A portfolio is important in promoting your business or freelance services. It refers to a collection of sample works you can share with prospective clients to build your credibility and convince them to hire you.
In this blog post, I’ll tell you five ways to create your portfolio. Most of the examples are applicable to aspiring freelance writers but you can also use one regardless of your industry or niche.
Five Ways to Create Your Portfolio
1. PDF File Using Microsoft Word
Consolidate your sample works using Microsoft Word and turn it into a PDF file. This is the most basic and easiest way to create a portfolio.
Don’t forget to include headings and labels properly. Group your content according to topic or form of written work. Create a table of contents to guide your prospective clients.
2. PowerPoint presentation using Canva
Selling visual products or design services? You may need to use a PowerPoint presentation to showcase your sample works.
Arrange your samples works according to relevance or rating. Put the products or designs that sell the most or received high reviews first.
3. Create a free blog.
A free blog on WordPress, Weebly, or Blogger is more time consuming than the first two yet it can give a more professional look to your portfolio. Instead of attaching a PowerPoint presentation or PDF file when sending a proposal to your prospective client, you can simply share the link to your site.
When I started as a freelance writer, I share the link to my WordPress blog as a portfolio. It showcased lifestyle articles I wrote which complements the article writing services I offered my clients. Read our blog post about how to create a blog for your business.
4. Post your work on third-party sites.
Third-party sites like LinkedIn Articles and Medium will expose your sample work to more readers who also have an account on the said websites.
If you’re into photography services, design, baking, or arts and crafts, your Instagram account and Pinterest can showcase your sample works and serve as your portfolio, too.
Already worked with several clients who published your work on their website? You can gather the links to your works and create your free portfolio account using Contently.com.
5. Build your own website.
You can post photos or links to your sample works in a section of your website. This will require a monetary investment to create and maintain. However, you can leverage on having one to boost your credibility. Online presence through your own website can help you charge more and aspire for high-paying clients. Watch our video about creating a portfolio website using IPage.
Tips in Writing Your Portfolio
- Check out the portfolio of other businesses or freelancers offering the same products or services like yours. Note what you like and don’t want to include when you make your own portfolio.
- Use Grammarly.com to check for grammar, spelling, word usage, or punctuation errors. It’s best to polish your portfolio content before publishing.
- Share your portfolio with a colleague who can give feedback about your work. He or she can be someone who has the same profile or demographics as your target client.
- Update your portfolio. It doesn’t matter whether you already land a client or have a stable income from freelancing. Your portfolio will serve as your professional image. So, making an effort to show that you’re continuously evolving in your craft can help you build your future career and land better jobs.
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Jonah helps freelancers and entrepreneurs promote their personal brand or business by teaching writing and content marketing principles. During a casual day off, she enjoys painting, shopping for home decors, watching Netflix, or hosting meetups with friends.