Business ‘elf: unwrap success in 2025

Find new ways to reach people

“2025 needs to be the year design teams – both agency and in-house – start communicating the value of their work to a broader audience. Make it your New Year’s resolution to look beyond the echo chamber of the design industry, and find new ways to reach the people who hold the budgets. As an industry we do so much that is overlooked and undervalued, and the only way that will change is if we get out there and make people notice it!” Claire Blyth, Red Setter

Get closer to client needs 

“Invest in your client relationships because growth is most likely to come from retaining and developing existing clients. Our ‘What Clients Think’ report shows that clients seek real partnerships, but agencies don’t always deliver. Listen, ask questions, be proactive and get closer to client needs.” Jonathan Kirk, Up to the Light

Make it happen

“Make this a proactive year for everyone in your company. Have a plan, share your vision and targets and get everyone on board. Have a framework for checking-in with people so you know that they know what it means to them individually. Make it happen.” Joanna Anthony, The Client Service Person

Take a moment

“Breathe. Take a moment to pause and reflect. It’s been a funny old year. Celebrate your successes, take time off, spend time with friends and family. But above all, just breathe.” Catherine Allison, Master the Art 

Tell the world about your achievements

“2024’s uncertainty has led agencies to focus on cutting costs and working on margin improvements. This discipline has been prudent. As we enter 2025 use the opportunity to lift your head up, proudly tell the world about your achievements and secure new revenue from old and new clients alike.” Jeremy Paterson, IF Media Consultancy 

Make marginal gains 

“Focus on key areas that impact the team and how you can make them 10% better. How you give feedback? Do people understand where the business is going and how their role fits with this? How you show appreciation? Ensuring individuals are developing professionally / learning new skills. A simple but impactful approach.” Niki Hurst-Smith, Hurst-Smith Consulting

Expertly excel 

“In a tough market it is even more important to ensure your product reflects what you excel at. Clients react positively when they feel that they’re dealing with genuine experts.” Chris Lang, Flash Partners

Tap into potential 

“If you haven’t already, lead a conversation on diversity and inclusivity as good practice and a source of untapped potential – not just in terms of who is getting hired in the design team, but the clients and end users you are designing with/for.” Lynne Elvins, Design Rally

Slow the motion

“Is it only me who gets frustrated by agency creds videos? I challenge even the most sharp-eyed TikTokers to spot anything meaningful amongst the millisecond flashes of stills knitted together in a few seconds of video. So for 2025 how about some slow-mo creds videos?” Adrian Day, Consultant and Non-Exec Director

Work together

“From AI-driven tools and video dominance to fostering collaboration and community, 2025 will be about working together to find creative solutions to common challenges. One of the most important considerations is how clients can be provided with engaging, cost-effective content without compromising quality and authenticity.” Katherine Sandford-Anderson, Sandford PR

Facilitate progress

“Make time to identify and retain your talent. Create both space and time to learn and show them clear paths for progression. By investing in your talent more talent will want to come and work with you and for you.” Aliya Vigor-Robertson, JourneyHR

Look forwards

“New Year is the time for forward-thinking. Make your New Year’s resolution to adopt a succession plan to future-proof your business. Consider who might take over key leadership positions in future, and how they are incentivised.” Caroline Carretta, HK Law

Unlock 2025

“Unlock your vision to lead with confidence. Unlock your proposition to win the day. Unlock your value to drive client growth. Unlock your culture to inspire greatness. Unlock your leadership to empower others. Unlock your creativity to innovate and thrive. Unlock your agency in 2025.”  Ralph Ardill, Ralph Ardill Ltd

DBA Experts are accredited expert consultants who have sustained and relevant experience in supporting the design industry >

And a couple of final thoughts from Wright Vigar’s Jack O’Hern…”When there is no wind, row” but remember, “Life is more about less and less about more.”

Wishing Jack all the best as he moves on to new ventures, taking on a voluntary role as a Search Technician at Lincolnshire Lowland Search and Rescue. You can support and find out more about the valuable work the volunteers do here, which makes a huge difference to vulnerable missing people in their time of need and to their friends and family.