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Finding the Right Mix
PERFECT INGREDIENTS, PERFECT PORTFOLIO
Remember back to the good old days of kindergarten when you couldn’t wait to grab the attention of your fellow com-
rades with the beloved show-and-tell? At the ripe old age of five, you knew that it is far more powerful to “show and tell”
than to just “tell.”
The same holds true for portfolios and
self-promotion.
Indeed, a lot of designers may say, “I
tried it and it didn’t work.” And to that,
the little person in your head should
respond, “You tried it and it didn’t
work as well as you wanted that time.”
Who’s to say a similar self-promotion
piece won’t woo a potential prospect
the next time around? You just need
to make sure there’s going to be a
“next time.”
“Never underestimate the obvious,”
says Andrea Cutler, professor of
design at Parsons School of Design
and owner of Andrea Cutler Design.
“Your portfolio, along with a well-
designed and organized résumé, and
good cover letter are you. They’re the
first impression. And a great business
card for networking is critical. If you
are a designer, especially a freelancer,
then that single item alone speaks
volumes about your capability. I never
go anywhere without my cards. I also
have a mini business-card-size ‘port-a-
folio’ on a key chain, that I make on a
need-be basis to give people. They are
an effective marketing tool for me.”
è
A key chain–size mini portfolio offers a
great leave-behind piece for potential clients
to take with them and share with others.
a ndrea c utler d e S i G n
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With well-designed portfolios,
you feed the passion. You create
aficionados. The way you do that is to
get them in the proverbial “door” with
other aficionados—your “followers”—
the ones who keep coming back
for more.
Create your own fan club. Educate
them about who you are and what you
can do. You want to fuel the passion,
fuel the flame. And portfolios and
self-promotions are absolutely the
most cost-effective way to do it.
Of course, zeroing in on the potential
audience most likely to respond to
your portfolio is essential. This is
achieved through choice of media,
position, or placement, along with
the messages your self-promotion
delivers. The more you are “front and
center,” the more they will remember
you and your capabilities.
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Ideas at Work
DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE THE LIGHT ON
So what are some portfolio techniques that really work? Some people say tangible portfolios (versus the virtual ones) and
self-promotions are a waste of money—it’s word of mouth that sells you. Others feel that it is the total communications
mix—and the appeal of your creative know-how—that really sells. One thing is for sure: By putting your portfolios in front
of your target audience, across a variety of communication channels, the message begins to strike home.
A good portfolio strategy also is a
balancing act between targeting
frequency, reach, and timing. The
decisions you make about these
three factors will determine how your
promotional campaign is weighed.
But the form your portfolio design
takes is also paramount. Whether you
choose to create traditional portfolios
housed in the standard sleek black
case or nontraditional portfolios, such
as magazines or PDFs, you need to
make sure form and function meet.
®
Based in Bologna, Italy, LLDesign creates
their self-promotional portfolio by including
selected works from the last four years.
Measuring 17
×
24 cm (6.7
×
9.4 inches),
this portfolio is digitally printed on different
kinds of paper and hand bound. It’s a great
example of how the form the portfolio takes
complements the function of the design
elements within.
llde S i G n
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