When seeking an ad agency, one of the first things to ask about is the agency’s portfolio. The agency’s portfolio is the collection of its work, whether it has been done in-house or for a third party. The portfolio gives potential clients an idea of what kind of work the ad agency does, and whether they should work with them or not.
One reason a company puts together its own portfolio is to give clients an idea of their style. If the ad agency’s work doesn’t look cohesive or professional, the client may decide to move forward with someone else. By putting together an impressive portfolio, the ad agency demonstrates that it is concerned about appearance and professionalism.
It is also helpful to have an ad agency put together a portfolio of its work if the company is planning to expand into a market that is not represented by its existing talent. For instance, if it was planning to expand into international marketing, it would want to build a portfolio that showed people from different countries interacting. Having a diverse range of professionals working under one banner can be a great advantage. A diverse workforce can grow together and help the ad agency grow as a company.
Even though an ad agency may be small at the moment, consider all of the connections that it makes. The agency may have relationships with other companies, such as brands and design houses. Some work closely with PR firms. Others may have contracts with television networks. These relationships are all part of what makes an agency valuable, and it is important to make sure any current employees know how to build a good portfolio.
There are a number of ways for a company to put together a portfolio. One way is for it to create its own or hire a freelance designer to create one. The second is to buy a design package from somewhere like iMalorysis, where there are templates to get you started. The third way is to create a portfolio through a third party website, such as Elance. If you have an ad agency already, consider creating a portfolio for them as well.
An ad agency portfolio should include a list of their current clients. They should also provide information about their history, contacts and a bit of history on the company itself. This can include photos of the staff and their experience. It is important not to forget to include a section about the creative team. This will show whether or not each person has the right experience for the job.
When putting together an ad agency portfolio, remember to keep things simple. Don’t try and impress your audience by raving about past projects. Focus instead on showing potential employers just a few clips from your best work. The agency portfolio should not be so busy that it ends up cluttered. Keep it to a minimum and it will help ensure that it is easily navigable.
The best part of putting together an agency portfolio is that it can serve as a reference for possible jobs. If an ad agency is particularly talented, it could help you land a job that you might otherwise not have had. If this does happen though, it is always a good idea to take some past projects into account when reviewing possible agencies. Your overall success in life and in the ad agency business can be greatly influenced by how well you do your homework before approaching businesses.
Most portfolios are going to focus mainly on recent work. This means that you should make sure that everything you put out there is current. No matter how great an agency you are, if you are not putting out anything that is going to be used in the near future, it may be a sign that you are looking elsewhere. Take some time and really consider what your options are going to be, whether those options include working with other ad agencies or with a private client.
Make sure that your portfolio is easy to navigate. You may be faced with hundreds of different pieces of information. Make sure that you can quickly find out who you need to contact in order to get more work. Remember that your portfolio should be a quick and easy way for people to get to you. If you can make it difficult to contact you, chances are you will lose potential business.
If you are working with an ad agency, remember that the portfolio they present to prospective clients is the first impression. The agency portfolio is going to be one of the first things any potential client sees when they approach you. Take some time and really consider what your options are going to be. With some careful planning and some careful decisions, you can create an ad agency portfolio that will dazzle the people that visit it.
I started my first web marketing campaign in 1997 and continue harvesting this fruitful field until today. I helped many startup and well-established companies to grow by applying innovative inbound marketing strategies. In 2001 I designed and managed development of the first automated Search Marketing Management System that opened a whole new era in web marketing automation. For the past 8 years I have been a Head of Marketing for a digital advertising agency, based in Canada. There, I founded the new Search Marketing Department which served over a hundred clients worldwide and tripled the Company revenue in the last 4 years. Currently, I live in Montreal, Canada. With the accumulated 24-year experience in all aspects of digital marketing and communications, I am ready to contribute all that powerful mix of skills and knowledge to your Business now - without a delay!
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