Whether you want to work as a freelance consultant or would like to create a marketing business, you will need to find a way to display your talents to prospective clients and customers if you want to be hired for the services you provide. When you’re looking to enter the marketing industry, you should work on building a thorough and impressive marketing portfolio that highlights the work that you’ve done as well as some information about yourself.

Marketing portfolios are important because they allow marketers to easily display their best work, which should save time during an interview. When put together properly, marketing portfolios will include a cover page, a table of contents, an updated resume, at least five samples of the work you’ve done, and any awards/recognition that you’ve received. Marketing portfolios can be beneficial because they give you the opportunity to show the diversity of skills as well as the experience that you’ve garnered.

While marketing portfolios mainly benefit people who are looking for a job, these portfolios are also advantageous for businesses. There are many marketing firms that offer marketing services to companies that need them. If your company has recently performed marketing work, the best work that you’ve done should be gathered and cultivated into a portfolio that you can use. Keep in mind that marketing portfolios differ somewhat from resumes. In a resume, you’ll talk about the work that you’ve done and the education or work experience that you’ve garnered pertaining to the job in question.

Marketing portfolios are commonly used to enhance resumes by actually showing the work that you’ve done. Marketing portfolios are advantageous because they can help you build a brand for yourself. While prospective clients want to know what you’ve done in the industry, they also like to see examples of this work, which is what a marketing portfolio provides.

This articles goes in-depth about marketing portfolios and how you can create an effective one, which can be helpful before you get started with creating a marketing portfolio of your work.

What to Include in a Marketing Portfolio

Marketing portfolios are somewhat different than personal websites in that personal websites are designed primarily to include content that’s of a personal nature. On the other hand, a marketing portfolio is designed to represent your brand or business. Despite their differences, marketing portfolios can have many of the same characteristics as personal websites. For instance, marketing portfolios can be placed on a single page, which means that your website doesn’t need to be extensive. The same is true with personal websites. You can also integrate your marketing portfolio into a larger website that includes information about the services you provide.

When you’re creating a marketing portfolio, it’s important that you include the right things. For instance, the cover page you provide with the portfolio will display biographical information of yourself or your business, which allows prospective clients to know who you are. You should also include an updated resume that includes all of your previous experience and education. A marketing portfolio is meant to enhance a resume, which means that you can consider the resume to be the base of the portfolio. Likely the most important aspect of a marketing portfolio is showcasing some samples of your work, which gives you the ability to show prospective employers or clients what you do. If you’ve garnered any accomplishments, awards, or press releases of your work, this recognition can support the portfolio that you’ve created.

1. Cover Page/Bio

A cover page is a standard one-page document or biography section that’s meant to highlight the information about yourself and your brand. Along with your contact information, a cover page should also include some information about your business and the services that you provide as a marketer. This is a good opportunity to rebrand yourself or your business if you’re wanting to get started in the marketing industry. Make sure that you include all of the pertinent information about your brand in this cover page, which will serve as the first impression that any prospective clients have of you.

2. Updated Resume

A resume is a very common document that highlights a person’s skills, background, and overall accomplishments. This document is usually provided to potential employers when they are looking to hire. Employers want to learn about who you are and if you will be a good fit for their company. Make sure that you also include any non-work experience that you’ve accumulated over the years. Keep in mind that format matters with a resume. While the format you choose can be practically anything you want it to be, it’s essential that you stick to the same format throughout the resume. If the document appears to be messy and uncoordinated, it will reflect poorly on you.

When writing the resume, don’t include too much information. The resume should be succinct and to-the-point. If the information isn’t relevant to the employer, don’t provide it. Make sure that you break up your text with shorter paragraphs as well. While some personal information should be included in a resume, you don’t need to provide your age. Before you place the resume on your website or provide it to an employer, it’s important that you proofread the document. Any grammatical errors and spelling mistakes must be removed if you want the resume to be effective at helping you get a job.

