Great clients don’t care about your portfolio

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“You’re my guy. I’m yours forever. Now, how much is this going to cost me, ten grand?” I’d just met this guy on Instagram twelve hours before this conversation, and we were already sealing the deal.

“A bit more. Let me put everything we just discussed in writing, and I’ll send it over for a signature here in a few hours.” A quick hug, and he was out the door.

A lot of things changed in the year immediately following what I call my “Phoenix Moment.” One of the most profound changes I committed to was a complete reversal in how I worked with clients. This change guides the entire working relationship, but the foundation of that shift is rooted in your first few moments with the client.

Ditch the Look Book

Can I let you in on a secret? When you’re doing web design for B2C businesses, a great deal of the clients worth hiring aren’t looking at your portfolio. They’re not interested in pretty pictures. They ultimately help, yes, but they’re icing on the cake. “Does it look good?” becomes an afterthought along the way, a box to check on the way toward closure.

You know what sells? Answers. Confident, concise, informed solutions. Results.
Bullshit, you say? The client above never saw a portfolio. Five out of six before him didn’t ask for one, either. We don’t have a portfolio or examples on our website, and that decision has helped our sales — we’ve tested it.

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