Members’ Area

From receiving expert help and guidance to benchmarking your business’ performance, the Members’ Area is a gateway to resources, services and support specifically developed for those working in the field of design.

Some sections are exclusively accessible to DBA members, connecting you to the extensive range of benefits your membership provides.

DBA membership extends to everyone working within your business – all members of your team can register for their own password – ensuring the whole team benefits.

Main Content

Resources

Essential guidance, templates, insight and tools to support you on all aspects of the business of design. From contracts to client opinion, legal updates to exporting support, our resources give you instant access to expert advice and tools to help solve a wide range of business challenges.

If you can’t find the information you’re after please email membership@dba.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 3855 4126 and we’ll look to source or signpost you to guidance to match your needs. 

Free to view

What Clients Think 2019/2020

By Adam Fennelow, Head of Services, DBA
The Up to the Light report ‘What Clients Think 2019/2020’, in association with the DBA, was recently launched at a DBA seminar covering many aspects of the client/agency relationship. Every year the report provides a fascinating insight into the thoughts and issues affecting a wide cross section of clients and their relationships with their agencies.

Business skills, New business & client relations

Read more >>
Free to view

Making the most of the 2019 DBA Annual Survey Report

By Design Business Association
The DBA Annual Survey Report is highly valued by members; are you making full use of the information within to benchmark your business? The DBA's Head of Services, Adam Fennelow discusses how to maximise the report to benefit your business.

Financial, HR, Maximise membership

Read more >>
Members only

VIDEO: Launch event for the 2019 DBA Annual Survey Report

The 2019 DBA Annual Survey Report was launched on 10 October. Esther Carder, partner at Moore Kingston Smith presented her views on the findings of the report to an audience of DBA members. The report analyses fees, salaries, utilisation, income, recovery rates, benefits and trends of DBA member agencies.

Business skills, Financial, HR, Maximise membership

Login >>
Members only

Two-way Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

By Design Business Association
Standard NDA's are fine, but creative conversations are rarely one-way. Both sides need to speak freely in the knowledge that their IP is safe. This two-way NDA from Humphries Kirk does just that and is free to DBA members.
Login >>
Members only

Contract termination: Securing the right to walk away

By Humphries Kirk LLP
When negotiating a contract it is easy to become fixated on the terms governing who will do what, by when and for how much. However, equal thought needs to be given to what happens if things go wrong and in particular your rights of termination.

Advice for clients, Financial, Legal, New business & client relations

Login >>
Members only

Best or reasonable endeavours? What a difference a word makes

By Humphries Kirk LLP
Once signed, a contract represents a formal record of the agreement made between you and your client. The obligations under that agreement are often absolute, with any failure to satisfy them being considered a breach of contract which could result in a dispute, and considerable expense.

Advice for clients, Financial, Legal, New business & client relations

Login >>
Free to view

It’s not about design. It’s about the difference design makes.

By Adam Fennelow, Head of Services, DBA
Once you can articulate the difference you want to achieve, you can set the metrics that can measure how successful a project is. Understanding how success will be determined is the first step in proving design effectiveness.

Advice for clients, Business skills, New business & client relations, Strategy development

Read more >>
Members only

Recovery Rates: Are you getting paid for all the work you do?

By Esther Carder, Partner, Kingston Smith
Are you working for free on a Friday? The average creative agency has a recovery rate of about 80% - that means they are not billing for 20% of the time they spend working on client work. What are the reasons for a low recovery rate and how can an agency address them to get the fees they deserve?

Financial

Login >>
Members only

Fees, Utilisation and Recovery Rates: Getting the mix right in your business

By Adam Fennelow, Head of Services, DBA
The way hourly charge out rates, utilisation and recovery rates work together is key to the profitability of your business. The DBA's Adam Fennelow shares advice on how to balance them correctly.

Business skills, Financial

Login >>
Members only

Writing a Health & Safety Policy

It is a legal requirement for companies with five or more employees to have a written Health & Safety Policy. Even if your business has less than 5 employees you may still want to consider writing a policy. A health and safety policy sets out your general approach, objectives and the arrangements you have put in place for managing health and safety in your business. It is a unique document that says who does what, when and how.

Business skills, HR

Login >>