opinion pieces into the LinkedIn void is getting harder to cut through. It’s also exhausting, and most of the people I work with quietly admit they hate doing it.

What’s working better, for a lot of agencies, is more collaborative.

Co-created content. Rather than positioning yourself as the lone expert, convene the conversation. Interview the people your prospects respect. Host the discussion your sector isn’t having. Authority by association is a very different thing, and often a more effective one, than authority by assertion.

Partner marketing. Teaming up with adjacent specialists, perhaps a strategy consultancy, a developer, a PR partner, a researcher, to create something useful together. A panel, a piece of research, a guide, a roundtable. You share the audience, share the load, and you both look more credible by association.

And lastly…

Newsletters. “But no-one reads them!” I hear you cry! And yet, as reported in Up To The Light’s ‘What Clients Think’ Report published earlier this year, 70% of clients expect their agency to produce some sort of regular newsletter or update. 

None of this requires you to be the loudest voice in the room. It just requires you to be a useful presence in the rooms that matter to your prospects.

A few things to bear in mind as you think about your own approach.

Be honest about what you’ll actually keep doing. A monthly article you’ll abandon after four months is worth less than a quarterly piece of co-created content you’ll still be producing in two years. Smaller and sustainable beats bigger and burned out, every time.

Measure the right things. Network growth, conversations started, relationships warmed. These are the early indicators that matter. Don’t be too quick to write off an activity just because it didn’t produce a brief in the first month. That’s not what it’s for.

Most of all, try to enjoy it. Looking after the business, and that includes your marketing, isn’t a distraction from the creative work. It’s what protects it, and creates the conditions for it to thrive.

If you’d like some help thinking this through for your own agency, I’m running the DBA’s Marketing your Design Business course online across three 90-minute sessions on 16, 18 and 23 June. We’ll get into the smart, sustainable ways design agencies are building authority and starting the right conversations right now. I’d love to see you there.

Many creative firms operate with the same intent – “to have great people doing great work for great clients”. This is very commendable but I always think that the phrase needs a couple of words added at the end – “delivered profitably”.

Profit can often be an afterthought but ultimately it is the fuel for your business. Being profitable should translate into more cash in the bank and gives you the freedom to make longer term decisions about how you want to run your business, rather than lurching from problem to problem and having to make knee-jerk reactions.

So how should you go about setting your design business up to be profitable? And what key metrics should you be looking at? I was asked to pick my favourite and settled on the staff cost to fee income ratio. 

So what does that actually mean?

People costs are normally the largest cost within an agency or studio. Getting the alignment correct between your fee income and your people costs is the single biggest driver of achieving profit within your business. If you can get it right, it solves a lot of other issues in your business. Get it wrong and it doesn’t matter how hard you work, you’ll never make any money. So what is it and how do you calculate it?

It’s important to define each of the financial terms so that you can apply it consistently within your own business. Different people have different ways of calculating some of these figures – the important thing is to pick a method that you are comfortable with and then stick with it.

The first thing is to establish the difference between gross billings and fee income.

• Gross billings – everything that you invoice to clients. This will include any pass through costs and media buys and will be the total revenue that your agency invoices to clients.
• Fee income – this is what is left for your agency after you have deducted any pass through costs. It can be a grey area as to what you include in the pass through costs but I would advise you limit it to third party costs i.e. anything that your agency doesn’t do as part of its ordinary internal activities, so things such as media buys, location costs etc would be stripped out. However it shouldn’t exclude freelance costs where the freelancer is providing a service similar to your own internal staff.

The reason for using your fee income rather than gross billings is that this is the actual revenue that belongs to your agency and sits against your controllable costs. To use an extreme example, if you have invoiced a client for £500k but that includes £400k media buy, then your fee income is only £100k. Likewise if you have a £100k design project for a client being delivered entirely by your internal team, then this also has fee income of £100k.

Now that the fee income has been established, it should be compared to your total people costs, which I define as your internal staff costs plus freelancers plus a market rate salary for the founder (if they use a combination of salaries and dividends to pay themselves).

The historic agency model suggested a ratio of 60:20:20 i.e. for every £100 of fee income, £60 should go on people, £20 on overheads (your remaining costs) and that leaves £20 of profit. Or in other words a staff cost to fee income ratio of 60%.

