Any rockstar designer will tell you that their portfolio is basically their entire world. It is the only tool that they use to summarize their incredible skills and creativity in their design career. Regardless of your level in the design ladder, you need a design portfolio that showcases your capabilities. In fact, it is the only way that potential clients and employers can judge you.
When you are just getting started in your design career, you spend hours learning design fundamentals. You spend days practicing your skill in technical tools such as Photoshop, illustrator and Lightroom. However, all your effort and sacrifice might become mere vanity exhibit if you don’t create a stunning portfolio that will be memorable to the client. While we know that creating an amazing portfolio is not your usual cup of tea, there are a few tips you could use to make the intimidating task of developing an amazing portfolio a walk in the park.
In this article, we’ll discuss a few tips you can follow to create an expert like design portfolio to showcase your style and why clients should hire you.
Sounds good?
Let’s dive in
Pick the right projects to display in your portfolio
The number one most important component of your design portfolio is your projects! It is one thing to have a portfolio but is entirely another to have a portfolio that showcases relevant projects of course this will vary depending on the type of projects you want to work on.
First you need to collate all your design projects into one place. Group them by category and rank them from the strongest to the weakest. Most clients we spoke to said they prefer to work with designers who are true experts in a particular field rather than someone with superficial understanding of a broad range of different skills
Make the first impression count!
Here is the awful truth: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Most clients will judge you within the first seven seconds of seeing your portfolio and their opinion of who you are and what you are capable of will likely never change. So your portfolio should make a distinctive first impression. You can achieve this by making sure it is unique, visually appealing and one that paints a clear picture that you are someone that your client should take note of.
Showcase your Strengths
Your portfolio should showcase the skills that you’re best at. Well, in most cases, you might be tempted to showcase the most “official” projects that rank high in the design hierarchy. But let’s face it, if the definitive execution was less than your best, it makes absolute sense to replace projects like these with low ranking projects that flaunts your rare talent or showcases your day-to-day style.
Additionally, it is vitally important to provide context for your work. Include a short description to explain the how your designs convey the desired results. By so doing, you will provide your clients with an inside look to your design mind.
Have a Visual Cohesion
Showcasing your design skills goes beyond slapping all your latest work into one portfolio site. It is more about presenting it in a cohesive visual style. This means having a harmonious color scheme to wrap up everything in your portfolio. You could also find a unique style that carefully communicates what you are capable of. This way, you will establish a unique graphic style so that your potential clients know what to expect when they are working with you.
Have a Brand of Your Own
Clients and employers will come to you seeking help to communicate their brands. And what a better way to show them that you have what it takes to work on their projects than having a brand of your own? As a graphic designer, most of your work will revolve around enhancing brand equity across different clients. Your portfolio should therefore demonstrate your unique skills and showcase your brand. Start with designing a logo, the rest will just follow.
Outshine you competition
Just like in all other sectors, clients prefer to work with designers who rise above the fray. So they scrutinize different portfolios to select the best from the crowd. To stand out from the rest, you need to employ unique visual cues in your portfolio. For example you could have an animated logo which is a great way to demonstrate your unique execution abilities and your sense of style.
Give clear Contact channels
After all is said and done, you need to translate your efforts into tangible results. You don’t want to miss on an opportunity because your clients couldn’t reach you. So you need to have working communication channels through which your clients can reach you outside the internet. And it is not enough to have active channels alone. It is more about being available when the clients need you.
Conclusion
There you have it folks! Seven solid tips that will help you create an expert like design portfolio and drive the end result. You efforts in creating a great design portfolio will not be a mere vanity exhibit. Instead, by following these guidelines, your portfolio will be like a perfectly designed engine that will drive results which will expose you to more opportunities for days to come.
Author Bio:
Hemant is a Digital Marketer. He has a keen interest in SEO,Content Marketing and Web Design. He has a passion to get new insights in the startup world and online businesses.
