Leveraging reputation internationally

The UK has a fantastic reputation for design effectiveness, excellence and innovation. Reputation can be hugely significant in some countries and commissioning a company with a good reputation helps reduce the buyer’s risk.

When marketing your work overseas, make use of your own case studies demonstrating the commercial impact and value of your design work. Even better, if you have a DBA Design Effectiveness Award win under your belt then take full advantage of promoting this.

Award wins can be a natural door opener, so it’s a good idea to research and enter ones in the market you’re looking to export to.

Then promote those wins extensively within that market. Local media are often very open and responsive to covering news from outside of their own market so don’t be shy of making the approach. And make sure you’re always prepared with a raft of press material.

The following key design messages were developed for you to use in your marketing materials to help your business benefit from the reputation and achievements of the UK design industry as a whole.

• UK design is passionately creative and eclectic, placing a high value on independent self-expression and critical judgment
• The UK’s design sector is highly professional and results-focused, with a strong track record in delivering design-based services to commercial partners
• The UK design sector is supported by a world-class design education system
• UK designers are good at working in multidisciplinary teams and participating in creative-technical/scientific collaboration
• The UK is a design aware society that believes in the power of good contemporary design to enhance quality of life and economic-performance

There is a wealth of supporting evidence, facts and statistics to back up these marketing messages – make sure you familiarise yourself with them and use them to full advantage when marketing your business overseas. Go to Creative Industries site.