Building a portfolio is an important part of any career in copywriting. It can help you prove your talent and showcase your skills in a creative and compelling way.
However, creating a portfolio can be difficult. The process of finding the right pieces of work to include in your portfolio can be time-consuming, and the actual creation of the portfolio can be a lot of work. If you’re looking for an easy way to showcase your creative skills and build a portfolio, check out these simple steps.
Find A Niche
The first step in the process of creating your portfolio is to narrow down the subject areas you’ll include in your work. What makes your work unique and special? What are your specialties?
What do you love most about writing? Do you enjoy crafting passionate sales pitches for companies? Are you more of a narrative writer, creating compelling stories for people to enjoy?
Narrowing down your subject matter to a few areas that you’re passionate about will make you more inclined to produce quality work and keep your audience engaged. Furthermore, focusing on a few areas will make your portfolio more relevant and compelling.
Find Your Specialty Within Those Areas
Once you’ve got your subject matter narrowed down, you can start looking for your specialties. Within those areas, you’ll find sub-specialties. Take your time and explore each area and its sub-areas. Consider what makes each area distinctive and unique, and why you’re the best person for the job.
When you’ve explored the main areas of writing, you’ll start to see a pattern emerge. Some areas can be difficult and require specific skills. For example, financial reports require a lot of research and diligence, while marketing plans require a strong understanding of the objectives and an ability to string a few thoughts together in a logical way.
If you’re unsure of what makes your area special, you can always look at successful writers in those areas for inspiration. Getting caught up in the moment and rushing into a project without first getting familiar with the niche can lead you to produce work that is weak and unproductive.
Produce Creative And Different
Writing is a diverse field. There are multiple ways to skin a cat, and many clichés that can be used to describe writing. Because of this, a good writer will always produce original and creative work. Even if you’re following a formulaic process for pitching, you’ll be able to produce something unique and creative that will make your work stand out.
To produce creative and different work, you need to have a good grasp of the concepts behind traditional story structure. Once you’ve got that down, you can start rejiggering and repacking ideas and content into unique forms. If you can prove that you can do this, even if you’re following a formulaic approach to pitching, you’ll be able to develop your own style and become memorable.
Consider Relevant Courses
If you’re pursuing a creative or advertising career in digital marketing, you’ll need to have a good understanding of SEO and how to use metrics to drive your strategy. However, focusing on technical skills alone won’t make you special. You’ll also need to understand how to apply your skills creatively to solve business problems.
To get into the habit of solving business problems and creating innovative strategies, you should consider taking a business or marketing analytics course. These courses will help you analyze data and perform market research to find out what’s working and what’s not. They also provide you with the tools and the knowledge to develop a marketing strategy that’s guaranteed to drive results.
Produce Creative Works That Will Impress
When you’ve got a substantial number of creative works that are representative of your skills, you should consider attaching them to a pitch. A pitch is an easy way to quickly and efficiently get your work out there to as many people as possible. When creating your pitch, you want to go for a style that makes the reader interested in your work. The best way to do this is to write something that’s memorable, interesting, and has a strong plot. Consider what makes your work special, and you’ll be able to develop a compelling pitch.
Why A Creative Portfolio Is Such An Advantage
A good portfolio is a goldmine for any creative or advertising professional. It provides a solid basis from which to work. It also allows you to show off your various specialties and the range of work you can produce.
Most importantly, a creative portfolio provides you with a collection of work that you can show off to prospective employers, collaborators, and yourself.
If you’re looking to create a unique and compelling portfolio, start by identifying the various areas of writing you’re equipped to undertake. Then, take the time to explore those areas and their sub-specialties. From there, you can develop a clear idea of your various strengths and how you can apply them to a particular writing task. Finally, take the time to produce creative and different work that will impress. You’re sure to find a place for your work in the creative industry.