Book now for a limited number of workshops on 8th, 10th and 14th November. The workshops are on a first come, first served basis and will be held at Sadlers Wells Theatre, London.

Each half-day workshop is exclusive to one agency so that it can be as bespoke as possible. A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 attendees from the agency can attend.

Up to the Light is the leading provider of Client Surveys to the UK design industry. We publish an annual ‘What Clients Think’ report based on over 450 client interviews that we conduct on behalf of design agencies. Every Up to the Light workshop benefits from the most up to date client viewpoint – their concerns, expectations, views on areas such as agency strengths, weaknesses, service levels, added value and quality of agency communications.

World Class Client Service - 2 workshops

Great client service, over and above account management, is a key differentiator for agencies. In clients’ eyes, great client service can be just as important as creativity or strategic thinking.

• What are clients looking for? (feedback from client interviews)
• Differences between account management and client service.
• Where and how do relationships start to crack?
• Client service - doing the basics well.
• What ‘proactivity’ means in practice.
• How to build trust, added value and partnership - client satisfaction versus client commitment.

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Winning Pitches - 2 workshops

With so much time, money and effort involved, it’s vital to ensure that your pitches are as sharp as possible.

• How pitching and client expectations are changing.
• How to pitch in 10 key stages.
• A client’s perspective – drawing up the shortlist, pitch processes and evaluation, what clients look for, where pitches succeed and fail.
• Structuring your argument, ways to raise audience engagement.
• Ways to win – practical tips and techniques, do’s and don’ts.

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Presentation Skills - 2 workshops

Presentations have become the major client/agency interface so honed presentation skills are vital to winning work and persuading clients.

• Preparation and understanding the audience.
• Body language – posture, gesture, facial expression.
• How to combat nerves.
• Practical exercises, tips and techniques.
• Video analysis to sharpen skills.

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The focus of an Up to the Light workshop is on useful and practical output – new skills and ideas that you can put into action immediately. There is always a pre-workshop meeting/conversation to ensure that the session is tailored to your specific needs and situation. The workshops benefit from the hundreds of interviews that Up to the Light conducts with clients. Workshop content is always directed towards the client experience, their issues and what they look for in agencies.

"Jonathan is a firm favourite with DBA audiences. His expert insight into the client perspective is always pertinent and with topics ranging from business development to framing you strategic offer, attendee feedback is always consistently high. Jonathan has developed a wide range of new content for us over the years and is always professional and approachable in his delivery."

Deborah Dawton, Chief Executive Design Business Association

SOLD OUT!

Book now for a limited number of Winning Pitches Workshops on 16th, 21st and 23rd June. The workshops are on a first come, first served basis and will be held at Sadlers Wells Theatre, London.

With so much time, money and effort involved, it’s vital to ensure that your pitches are as sharp as possible. This workshop draws upon hundreds of interviews with clients about why agencies win and lose pitches, as well as the many pitches that Up to the Light sees and advises upon. The ‘Winning Pitches’ workshop looks at pitching from both a client and agency perspective, and examines the most effective methods for success. The workshop is packed with practical tips and ideas.

Each half-day workshop is exclusive to one agency so that it can be as bespoke as possible. A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 attendees from the agency can attend.

Workshop content:

• How pitching and client expectations are changing.
• How to pitch in 10 key stages.
• A client’s perspective – drawing up the shortlist, pitch processes and evaluation, what clients look for, where pitches succeed and fail.
• Structuring your argument, ways to raise audience engagement.
• Ways to win – practical tips and techniques, do’s and don’ts.

The focus of an Up to the Light workshop is on useful and practical output – new skills and ideas that you can put into action immediately. There is always a pre-workshop meeting/conversation to ensure that the session is tailored to your specific needs and situation. The workshops benefit from the hundreds of interviews that Up to the Light conducts with clients. Workshop content is always directed towards the client experience, their issues and what they look for in agencies.

"Jonathan has invaluable insight into the relationship between agencies and clients. His views are founded in genuine knowledge and he applies them with great skill."

Steve Pearce, Client Services Director, Imagination

It was a really busy '100% Design' event this year with thousands attending Olympia in London to see exhibitors from around the world. 'The perfect pitch: how to get it right' was one of a series of talks that saw Jonathan Kirk take the platform, together with Kirsty Whyte from the retailer, Heals. The session was chaired by Nic McCarthy, Content Director at Seven.

Jonathan's presentation covered '5 ways to win'. He talked about the hundreds of post-pitch interviews that Up to the Light conducts and revealed that there is very rarely a genuine 'close second' in a pitch. Instead, there is usually clear distance between the winning agency and second best. He talked about the need for cut through advice and the need to state your big thought at the outset. The rest of the presentation is an argument to prove that assertion.

He then talked about the all important softer factors and how to get team chemistry right, and gave a range of practical ideas for how to 'lift' the presentation to make it more memorable and compelling. Also covered was how to forge a more seamless link between strategy and creative, and how to build up to design concepts in more effective ways. Jonathan and Kirsty then took a range of questions on everything from how to combat nerves to tips on better pitch preparation.

Sharpen your approach to pitching with a Winning Pitches Workshop.
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