How to Sell Brand Strategy Without Portfolio
By Levina Kusumadjaja
[an ongoing sales call]
Client: “Your process sounds great. I’m interested to hear more about the brand strategy workshops. Let me talk to my partner and I’ll update you in a couple of days.”
You: “I’m glad! Anything else you need from me?”
Client: “Yeah, actually one more thing. Can you send me samples of your work?”
[Silence.]
But... this is your first real brand strategy client. You have nothing to show them, except a few trial brand roadmaps that you don’t want to show. You have a workshop template, but that’s a template not an actual evidence of client work. Oh no.
[Still silence, heartbeat accelerating...]
Client: “Just a couple of your most recent projects, 1-2 should be enough.”
You have 0 most recent projects. But you have to say something, right? You can’t just leave the client hanging in there.
You: Mmm....
What would you say next?
You’re just starting out and you don’t have everything set up yet. You don’t have a website, you have zero case studies written, you have no social media account with a lot of content nor following to share yet. What can you show to your potential clients?
I started out my journey with many phone calls like the one above. It was terrifying. I didn’t have something to show for a long time. In my first 3-4 calls with a potential client, I was tempted to tell them “Sure, I’ll send you some samples in a few days” and get off the phone frantically writing out case studies to show. I’m glad though that I decided not to. In each of those calls I honestly admitted that they were my first potential clients. While I promise to do my best, help them solve their problems, and be open for feedback, I told them I knew they were taking a risk by hiring me as a writer. And you know what? To my surprise they were all okay with it. They said yes, we went through the workshop, wrote the case study, and they loved the process! Every step of the way. What a crazy turn of events!
The best thing you can show your clients when you are just starting out is your sincerity and honesty.
It’s okay to start from where you are at and be honest about it. Tell them that you don’t have a sample work to show right now, because you are just starting out, but perhaps you can show them your process. You can offer to show your previous work and share areas of your workflow that you have updated to achieve a better solution. You don’t have to get off the call and immediately set up a website in the next 24 hours so that you can show them that you are “legit”. Just show them where you are at as creative and as a business.
Of course this honesty will not guarantee you getting every potential client that walks through your doors. Not every client will value your journey. The ones that don’t will not want to work with you, and that’s okay. Just refer them to someone else who is more experienced and let them go. Meanwhile, the clients that do see the value in your journey will appreciate your openness, and they will even encourage your growth in the process.
The same way that you don’t have to pressure clients to want to take a chance on you, is the same way that you don’t have to pressure yourself to meet their expectations at that time. You can give space for yourself to grow and find clients who are okay to partner with you with what you can bring, right then and there. It doesn’t mean you are not trying your best. You are growing and you are giving your best—but when that “best” doesn’t meet what your current potential client is looking for, let them go. That means your “best" will fit with clients with different needs and goals.
You are allowed to try new things—brand strategy for the first time, designing a logo for the first time, writing a website copy for the first time. And you are allowed to try doing them without having a series of work samples to show to your potential clients. Embrace that honesty and come to clients confident with what you can bring and with the freedom to keep learning and growing in the process.
Cheers!
Levina
P.S. Want to learn more about selling brand strategy without a portfolio? Check out this Instagram Live with Melinda Livsey and Fabian Geyrhalter. Fabian ditched his portfolio and it helped, rather than hurt his sales.
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About the author:
Levina is a writer based in Indonesia. Because of Melinda Livsey, she recognized the power of brand strategy for every creative. She is sharing about her learnings as she goes to help creatives have fun in their growth and journey of building brands. Connect with her on LinkedIn and say hi!