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Since launching our marketing and sales tools in 2020, it’s been great to see how BuildBook customers are getting creative with their Portfolios!
We know that getting the ball rolling with anything new — especially something like a contractor website — can seem overwhelming. So we’re breaking down how to use your Portfolio to differentiate your business from all the rest and ultimately get more new customers.
When you’re setting up your Portfolio, fill out every single part and don’t skip anything!
We recommend setting yourself up for success as you get started by having everything you’ll need at the ready. For example, go ahead and decide which images you’ll want to use for your Collections, the featured image, and team headshots. Then save them all in one easy-to-find location on your computer, like your desktop.
For the sections that require text, think about what you’ll want to put here ahead of time. To make it super easy, create a new document in Word, Pages, Google Docs — or whatever program you use — and type it out there in advance. Then all you have to do is copy and paste!
When a visitor lands on your Portfolio, this is the very first thing they see. It’s front and center. We talk a lot about the importance of having amazing project pics that are also high quality. And that’s because images of your work are representative of your company and your standards. If you don’t know where to begin, check out our Builder’s Guide for Creating Great Project Pics for Your Portfolio.
Above all else, go for a photo that’s eye-catching!
People buy from people, not companies. From your headline and company description to your services and team members, there are a ton of opportunities to show visitors who they’ll be working with.
Along with the featured image, your headline should grab visitors. How would you describe your company in one sentence? Make this a powerful reason for people to read on and learn more about you. How are you different? What is unique about you?
Your company description appears in the sidebar of your Portfolio and should be a bit more factual so your audience can get a quick snapshot of your company, services, and location. Keep it at 300 words or less.
Make sure you add in all of the services your company delivers for your clients so that visitors can quickly figure out if you might be the right fit for them. There are already a variety of options included to choose from here, or you can create your own.
You also want to share experiences from past clients by adding testimonials. If you already have reviews and testimonials in other places like Facebook or Houzz, cherry pick the best of the best and put them here. If you don't have any yet, send your five best customers an email right now asking if they'd write a few words about working with you.
When it comes to adding team members, this is where you put a face to your business and is an important step that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you don’t have headshots, see if everyone on your team could have someone take a nice picture of them, or if they already have an image you could use. This lets potential clients envision who they could be working with.
Lastly, don’t forget about adding links to your social media accounts. If you use Instagram or Facebook to give updates on projects and connect more with customers then you want them to visit your profile!
Your Collections are the centerpiece of your overall Portfolio page. Take time to curate great photos — either for specific projects or for the different types of work you perform.
Your BuildBook Portfolio and Collections are managed separately in BuildBook. You can create as many Collections as you’d like, which we recommend! There’s no limit to what projects/work you can highlight, such as:
If you’re like most of us who keep pictures on our phones, then use our mobile app to create your Collections! We make it easy for you to upload pics not just from your camera roll, but also from Facebook, Instagram, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
Another huge advantage of getting a large variety of Collections uploaded and organized is that you can individually share them! Let’s say a potential client reaches out and wants to see an example of a basement remodel you completed, but it’s not featured in your Portfolio. If you already have the Collection created, all you have to do is copy the link to share it. We took it a step further and made sure that your logo and company name are included as well.
Once you have a solid set of Collections, you want to publish at least three on your Portfolio — but we recommend using all five slots. Swap them out every month or so to keep your page fresh. And we can’t say this enough: if you can afford it, hire a photographer to help you capture some great photos of your work.
This is a real opportunity to differentiate your company. What are you known for? Go deep here to alleviate the concerns of your potential clients. What do you do better than everyone else to make sure you deliver a great experience for your clients?
Maybe this relates to the vision of your company, or the approach you take to building and managing your projects. Or maybe you have a story to tell about how you got started in the industry. Did you start out by building your own home? Is your business family-run? There’s no limit to what you can include here.
This is the last step before a client is ready to reach out and ask to work with you.
When your Portfolio is first created there is default text here. Be sure to change this copy so that it’s unique to your business and your process. Use this to squash any last objections or concerns they might have. Help them understand what the next few steps in the process will be if they reach out to you.
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Now that your Portfolio is at an all-star level, you want to get as many eyes on it as you can! The entire purpose of your Portfolio is to show off work and describe your company so that — in turn — you get new leads...right? Put it as your link in bio on Instagram, as your website link on your Facebook Page, in your email signature — you get the point. You’ll be racking up new, qualified customers in no time! Sign up for a free BuildBook Portfolio and get started.
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