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Free Pitching: 05 Industry Points of View
How do other businesses take a stance? Why doesn’t free pitching pay? What are the alternatives?
Access industry points of views.
Why free pitching does not pay: The financial argument
DBA members: taking a stance
Is free pitching the solution to the economic crisis? In this article, DBA member Michon explains why the free pitch is not the win-win situation it seems for clients, and the stance their business takes. Access the article >
Client engagement policy: DBA member, Good Brand Consultants don’t free pitch and they make it clear from the start: “We’re upfront about how we work, because mutual fit matters.” Browse Good’s Client engagement policy >
Whether you win or lose, pitching is problematic: helpful, hard-earned advice on pitching best practice for agencies and clients, from DBA member, Spencer Buck, Founder and CCO of Taxi Studio. Access the article >
How to create an agency that doesn’t get asked to free pitch: why is it that some design businesses get dragged into speculative pitches more than others? Or rather, how do some escape the free pitching trap? The DBA’s Membership Director, Adam Fennelow takes a look >
Free pitching: a wider view
Valuing value: “We repeatedly give away high-value thinking for free, throw everything plus the kitchen sink at the opportunity, and deliberately and consciously burn out our already over-stretched people.” Martin Weigel argues for charging based on value, not on time spent in this article >
The problem with RFPs: DBA member, Quinine’s Ian Johnston looks at alternative approaches for procuring creative services in this article >
Win Without Pitching: perspectives and resources
If you’re trying to extricate your agency from a new business rut, a good place to start would be to get all the key players together and agree on some basic new business rules: Blair Enns on why it pays to have everybody on the same (new business) page >
Access Blair Enns and David C. Baker’s 2bobs podcast, you’ll find an extensive back catalogue of conversations on the art of creative entrepreneurship >
Browse all the articles on the Win Without Pitching website >
Free pitching: conversations from the coalface
In a recent Members’ Forum we had a lively conversation on the topic of free pitching. A Better View’s John Gleason, Design4Retail’s Vanessa Keen, Chris Lumsden from Good Brand Consultants, Taxi Studio’s Spencer Buck and Blair Enns, Founder of Win Without Pitching joined our Chief Executive Deborah Dawton to kick the discussion off. Access a summary of what was discussed >
The DBA has partnered with Design Week to give design leaders practical and professional advice to tackle free pitching.
DBA x Design Week webinar | Monday 9 June, 4-5:15pm BST | Online
Beyond free pitching: building stronger, smarter client relationships
Join us on Monday 9 June at 4pm BST for seventy-five minutes that will look at the root causes of free pitching and what you can do to stop it. From smarter engagement models to clearer internal boundaries, we’ll challenge the status quo, help you protect the value you bring and get paid for the work you do. Chaired by DBA Chief Executive Deborah Dawton and run in collaboration with our friends at Design Week, find out more and book your free place today >