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Schedule and Budget
Scheduling time to create a portfolio is probably the biggest challenge designers
face because time is money. It’s time to determine the resources it may require
to create your portfolio or self-promotion. How much time can be allocated to
developing your portfolio? What is your budget? Remember, you have to spend
money to make money.
Look for the most cost-effective avenue for your portfolio development. List all
of the methods and materials you would like to use within your portfolio. Break
down the costs of each in terms of creating and implementing these materials.
Depending on your workload, formal portfolios, such as capabilities brochures,
may be updated annually. Employability portfolios, aimed at landing a job or an
internship, might be created throughout the year, and modified for a particular
audience.
Utilizing a solid marketing plan, which includes a detailed schedule of upcoming
self-promotions and direct-mail campaigns, can further ensure that the sched-
ule, timelines, and budget parameters are being met.
Once you determine the approach you want to take in scheduling your portfolio
distribution and self-promotion campaign, you can turn your attention to
deciding how to promote yourself and to whom (that’s where that handy-dandy
database comes in).
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, “Because marketing needs
and costs vary widely, there are no simple rules for determining what your
marketing budget should be. A popular method with small business owners is to
allocate a small percentage of gross sales for the most recent year. This usually
amounts to about two percent for an existing business.”
CR EATIVE WAYS TO U N LO CK
YOUR PORTFOLIO’S POTENTIAL
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At Minneapolis-based Capsule, creating, marketing, and distributing the firm’s
self-promotions, which include eblasts, portfolio presentation materials, and
holiday promotions, are typically allocated 5 to 10 percent of the firm’s revenues
each year.
And while you certainly don’t want to bombard your designated audience with
all-too-frequent promotions, you want to make sure you avoid the adage, “Out of
sight, out of mind.” Blogs, eblasts, and newsletters can ensure that you remain
“front and center.” Determine what your clients and prospects positively respond
to. For some, it may be graphic-filled eblasts, for others it may be a high-end
portfolio brochure, mailed in a contemporary, costly vellum envelope. Whatever
the method, choose an appropriate timetable for distribution.
®
A translucent frosted glass portfolio
features Organic Grid’s logo identity etched
into the glass cover. A screw-post binding
system makes it easy to swap individual
printed samples of the firm’s work based on a
particular client and their immediate needs.
o r GANIc GrID
TYPE FREQUENCY
Weekly Twice a Month Montly Annually
Eblast
×
Postcard
×
Newsletter
×
Portfolio/brochure
×
Holiday promotion
×
Website update
×
Interactive portfolio CD
×
Blog
×
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Presenting Your Portfolio
IT’S TIME FOR THE SHOWCASE SHOWDOWN
Bring your personality but check your attitude with the doorman. This is the time to show your confidence, but keep far
from arrogance if you want to find a receptive audience. There’s nothing more humbling than walking into a situation,
thinking you know everything and finding out you know nothing. Start from a state of knowing nothing and let your
portfolio speak to how much you know. Gain knowledge from each situation and either apply it right away or investigate
further and add new tidbits of knowledge in the next presentation.
Presenting is theater: You are the
actor, your portfolio is a prop, and
the setting is your stage. No detail
should be left unconsidered. Your
audience will notice everything, even
if they never say a word. From a
broken seam to a weak piece of work,
consider what they will see and what
it will mean about you.
Now that you get the metaphor, put it
to work. What happens if you spend
the first 45 minutes of your hour
talking, asking questions, creating
some desire to see your portfolio
before showing it? All the time leaving
it on the table. Build drama instead
of doing a portfolio “purge” on the
table, putting it all out in front of your
audience in the first 5 minutes. Not
good theater.
Your portfolio becomes slightly less
important if you consider the theatri-
cal approach. Details, like where are
your hands and eyes, are two critical
pieces of any human communication.
Do you let the audience touch your
work? Do you create exclusivity by
handling each piece with two hands?
Consider the moments and you might
find yourself spending some time at
the theater to get some ideas. Avoid
the Greek tragedies.
è
The StressDesign viewbook is used
as an introductory piece for new and
prospective clients. The sixty-page book is a
showcase of the three main specialty areas
at StressDesign: print, publication, and Web
design. In order to present their portfolio of
work properly, StressDesign clearly identifies
the work completed and the overview of the
project scope and solution.
The firm also offers a smaller eight-page
version of the viewbook. It is used as
a stand-alone publication for new and
prospective clients or as a leave-behind at
job fairs or speaking events.
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