3. Showcase Samples of your Work

The core component of a marketing portfolio involves the samples that you provide of your work. This is your chance to show off your very best work, which is why you shouldn’t include too many samples. Only your best and most recent work should be included in a marketing portfolio. If you include work that’s from five years ago, prospective clients might be wary about the possibility that it doesn’t represent your most recent work. You should also include different types of samples that show off how varied your skills are. If you can gather any testimonials or reviews of your previous work, these should be provided within the portfolio to better support the work that you’ve done. Keep in mind that imagery is important at getting your point across. When a prospective client can view your work, they will be more confident that the information provided in your resume was correct.

4. Awards, Accomplishments, and Press of Work

Along with the samples of your work that you include, it’s also important that any awards and accomplishments you’ve garnered are placed within the marketing portfolio. This recognition can bolster your portfolio and provide proof of your talents. Any press releases of your work should be included as well. If any non-clients featured your work on their websites, make sure that you link to these sites.

Tips on Designing your Marketing Portfolio

The design and aesthetic of your portfolio can be integral towards making sure that the portfolio is a success. While it’s highly recommended that the design is sleek, stylish, and professional, it’s possible to make a design that matches your brand or personality. The following details four vital design tips to use.

1. Make it Functional and Easy to Find

Your marketing portfolio should be functional and very easy to find. If you’re creating a website, this portfolio should be the center of your site and have a page of its own. If any graphical and intensive elements are included in the portfolio, make sure that the loading times for that area of your website are kept low. If clients find it difficult to navigate to this area of your website, they will leave.

2. Divide the Contents by Category

The content of your portfolio should be divided into different categories and sections. For instance, you shouldn’t showcase samples of your work immediately after your cover page without having a break between the content. Dividing this content will allow clients to navigate to the section that they are most interest in.

3. Make it interactive

Everyone loves interactivity with a website since it helps to keep these individuals engaged with the content. Any videos that you can include will go a long way towards making sure that prospective clients don’t become bored as they read through your portfolio. If they can fit into the content, consider adding some polls or a survey pertaining to the portfolio, which can provide you with useful feedback.

4. Include a Call to Action

A call to action is important for any marketing portfolio if you want prospective clients to contact you about work. Towards the end of the portfolio, include a short and direct call to action that makes it easy for people to inquire about your business or services. Many websites will place a call to action within an interactive button.

Where Do I Put My Marketing Portfolio

There are many different platforms that you can use for your marketing portfolio. Keep in mind that each platform is different and caters to different types of people. The primary platforms that you can use include LinkedIn, Indeed/Glassdoor, Facebook, a business website, and Instagram.

LinkedIn: If you’re advertising to other businesses, LinkedIn may be the way to go. They have cultivated a platform of professionals that it’s easy to market to.

Indeed/Glassdoor & Other Job Platforms: There are plenty of job platforms that are ideal for marketing portfolios, the primary of which include Indeed and Glassdoor. Just like LinkedIn, working with these platforms will provide you with access to other professionals and businesses that may require your marketing services.

Facebook: This platform is used by billions of people and professionals all over the world. It’s easy to create a profile where you can include your portfolio. This portfolio can be placed in the bio section or as a main post on your page.

Business Website: Making a business website is a great solution for marketing portfolios. You can use platforms like WordPress to tailor the website for your exact needs. Every element of the site can be customized to better represent your brand and business.

Instagram: If your Instagram account is based on business or services, you can use this account for your marketing portfolio. Instagram is a platform that mainly hosts photographs, which ties in well with any imagery you use in your portfolio. You can include this portfolio in a regular post or bio link.

Creating a strong marketing portfolio can provide potential clients with examples of all of the great work that you’ve done over the years. This portfolio can enhance your resume and give you a leg up on the competition. No matter the service you use for your marketing portfolio, it’s important that you include only your best work. If you’re having difficulties creating a marketing portfolio, consider contacting a professional web designer to assist you during the process.