When you’re pitching a new client, they will want to know how you’ve handled previous jobs (both small and large). The reason they ask this is that it allows them to assess if they can trust you with their next development project.
Clients feel more confident about working with someone they know is not only experienced but also has consistently delivered results in the past. When you’re trying to showcase past projects, your first consideration should be the value and relevance of each project.
If you’ve got a portfolio filled with mundane projects, then it will be hard for you to convince potential clients that you’re worth their time. You do not want to leave the impression of being a ‘low-value resource’ on prospective clients.
How To Organize Past Projects
How you present your past projects to new clients can have a significant impact on their willingness to hire you. When showcasing past projects to new clients, organizing them by the technology used, industry, skillsets (e.g., for data entry, or virtual assistant projects), etc. is crucial.
If you are a marketing agency, then it is also a good idea to organize them by the channels used. Email marketing is so different from SMS marketing, which is again different from content marketing. So, letting clients filter your projects based on the channels will help them align your offerings with their goals.
Please make a note that if you don’t do this well, you can risk turning away potential clients who would have loved to work with you on the project but couldn’t understand what you were doing that was so different from any other project manager in the market.
A portfolio can help set realistic expectations, and give potential clients more information about the kind of work you do, and how much you’re worth.
Plus, a well-designed portfolio isn’t just to impress your new clients, but also to earn their long-term trust and confidence in you.
By providing clients with result-oriented examples of your work, it makes them feel more comfortable having you on their team — and that means more recurring business for you.
Also, make sure that your portfolio is updated regularly so that potential clients can see what’s new in your services, how much things have changed, and most importantly why.
Three Ways To Showcase Past Projects To New Clients
Your Own Website
A great way to showcase past projects to new clients is through your own website.
You can use this database to create different sections for each project and then add some photos, videos, or even an audio file with their description.
While showcasing your projects in a visually appealing way is important, it is also important to organize the details in a document database in the backend so that it is easier to filter them in different ways.
When someone clicks on one of these links, it opens up their browser and takes them directly to the relevant page where they can read about each project or watch a video presentation of it.
This can be done by creating a WordPress site, which allows you to customize your site with different themes and plugins. You can also use graphic design tools, or custom HTML elements if you want more control over how things are laid out on the page.
You can also go build a clean and minimalistic portfolio website using no-code website builders like Webflow or a combination of Notion and Super.
Flipbooks
A Flipbook is basically a digital ebook that you can create and share with your clients or potential clients.
You can take any number of photos, add text and drawings, and then export them all into one PDF file, which you can then send to anyone who wants to see it.
This is especially useful if you have a lot of information that needs sharing like pricing, contact details, photos, and more. By using Flipbooks, you can quickly get all that information out there without having to create multiple pages manually each time when requested by a new client.
Interestingly, this, in a way, helps you productize your service(s), and make your workflow a repeatable process.
The Good Old Spreadsheets
Another creative way to showcase past projects to new clients is through spreadsheets. This is especially helpful for IT projects where you need to add a lot of details regarding the technology, project scope, etc.
Creating an Excel spreadsheet with all these details and sharing it with your client will help them see how much work you did on their project and how much value you brought to the table.
You can also include feedback from your past clients in the sheet along with a star rating for your services, which will give your new clients an idea of how well you served them.
Wrapping Up
The key takeaway is that potential clients want to see your past work. It’s the best way for them to determine the type of direction you’ll take, and it can help persuade them that you’re a capable project manager worth hiring.
Plus, there are other factors to consider — if someone sees your recent work, they can see that you’re actively working on projects and that you’re worth your price.
So, showcase your best work, and land clients consistently.
Author: Anand Srinivasan