DESIGN | BRANDING | GROWTH | PORTFOLIO
A Designer’s True Rival
You can transform your portfolio into an ultimate sales machine.
Scouring through Pinterest for design inspiration, I came across a comment. The person had said,
The best way to grow in any business is by keeping tabs on what others are doing.
In my honest opinion, this is the worst advice I have ever heard. Why? Because focusing on others before improving yourself can put your business in a huge pothole.
My tried and tested strategy to gain exponential growth is:
Beating my own portfolio!
Because,
1. Who wants to remain stuck?
Can you beat your own branding portfolio with the knowledge you already have? Let me put it like this: imagine you are a marathon runner currently running 20 miles.
Now suppose you want to upgrade and run 50 or 60 miles. Can you do that with your current routine of diet and exercise? No, right?
Now you’re getting my point!
So, if you want to beat your design portfolio, you will have to put in more effort as compared to your previous projects.
You will:
- explore
- research and
- gather more inspiration than you did before.
How will that help you? It will open you up to new horizons.
I will let you in on a secret at this point.
When I decided to beat my creative portfolio, I had no idea how I would do it. All I knew was that I didn’t want to produce anything similar to my previous projects.
I set off on a mission to beat myself. During that process, I learned so many new things and explored so many areas that I didn’t even know existed.
What that did was,
- It helped me look further.
- It opened up my mind.
- It made me more creative.
- I was pushed to my limits and out of my comfort zone.
It was tiring and frustrating, but when I finally completed the designs, it was all worth it.
If I hadn’t tried to beat my own branding projects, I would have remained stuck with the limited knowledge I had. I would never have known how to push my limits or get out of my comfort zone.
2. Competition? Wait, let me look at my mirror.
That is what you’re able to say when you beat your own creative portfolio. Competition becomes irrelevant overtime and the only person you’re competing with can’t even face you without being in a mirror.
I stopped focusing on others since a long time ago.
No, not inspirations, of course I look at other people’s work for inspiration! I meant I don’t focus on whether they are doing better than me or not.
Actually wait. I do focus on that too.
BUT.
But, not to obsess over their success or failure. I focus on that so I can learn from the ones doing better than me and sympathize and help the ones, well, not doing better than me.
I have witnessed creative designers obsessing over stats. Their own stats and their competitors’ stats.
What good does that do?
It does nothing, except wasting your time and energy.
If you’re focused on beating your own branding portfolio, you won’t have to worry about anybody other than yourself.
3. Why take baby steps when you can leap like a frog?
I know, I know. You should appreciate and celebrate baby steps. But shouldn’t you try to step up wherever you can?
Not trying to be boastful but I always followed the mindset of under-promising and over-delivering.
According to this mindset, if the project quote is $100, give your client an outcome of $1000. If you do this, you will be able to increase your rate with each successive project.
Why?
Because the client would be comparing your rate to your work and your constant growth will justify the rate increase.
I have personally implemented this strategy and have been able to gain exponential growth.
I did my first project for $50. I was only able to increase slightly in the next three because I had just started and had no idea about the philosophy of beating ones’ own branding portfolio.
Then I started applying the above strategy and guess what? I was able to take on the next project in $2000. Did I stop there? You’re right, I didn’t.
I kept beating my own projects and within 4 months, I was able to charge $22000. I was able to grow my agency exponentially by focusing on doing better than myself on each project. Here is the graph of my experience so far.
But guess what? I still don’t have a website for my agency. I’m making designing and creating websites for other businesses but don’t have one myself. Ironic, isn’t it?
But don’t be hard on me, I have a reason for that.
You: What excuse do you have, Usman?
Me: The projects pile up and I don’t have time to focus on my own marketing.
You: That’s the lamest reason I’ve ever heard! How do you get even get projects when you don’t market yourself?
Now that’s a great question. You see, since I over-deliver, my clients refer me to other businesses in the circle and show them the work I’ve done for their business.
Now because I have developed a habit of beating my portfolio and have no competition than the handsome man I see in the mirror (ok, now that was boastful, I accept and apologize) they easily give me their project.
But I am planning on marketing myself now.
My name is Muhammad Usman, and I am the founder & creative director of a brand experience design agency. My aim is to help not only the creatives but also the businesses that want to become design-driven and escalate their sales. If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to help out in the comment section. :)
