Earn money online with a portfolio [Easy tips!]
You may not be aware of it, but whether you are looking for a job, are a freelancer, or have your own business — you need a portfolio. Why? Because it is an invaluable way of promotion. Thanks to it, in a professional, original, and, most importantly, credible way, you will promote yourself or your brand, present your experience and completed projects, or indicate why the client should choose you. Find out what a portfolio is and how to make huge profits from it.
Portfolio definition
Originally, the portfolio meaning was a briefcase or other type of binder in which the works of a specific artist were collected. Over the years, the portfolio concept has evolved, and now it means the presentation of the achievements of a person or company, in the form of samples or finished works.
Today, the portfolio takes many different forms. It is either a folder with collected works or an advanced website with photos and descriptions of completed projects. Despite the difference in shape, the portfolio’s goals remain the same. Its purpose is to best present your skills, achievements, and projects so far. It is to help you get your dream job, a large portion of orders, or new clients!
How is it easier to achieve your goals with a portfolio?
The times when the portfolio was created only by artists are long gone! Thanks to the Internet, it has become more and more used by entrepreneurs from various industries and freelancers. It is not the end! Nowadays, the portfolio will also allow you to achieve many more goals — regardless of whether you are a freelancer or run your own business.
What will your own portfolio provide?
Trust of recipients
By presenting your experience and completed projects, you build the trust of your recipients towards yourself. Seeing the documented effects of your work, they are more likely to establish cooperation with you. By giving them an insight into your work, you show that you are transparent and confident in what you are doing. The portfolio is like an unspoken loud declaration: I am sure that I will give you the best results of my work
Beating the competition
A portfolio is a popular way of promoting and gaining new audiences… but hardly anyone has it. However, this is your chance! Thanks to having a portfolio and presenting yourself in it as best as possible, you will gain an advantage over the competition. Recipients don’t like to read dry descriptions; they always prefer to see details. And that’s what a portfolio is best for! Present your projects in it, describe how they were created, and show their results. Get a competitive edge by providing your audience with all the answers they need and more.
Strong brand and recognition
A portfolio is an excellent tool for building a solid brand! Having it, you will be able to show your development and reach a larger group of recipients. By placing a link to your portfolio on social media or sending it to interested people, you will gradually and effectively increase your recognition, reaching more and more recipients.
How to create a portfolio that stands out?
Just having a portfolio is only half the success. Now you need to make sure it is attractive to your audience. But how to do it?
Show professionalism
Building the image of an expert in your niche is another goal of having a portfolio. Don’t expect positive results if you approach this project sloppy and without giving it a lot of attention. If you get serious about creating a portfolio right away, the time and energy put into the entire process will pay off with a vengeance. If you want to show your professionalism, it is necessary to:
- think over the structure of your portfolio,
- place all contact details in a visible and easily accessible place
- show few of your projects
- make it easy to navigate through the portfolio
Show off your way of working
A portfolio is a perfect way to show your unique style of work. So describe the different stages of creating a project. Show that you take every project seriously — without exception. It will be a great idea to use storytelling for this purpose and guide recipients — in turn — through each stage of the work.
The original way is to use photos or notes taken during this entire process. Thanks to this, you will show that you have developed your work rhythm and know exactly how to bring the project from “A” to “B”. An additional advantage is that the potential recipient may have regard to the way you work in advance, thanks to which he will know if you are the right person for him to cooperate with.
Get your audience’s attention
You can afford more in your portfolio, unlike a regular CV. You should give up the mere enumeration of your skills or created projects. Go for something more creative. Add photos, graphics, visuals, videos (if you’ve opted for an online portfolio), or anything else you want. Remember that you should choose how best to communicate what you want to your audience. Therefore, your portfolio must draw attention and be legible and understandable.
How can a portfolio be helpful in your industry?
The great advantage of the portfolio is its versatility. If a photographer presents photos he has taken as proof of his professional skills, what prevents an entrepreneur from the construction industry from doing the same by showing his renovations? The portfolio can work in any industry. Each company that operates in this economic sector can present its offer and skills in this way.
Just as sellers prepare practical and refined product catalogs to present their offers, service providers should prepare a portfolio that will play the same role. The portfolio awakens customers’ desire to have what you offer. Seeing a service well done, they want exactly the same at home. What’s more, the portfolio is one of the few very objective tools — and at the same time credible — able to show that you can be trusted!
