Build an Effective Portfolio for a Freelance Designer

By jimdiggitydog

Building an effective, hard-selling portfolio is a must for all designers, and there’s a science to building a portfolio.

In many ways, your “book” needs to be very much that - a book of your experience and style. You want to build it in a way that makes sense, is attractive and is easy to “read.”

You want to start strong and finish strong. Put your best pieces first, your next best last, and the “filler” in the middle. When people are looking at your portfolio, they’ll usually look at the first and last piece - and if that ropes them in, they’ll check out the middle. If you have enough pieces, eliminate the “fluff,” and just have the really strong pieces. But - the more you have, the more likely your client (or potential client) is to find what they’re looking for.

Layout is important - and organization is key. Keep logos with logos, brochures with brochures, etc. If you’re going totally online (you should have a website as well as an analog book - more on that later) break things down by category. Be very clear about the categories - if the client can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll look elsewhere.

Keep your descriptions short - the prospective client is probably not interested in the minutia of the project. Brevity is the soul of wit - and the soul of portfolios.

Show diversity. Clients want to see that you can handle more than one type of project. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve landed a logo job, only to have that client later have me work on a brochure or website after looking further at my portfolio. This goes back to not being a one trick pony. Diversify. It’s a good thing…

Update, update, update. If you keep your work current, you show that you’re active and available. Plus, chances are that you’re doing better work today than you were 2 years ago.

Keep a real portfolio - not just online. If you meet with a client face-to-face, having a real paper book is invaluable. You can show final printed pieces that the client can touch - and that speaks volumes more than pixels. Plus, if you show up and say “just look at my website,” you can look a little unprepared - and there’s a good chance that they won’t visit your online portfolio, no matter how good it is.

Your portfolio speaks far more than your voice or your appearance. It’s the tool that defines your business and your style. It’s your public persona and your showcase. It’s the most important sales and promotion tool you have.

So there. Now - go work on your portfolio!