Hello, creatives.
In this episode of Learn and Sell Branding, we show how to structure your portfolio to attract the right clients. This is something many designers struggle with, especially early in their careers.
I used to have a messy portfolio filled with all my work: logos, web design, illustration, and even some motion design, hoping to attract more clients. But all it did was bring in small gigs with low budgets. Everything changed when I deleted 90% of my portfolio.
Creatives can get emotionally attached to their work, making portfolio selection a big challenge. When you question yourself if a project is good enough to be displayed in your portfolio, just ask yourself if it’s the type of project that you want to sell.
No matter how much you love your work, if it’s not relevant for the clients you want to work with, don’t show it. It’s better to have 2 or 3 strong portfolio pieces that prove your expertise than dozens that confuse your audience and potential clients.
So, how can you evaluate your portfolio?
Each project that you display should follow these three basic rules:
- Be relevant to your niche
- Show your expertise in solving problems
- High-quality images
Let’s break it down.
What does being relevant to your niche mean?
Let’s say that you position yourself as a branding expert. If so, all your portfolio items must be about branding. You might have some web design projects you’re proud of and want to show off.
Don’t do it. Focus on your main service that aligns with your market positioning. You want to be seen as a branding expert, not a web designer or illustrator—even if you have those skills. If you’re specialized in a niche, like cosmetics, then all your portfolio items should focus on that industry. Don’t showcase anything else.
This positions you as an expert in that niche and attracts the right clients.
Now, let’s see how you can show your expertise in solving problems.
First of all, you need to understand that high-paying clients value services that help them solve their problems. So you need to show that you have strategic thinking and you are not just a do-it-on-demand designer.
You show strategic thinking by presenting your project in a few steps:
- First, list the services that you provided in that project
- Then, write an introduction that explains what the brand offers
- Write about the challenges of the project and the problems that needed solving
- Describe your solutions and how you implemented them
- Explain the creative process
- Include a client testimonial
This way, potential clients will easily understand your capabilities.
The third rule of a good portfolio is having high-quality images.
So, put in the extra work to create good mockups that explain how your design works.
If you have a banner design, don’t just show it on a white background. Create a mockup with an indoor or outdoor setup and present the banner in a relevant context.
If you follow this structure, you will better differentiate yourself in the market, and you will get those clients that you dream of.
This is one small step in a more complex strategy. If you want to learn more, we have a complete guide on getting high-paying clients. You can get it for free.
