Create your Freelance Portfolio

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Lesson Recap:

How to Create a Freelance Portfolio (Even If You Have No Experience)

Creating your freelance portfolio doesn’t need to feel like a Catch-22. Whether you’re just starting out, switching niches, or revamping your offerings, this lesson breaks down exactly how to build a portfolio that gets you hired — no fancy website or client history required.

What Clients Actually Want

Most freelancers get stuck in perfectionism. They believe their portfolio needs to be:

• Designed on a paid platform
• Full of real client work
• Polished and typo-free

The truth? Most clients skim one or two relevant samples. Many won’t read your full portfolio, and some won’t check it at all. Your portfolio is proof you can do what you say you do — not a museum of perfection.

The Must-Haves in Your Portfolio

• 2–3 samples per service you offer
• Each sample tailored to your dream client
• Easy-to-access link (Notion, Canva, Squarespace, etc.)
• Optional: case study or context for each sample

You do not need:

• A full-blown website (a Notion or Canva site works great)
• Published work (you can write mock or spec samples)
• Experience in the niche (use research + fake brands)

The Portfolio-Building Process

Step 1: Research Your Dream Clients

Study the types of businesses you want to work with. What are they posting? What tone do they use? What types of content or design do they prioritize?

Use tools like:

• Social media + newsletters
• Competitor analysis
• Keysearch, AnswerThePublic, or TikTok’s Creator Insights
• ChatGPT for brainstorming sample project ideas

Step 2: Plan Your Portfolio

Pick 1–3 services you want to offer. Then:

• Make up a "dream client" for each sample (or model it off a real brand)
• Plan what you’ll create (ex: a welcome email series, a blog, a landing page)
• Break it into steps and set mini-deadlines

Tip: Use a timer to limit perfectionism. Done is better than perfect.

Step 3: Create the Work

Make your sample deliverables as if you were getting paid. Treat them like experiments or practice runs. If you’re ghostwriting or under NDA:

• Use screenshots and redact names
• Add fake logos or mock brand elements
• Share context with a case study instead of raw files

Want extra support? Rachel offers unlimited portfolio critiques inside Pop Club.

Step 4: Publish and Share It

Start simple. Use what you’ll actually maintain. Rachel recommends:

• Notion (free, indexable by search engines)
• Canva Sites (easy, beautiful, not indexed)
• Squarespace/Wix/WordPress (if you’re already comfy there)

Avoid portfolio platforms like Contently — they don’t let you customize enough to actually sell your services.

Your site should include:

• About You
• Services Offered
• Portfolio Samples
• Testimonials (when available)
• Contact Info

FAQs Recap

Can I use past work from school or non-paid gigs? Only if it aligns with your niche + service. Skip irrelevant filler.

Should I wait until my portfolio is done to pitch? Nope. Pitch while building. It creates urgency and you might land a first client you can feature.

How many pieces do I need? Start with 3–5 total. One great case study can be enough if it’s robust.

Final Reminder

Your portfolio isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being relevant. You can always update it later — your dream client needs to see something now. So start scrappy. Show what you can do. And remember:

Done is better than perfect. Always.

Want help building yours? Check out the Notion and Canva portfolio templates or join Pop Club for coaching, critiques, and community support.