Author Archives: David C. Baker

About David C. Baker

David C. Baker has advised 650+ marketing service firms through ReCourses. He'll be co-hosting the Mind Your Own Business Conference, aimed at helping design firm principals be more successful, with HOW October 17-19, 2012. He has written three books, one of which was deemed by Inc. Magazine to be one of the Top 10 Books entrepreneurs should read. His work has been discussed in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fast Company, Inc., Forbes, CBS Business Network, MarketingProfs, and BusinessWeek. He also speaks 30-35 times per year. His primary hobby is photography.

48 Things Every Good Boss Needs to Know

David C. Baker shares 48 tips on how to be a good manager to the members of your creative team. Making a difference is more than taking on a social issue, it’s about managing your employees well. More

Categories: Design Business: Industry Issues & Advice, Design Inspiration: Ideas for Designers, Design Management: The Process & Business of Design, Editor's Picks | Tags: , | 1 Comment

Cutting Ties with Four Legacies

Now that your design business is up and running, it’s time to cut loose ties with the past in order to really thrive. These decisions are tough, but business consultant David C. Baker has helped many firms do the same in order to grow. More

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Creative Burnout: Traction Control with David Baker

Burnout is widely felt in marketing field. So much so that every individual will face it at some point in his/her career. Some of it stems from a propensity toward short attention spans, developed at an early age. Oddly enough, if you didn’t have access to a TV or hours of video games, you might be more creative now! (So much for the impact of your profession.) More

Categories: Design Firm Owners, In-House Design: Careers & Advice, On the Job: Advice & Tips for Designers | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

The Impact that Comes with Control in a Marketing Firm

How do you get (money and) impact in a client relationship, consistently, month after month? It doesn’t happen without some measure of control in the client relationship. If you’re an order-taker (that’s the opposite end of the spectrum), you’re not an expert, and your recommendations are not considered as seriously as they could be. More

Categories: Design Business: Industry Issues & Advice, Design Firm Owners, Design Management: The Process & Business of Design | Tags: , , | 1 Comment

The Advantages of Being a Larger Firm

I’ve always advised firms to view growth (defined as an increased body count) as something largely neutral. It’s not good or bad—just different. That can relieve the inappropriate pressure to grow, grow, grow. Nonsense. That may work for trees, but oceans and rocks don’t really care. So instead of chasing growth as the solution to what ails your firm, consider growth carefully. More

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The Advantages of Being a Small Design Firm

What better time to point out the advantages of being a small design firm than when the industry is experiencing a contraction. All the more so since we have this strange obsession with growth, captured in phrases like “if you aren’t growing, you’re dying.” You can’t fit deep thinking on a bumper sticker, and that looks like a bumper sticker to me. More

Categories: Design Business & The Industry of Design, Design Firm Owners, Design Management: The Process & Business of Design | 1 Comment

How to Stop Caring Too Much about the Wrong Things

Caring is good — caring too much is dangerous. Does this resonate with how you handle client relationships in your graphic design business? More

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5 Tips to Getting Clients to Listen More

Do you ever feel like clients don’t listen to you enough? Here are five very specific suggestions to turn things around in your design business. More

Categories: Design Business & The Industry of Design, Design Business Clients: Communication & Management, Design Firm Owners, Uncategorized | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Changing a Client’s Perception of Your Design Business

Do you have a credible marketing plan for your graphic or web design business? Or, do you compromise positioning to get a client? See these 7 Ways to earn respect for your design business. More

Categories: Design Business & The Industry of Design, Design Business Clients: Communication & Management, Design Firm Owners, Featured, Self Promotion for Graphic Design & Designers | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Marketing Firms Beware: 7 Signs a Fix is Needed in Order to Grow

The world worships growth, but it’s foolhardy to not first fix what you have. Look for these 7 signs to know if you need to fix things at your marketing firm before growth should happen. More

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