If your staff cost to fee income ratio is significantly below that, it indicates either that you’re potentially running your team into the ground and at risk of burnout or that you have hit the sweet spot of being able to charge higher prices to your clients.

If your ratio runs significantly higher than that, you’ll likely find that everyone is busy but you’re not actually making any money. You’ll need to dig further into your finances to understand what is causing it – it might be pricing (a ratecard issue), it might be overservicing (a scoping/delivery issue), it might be that your recovery rates are too low (a scoping issue). The important thing is not to ignore it.

One of the main ways I’m seeing agencies manage their people costs more effectively has been to operate a leaner model with a smaller core internal team, supplemented by a roster of experienced freelancers. The bulk of agency revenue is project based and adopting this approach allows you to scale the team up and down as needed, without having to carry the additional cost in months where revenue is lower.

If you can keep your staff cost to fee income ratio consistently in the 60%-65% range then the profits should follow.

Other expert perspectives:

In Focus: Where agency margins are won – or lost in delivery: DBA Expert Manish Kapur

In Focus: The people story behind the numbers: DBA Expert Aliya Vigor-Robertson

New Designers has been showcasing the work of emerging design talent for over 40 years. Founded in 1985, the event has become the UK’s leading exhibition for up-and-coming designers, providing a platform for thousands of graduates to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals.

Explore the work of over 2,500 talented designers, with all design disciplines presented side by side, from furniture to product design, illustration and more, to better represent the interdisciplinary nature of design today.

As the largest showcase of graduate designers in the country, ND offers an unrivalled opportunity for businesses to add such a high calibre of fresh designers to their talent pool. Find the next great addition to your team and streamline your recruiting process.

New Designers returns this July in a new, focused four‑day format.

From 1–4 July, final‑year designers from across the UK will present work publicly for the first time – all disciplines, four-days, one show.

For industry professionals, it’s a practical way to:

• See new work across multiple design disciplines
• Meet designers face‑to‑face at an early career stage
• Get a clear sense of emerging approaches and thinking

If you work in design, New Designers is a useful place to spend time.

Use code DBAND26 for 20% off a Day Pass (excludes late nights).

Book your ticket or if you are a DBA member you can secure a Free Trade Pass here.

Day Passes give you access to your chosen day of New Designers. Day Pass holders may also attend Talks and Workshops taking place during event hours (opening hours vary) at no additional cost.

You can also purchase a ticket for the New Designers Awards Ceremony and be the first to discover outstanding designs selected by the industry for their innovation plus return to the show on all public opening days to experience all the Show has to offer.

• We know from last month’s ‘What Clients Think’ Report launch that 83% of clients want more tailored, relevant engagement. That could mean demonstrating a deeper understanding of their market, their challenges, and how competitor activity might shape their decisions. If you’re not already using generative AI to support client development, it’s worth exploring. Lucy Mann has some simple, practical prompts to get started. Get in touch with her directly. 
• One of the biggest barriers to AI adoption is security. In many organisations, AI sits under the CTO, which might limit the use of tools like Slack. One member is shifting their approach and building solutions within a security approved Microsoft environment. While it might be less flexible, it’s more viable for large clients and has opened up opportunities. 
• Enterprise AI setups like private, in-house GPTs allow teams to work securely with the added benefit that data isn’t used to train external models. 
• Within these environments, AI can become a powerful productivity tool that supports better briefing, generating brand worlds, and accelerating early-stage exploration. 
• There are 2 different ways to approach AI – retrofit thinking, where you use AI to do the same work faster or cheaper – or AI native thinking – where you are creating new ways of working that weren’t possible before. 
• There can be real advantage in the AI native area – it has the potential to reshape team structures, workflows and even your leadership.
• If everyone uses the same AI tools, outputs become generic – but if you add your ‘context layer’ – your company knowledge, values, experience and decision making style – you can really gain competitive advantage.
• Don’t stop thinking – AI can help you think, but don’t let it think for you. There’s a difference between using it to extend your capabilities and becoming overly reliant on it.
• Ask yourself, what’s your AI strategy? Because ultimately even if AI turns out to be less transformative than expected, using it will still improve your business. But if it is transformative and you fail to engage, you risk falling behind.