Find out what the mandatory elements of each portfolio are.
Web design portfolio, web development portfolio, UI/UX portfolio
The portfolio is a perfect solution for people related to the IT industry, especially if they decide on an online portfolio. It is a more convenient option for them due to the possibility of immediate redirecting users to, for example, a website.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- technologies you know (JavaScript, CSS …)
- obtained certificates
- your best projects (applications, websites …)
- results of your projects
- address to your repository (GitHub, GitLab…)
Art portfolio, artist portfolio, creative portfolio
Artists were the primary users of the portfolio from the very beginning. They collected their works, projects, and diplomas of completed schools there. An even greater spectrum of artistic professions currently uses portfolios to present their works, which can be immortalized as photos or drawings and many other forms.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- your works (they can be scans, photos, mock-ups …) the
- the process of creating your projects (notes, behind-the-scenes videos …)
- the programs that you operate (Photoshop, Illustrator …)
- link to profiles on industry platforms (Behance, Dribbble …)
Writing portfolio, copywriter portfolio, journalist portfolio
For people who usually use the written word to create and communicate with recipients, the portfolio can act as a diary or catalog, which can be viewed by an audience interested in their work.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- your work (can be added as a link or screenshots) the
- subject in which you specialize (reportage, blog articles …)
- address of your blog or other place with your materials
- links to your profiles on industry platforms (Medium, Vocal …)
Photo portfolio
Having a portfolio with photos is a must for any photographer. It is common to present your works aesthetically to a potential audience. Thanks to it, you can easily show your style of work and the effects that come out of it.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- gallery of your photos (you can divide them into thematic categories)
- type of photos you take (wedding, portraits…)
- the programs that you operate (Photoshop, Lightroom…)
- link to profiles on industry platforms (Pinterest, Instagram…)
Architecture portfolio, interior design portfolio, real estate portfolio
Not everyone has such a rich imagination that they can see something in their head just from the description of real estate. That is why the portfolio is so helpful for architects. Thanks to it, they can present their projects legibly and realistically so that the clients can see the results perfectly.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- visualizations of your projects (3D mockup, sketches …)
- the form of your work process (notes, mood boards …)
- types of projects (interiors, housing estates …)
Modeling portfolio, fashion portfolio, hairdresser portfolio
Treat the portfolio as a catalog or lookbook in which you will present the clothes you have created, styled, or hairstyles. Such “live” evidence of your skills will convince the recipient to understand that you know your profession.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- your projects (sketches, photos …)
- materials from behind the scenes (videos, photos “before and after” …)
- links to platforms with your work (Pinterest, Instagram…)
Marketing portfolio, social media portfolio, digital marketing portfolio
The portfolio is perfect for presenting their activities and effects for people related to marketing or social media. You can include statistics from your campaigns or developed strategies. In this way, you will confirm that you know well what to do to achieve your goal.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- your projects (you can link to your sections on the web — articles, blog …)
- case study (choose an interesting topic and share your observations about it)
- results of your work (provide statistics — clicks, conversion …)
Teaching portfolio, coaching portfolio
For people related to education and carrying out various types of training, the portfolio will be used to document completed schools and courses. They can present their approach to the people they teach and their ways of imparting knowledge to others.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- completed courses and obtained certificates (ECDL certificate …)
- teaching methods (for example, you can record one of the lessons)
- Your specialization (for example, teaching school-age children …)
Chef portfolio, culinary portfolio, baking portfolio
Try to treat your portfolio as a kind of menu. Present in it photos of the signature dishes and the inspiration behind them. Show your culinary passion and creativity with appetizing-looking ones that show the advancement of your skills.
Ideas on what to put in portfolio:
- cuisine in which you specialize (vegetarian, vegetable…)
- your recipes (you can describe them or show them in the form of photos)
- materials from a professional photo session of the dishes you prepare (you can show the stages of making individual dishes in them)
Don’t waste time — Create a portfolio today !
You already know how a portfolio offers enormous opportunities for promotion and development. It is original, very professional, and universal for virtually any form of presentation. Don’t hesitate and create a portfolio today!
