Referrals are great, pricing is important, but if a prospect can see themselves with the results your work brings them, they’re much more likely to sign up with you.

It’s hard to list all the ways that not having a portfolio will stunt your business growth, but one of the worst, is who it leaves you left to partner with as a freelancer.

Portfolios are a sign that someone’s trusted you with their money before. And not only that. The final result of that trust was a product so good that you decided to put it on display.

Not having a portfolio (or some sort of proof that you’ve done business before) is like screaming you’ve got nobody to vouch for you.

…still though, it’s not the end of the world.

I’ve talked about what to do if you don’t have a portfolio before, but let’s cover a few other options…

This is a really important one for writers trying to break into a niche, but it applies to other skillsets too.

You’ll hear me talk about getting in with trade mags, but one of the things they want to see is that you’ve done work connected to an industry (niche) before. This means that even creating blogs on concepts, news, and opinions in a related subject can serve as proof that you’re able to do work that aligns with their vision.

I used this one personally a lot when I started, because most of my clients? Didn’t want the world to know I existed.

In place of a large section of my portfolio, I included a note explaining just that…that my work is private, but that upon request, I could provide referrals to companies that I’d worked with. (I’d gotten permission from them of course.)

I just helped a newbie freelancer (voiceover artist) use this technique to get themselves up and running in less than a month…This is where those low-paying jobs on bidding sites like Fiverr and Upwork actually come in handy.

Since the clients tend to be less sophisticated, it’s easier to discuss up front whether you’ll be able to use any work you complete for a portfolio. They’re also easy to get turned around faster, so if you need something quickly, they’re a great solution.

The most important point is to build your portfolio around demand, and what your prospective clients need. That can take a while to nail down, but if you start there, it will a much more valuable resource for you in the future.

Megan