A big problem that a lot of new freelancers have is getting into the mind-set of a business owner. You could be the best copywriter or illustrator in the world, but if you’re not presenting yourself properly things can go down the tubes.Here, I’ll give you some important tips to presenting a professional and engaging portfolio. If you want more clients, this is where to start!
First of all, go back over any correspondence about the work that’s already on your portfolio. Make records of it, and use this to show your potential clients the context of your work. Outsourcing work to an unknown freelancer can be pretty nerve-wracking for a business owner. This is mainly due to the investment involved.
To make sure they’re going to get what they’re after, your clients will feel more secure when they know the details of your work. Under any presented piece, make sure to post a small paragraph explaining it.
Write what the client needed, your process for creating the work and any constraints that were involved. Mentioning problems and how you overcame them may sound like admitting to weakness. Believe me though, you’ll get more clients by spelling out the details of each job.
Somewhere on your portfolio, probably in the “about me” section, you should tell your potential clients about the value you can offer them. Here, you need to be thinking more like someone applying for a job. Rather than getting across how great your work is, get across how you can solve problems for your clients.
The best way to do this is to get in contact with old clients, and ask them how your work helped with their business. AWAI Online has some fantastic tips for liaising with clients. If your client acquired a lot of new customers after your work for them, then mention the exact figure.
If their revenue went up by a certain percentage, then mention that. Hard numbers can be very enticing to prospective clients. Just make sure you have explicit permission to publish this kind of info!
My final tip is to have a blog page and maintain it. Having your online portfolio updated with fresh, engaging content regularly can help in a number of ways.
For starters, when your clients see you have an active blog with a distinct writing style, they’ll be able to sense your dedication to your work. Having inbound and outbound links also helps a lot to get your portfolio seen more. Just make sure the content you post is specialised and shows your knowledge of your industry.
Vectips is a great place to look for some inspiration. I understand that you want to come off as professional, but make sure your blog is accessible. Don’t use a style that’s too robotic, and throw in some PC humour here and there.
Being a freelancer isn’t easy, and you probably have a lot on your plate already. However, taking these three steps will work miracles for your business! When your audience sees that you keep a professional, polished portfolio, the jobs will come flooding in!
