We are what we do. It is our book, more than anything else, that attracts new business leads, enhances recruiting of talented creative employees, and encourages clients to trust us with their advertising and marketing strategies. It is very important to have that work ready to show at a moment's notice.
For many agencies, maintaining a portfolio of recent work is so burdensome it gets set aside in favor of more pressing activities. Then, when someone asks to meet and see samples, the agency scrambles to assemble something presentable. This is truly unfortunate. The portfolio is indicative of your agency's core strengths, your talented people, and the level of professionalism a client can expect. Throwing samples together at the last minute serves none of those aims.
Establish a standard format and process for regularly updating your agency portfolio. Today that means leading with a digital presence, but physical presentation materials still have a place when you are sitting across a table from a prospect.
Tip 1: A professional presentation makes your best work look even better.
Your online portfolio is your primary storefront. It should be clean, fast-loading, and easy to navigate. Every piece should be presented at high resolution with enough context to make it meaningful. If you also maintain a physical portfolio for in-person presentations, use consistent formatting throughout. Matching presentation materials, whether printed boards or a curated leave-behind document, signal that you run a disciplined shop. Consistency in presentation reinforces the same message your work is supposed to deliver.
Tip 2: A strategic portfolio is more impressive than just showing pretty pictures.
Explain what each piece was intended to achieve and how well it did the job. Identify each piece with a brief note listing the client, the purpose of the project, any relevant execution details, and the results. Your prospects are busy. Limit the portfolio to no more than a dozen pieces or projects. Eight to ten is better. You want them intrigued, not overwhelmed. Customize for the individual prospect, including pieces from their industry or for situations comparable to what they face.
Tip 3: Maintain a digital portfolio that works as hard as you do.
Every item deemed portfolio worthy should be digitally prepared and presentation-ready. This means high-resolution imagery, clean formatting, and consistent presentation across pieces. Include a description of the work and notes on strategic success, the same as you would in any physical presentation. Update your online portfolio frequently, or rotate current samples so the portfolio feels current every time a prospect visits. Display your copyright information clearly and use watermarks on images where appropriate. In face-to-face presentations, briefly explain each piece as you present it, then give the prospect time to absorb it. Be prepared to answer questions. Wherever possible, relate the sample directly to the prospect's needs, market challenges, or products.
Tip 4: Be prepared to leave something behind.
A well-prepared digital leave-behind extends the conversation after you walk out the door. A curated PDF, a password-protected online presentation, or a custom page on your site built for the prospect all accomplish this. The format matters less than the intent: give them something they can share internally, review on their own time, and return to when they are ready to make a decision. Make sure everything is clearly marked with your copyright. Show multiple views of a project only when necessary to fully display the work, such as for a package design, dimensional mailer, or trade show exhibit.
Tip 5: Show no samples more than three years old.
Do not dwell in the past. In this business, you are only as good as what you did recently. Showing older work also puts you in the position of explaining why the creative director or art director behind a particular piece is no longer with the agency. Use current samples and update regularly.
Tip 6: Make portfolio maintenance part of the agency's ongoing project work.
Build it into every creative review you conduct. Whenever you sit down to review and critique a completed project, your final discussion item should be whether it is portfolio worthy. It should meet preset criteria for inclusion: creatively strong, highly successful for the client, responsible for better-than-predicted results, or whatever other standards you have established.
When a piece qualifies, the production manager takes charge of samples and arranges for photography and digital preparation. An art director provides direction for how the piece should be presented to best display its strengths. A production artist completes the work, and approved copy and images go to whoever manages the online portfolio.
Making portfolio maintenance part of the regular creative and production workflow takes the scramble out of new business preparation. Retool your portfolio and the process behind it. Your new business program will show the difference.