Check out our upcoming events – we’d love to see you at our Summer Party with the team at Podge. And if you’re looking for a good book, we’ve got a great list of recommended reads.

The next DBA Member Forum is on Monday 1 June, 1.30-2.30 BST. 

In today’s market, creative and design-led businesses face an increasingly complex challenge: how to stand out, stay relevant, and grow in an environment where attention is scarce and competition is relentless.

Winning new clients isn’t just about having the best ideas, the most innovative designs, or the strongest portfolio. It’s about visibility, credibility, and influence which requires a truly integrated PR and Digital strategy.

Yet, too many businesses still treat PR as a single-channel effort, focusing solely on design trade coverage, relying on sporadic press outreach, or posting intermittently on social media. In 2026, this fragmented approach no longer works.

The brands and agencies thriving today are those orchestrating their communications holistically — using the PESO Model® to connect every touchpoint into a single, cohesive engine for growth.

The PESO Model®: A Growth Framework

The PESO Model® (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned), created by Gini Dietrich is an operating system for building influence, driving business outcomes, and positioning your brand where it matters most.

PESO Model® Diagram:

Paid Media: Precision-led amplification

Targeted campaigns that put your business in front of decision-makers, using tools like paid social, sponsored thought leadership, and strategic partnerships.

Earned Media: Authority through validation

High-value coverage in business, sector-specific, vertical trade, and design publications that positions you as an expert and a leader.

Shared Media: Influence at scale

Social platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube where clients, collaborators, and talent actively engage with your brand and share your story.

Owned Media: Your narrative, your platform

Thought-leadership content, case studies, insights, and SEO & AEO-optimised assets on your website and channels that convert awareness into trust — and trust into leads.

The power of the PESO Model® comes from integration. When each channel works together, every message is amplified, every interaction is reinforced, and every potential client experiences a consistent, credible brand story.

Why Integrated PR and Digital Matter More Than Ever

For creative and design businesses, reputation is everything, but reputation alone doesn’t win pitches. You need visibility with the right audiences, influence in the right spaces, and authority in the conversations that shape your sector.

An integrated PR and communications strategy delivers exactly that:

●      It builds credibility in business and trade press alike, where clients and investors are looking for proof points.

●      It drives discovery by optimising content for search and amplifying reach through targeted campaigns.

●      It strengthens influence by leveraging social platforms where decision-makers engage and talent pipelines are built.

●      It compounds impact — every article, post, and campaign reinforces the next, accelerating growth.

In short, integration transforms PR and Digital channels from a cost centre into a growth engine.

The Cost of Staying Siloed

Too many creative businesses still silo their communications, prioritising design trade coverage, neglecting digital channels, or treating PR as a reactive function.

The risks are significant:

●      Missed opportunities with decision-makers outside your immediate network.

●      Limited visibility in the broader business, investor, and talent ecosystem.

●      Weaker brand positioning compared to competitors using integrated strategies.

In today’s market, the brands winning the biggest briefs aren’t just doing great work, they’re seen, heard, and trusted across every platform that matters.

The Digital Landscape and Impact

In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, growth rarely comes from a single channel. Prospective clients move between search, social, recommendations, industry voices, paid activity and owned content, making it harder than ever to know where your effort and investment should sit.

Every piece of content you post and every piece others post about you is shaping how you show up across AI tools and defining your brand’s narrative. Knowing where you need to show up has never mattered more.

Auditing your channels is one of the most effective ways to understand what’s performing, what isn’t, and where the strongest opportunities sit, helping you direct resources where they will earn the greatest return.

To ensure your channels and content stay relevant, it’s critical to measure and track your digital impact. Implementing a test-and-learn approach allows you to constantly refine and improve your “digital estate”.

Lead the Conversation, Don’t Chase It

In a creative economy where design drives growth but visibility drives opportunity, integrated PR and Digital are no longer optional. The PESO Model® isn’t about doing more for the sake of it, it’s about doing the right things, in the right places, at the right time.

For creative businesses looking to win bigger clients, attract top talent, and secure their market position, the message is clear: connect your communications ecosystem or risk being overlooked.