Elle Kwan is founder of Hong Kong-based Elle Kwan Studio which specializes in crafting websites for interior designers that are both aesthetically inspiring and marketing-savvy. In our latest From the Tap podcast, she talked about how designers can turn their portfolio into a time-efficient client acquisition tool.
A former journalist, Kwan knows how to find – and tell – a good story. She opens the conversation by offering advice on how designers can sharpen the focus and content of their portfolio, While compelling visuals are crucial, Elle stresses the equal importance of storytelling – detailing where clients started, the challenges faced, and the transformation achieved through the designer’s work. By weaving narrative context alongside striking visuals, designers can create portfolios that not only showcase their capabilities but also resonate emotionally with prospective clients, increasing engagement.
She recommends that designers’ websites offer visitors the opportunity to download a portfolio or case study. Once that contact has been established, a conversation can begin by using a series of automated emails that gradually zero in on the customer’s needs and intents.
Time-Saving, Personalized Responses
Kwan said of the emails, “It helps to constantly be showing up for a client without the designer actually having to do very much, and it feels very different from the kind of active participation with Instagram or being beholden to your DMs and answering questions about where you got floor tiles and things like this. It also puts you in control of the conversation so that you’re not at peoples’ beck and call – particularly before they’re your clients and paying for your time and expertise.”
To learn more about turning your design portfolio into a client acquisition machine, listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora and other outlets.
