Trust as a business strategy: how 2bu design puts its values into practice

Table of Contents

1. The background: Why referrals deserve more than just a thank you
2. The thought process: three approaches, three logics
3. What came of it: The referral programme
4. The result: support initiatives offering genuine value in return
5. What has become of it: the NGO support project
6. What we deliberately do not cover under – and why this is important
7. What we have learnt from this

The background: Why referrals deserve more than just a thank you

A brand rarely grows through advertising alone. It grows through people who stand for the same cause and raise each other’s profile. Anyone who champions sustainability, animal welfare or a more conscious economy rarely reaches their goal alone – but through a network of people and organisations who support one another, recommend one another and stand up for one another. We didn’t want to leave this very principle to chance, but rather to consciously incorporate it into the way we work.

When someone opens up their own network to us and takes a risk in doing so – after all, their own name is on the line – then that’s more than just a footnote. It is work, even if it doesn’t feel like it. And a reference is also work: investing time, having your photograph taken or being filmed, speaking openly about the collaboration. Work that raises our profile or leads to a genuine project should also be remunerated accordingly.

This line of thinking did not result in a single programme, but in three – because not every form of support is the same, and because we did not want to treat everything in the same way.

The thought process: three approaches, three logics

The more interesting question wasn’t „How do we say thank you?", but „What exactly are we thanking them for?" A direct referral leading to a signed project is quite different from an honest Google review. And an honest review is, in turn, quite different from the generosity of an NGO that dares to apply for a free project, even though the competition is fierce.

So we have developed three logical frameworks:

• Anyone who refers a specific project to us shares in the business risk – and that deserves a commission.
• Anyone who supports us at in other ways, such as by leaving a review or writing an article, deserves recognition in the form of a discount on their own collaboration with us.
• And because animal welfare is particularly close to our hearts, we carry out a complete branding project twice a year free of charge for a non-profit organisation working in the field of animal welfare.

Three programmes, one shared philosophy: anyone who places their trust in us or helps us raise our profile should actually benefit from it – not just receive a written thank-you.

What came of it: The referral programme

Anyone who introduces us to someone who is looking for exactly what we do, and where this contact leads to a genuine project, will receive 15 % commission on the value of the first project . The process is very simple: you make the introduction, the person books a coffee meeting with us, and once the contract is signed, you’ll receive your commission.

So: a recommendation, a project, a commission. What’s particularly important to us here is that we don’t want to build a system that feels like network marketing. It’s all about genuine recommendations – because we’re all working towards a common cause. And that’s not all. Perhaps your customers would also like to be confident that you’re working with brands and people who share the same values.

The result: support initiatives offering genuine value in return

Not every form of support can be translated into a commission. Some gestures are smaller, but just as valuable – a picture, a social media post, a blog article, a mention as the creator. To ensure that nobody has to calculate or negotiate here, there’s a simple rule: every action counts as 10 %.

A blog post only counts if it is also shared on social media – after all, the link should actually be visible, not just appear on your own website. The acknowledgement as the author is deliberately kept flexible and can appear wherever it makes sense in terms of content: in the website’s legal notice, on the call-to-action slide of a social media post, in the legal notice of an editorial project or in the margin of an event roll-up. A video testimonial is only possible from the second project onwards. A video like this thrives on genuine commitment – and you can only achieve that if you’re truly convinced by the collaboration.

What this might mean in practical terms: First project: Testimonial with image (10 %) plus social media post (10 %) plus blog article (10 %) plus credit as the creator (10 %) add up to a 40 % discount on the first project. Second project: If another project is added, the video testimonial is now also available. A reference with a photo, a social media post, a blog article, a mention as the creator and a video testimonial together add up to 50 % discount on the new project.

Recommendations and testimonials should always reflect the actual collaboration. We therefore never ask for a specific star rating or pre-written text – only for an honest, authentic opinion. Furthermore, we ask all project partners to comply with the respective guidelines of the platforms, particularly regarding the labelling of advertising or consideration.

For all our projects, a reference usage right applies. This means that – unless otherwise agreed in writing – we will publish the resulting work as references on our website and across our communication channels. As a token of our appreciation, we grant our clients the agreed rights of use at no additional cost. For us, this is part of a fair working relationship: good work should be put to use – by both parties.

"We wanted a system where nobody feels they have to do or sell anything – but one that simply recognises what happens anyway out of genuine conviction."
Katrin Tindler-Kempen | Owner of 2bu design

What has become of it: the NGO support project

Some impact cannot be measured in percentages. That is why, twice a year, we carry out a branding project entirely free of charge for a not-for-profit organisation working in the field of animal welfare. From the applications received, we select the non-profit organisation whose cause and impact move us the most. Of course, it also matters whether you get in touch right at the start of the year or after the other places have already been allocated.

What is particularly important to us is that the application process should have been worthwhile even for the non-profit organisations that were not selected. All NGOs not selected will receive, in addition to the same support measures as regular customers, a guaranteed additional discount of 20 % – regardless of how many reference modules they can provide. In total, this means that non-selected NGOs will receive a discount of up to 60 % on their first branding project.

We explain this in more detail, along with exactly how the application process works, in our article on free branding for animal welfare NGOs. Ultimately, it’s not about who wins, but about ensuring that as many principled non-profit organisations as possible can afford a strong brand.

What we deliberately do not cover under – and why this is important

Perhaps the point here isn’t so much about rewarding as much as possible, but about remaining honest. Likes, simple comments or small gestures on social media mean a great deal to us – they’re part of a vibrant community, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for. We’d also be delighted to receive a review on Google or Facebook as well as a press release . But we don’t pay for them.

Paid endorsements breach the platforms’ guidelines, and they would go against everything we stand for: honesty without marketing gimmicks. We still value a review, though – just not in terms of percentages.