How to write a strategy portfolio
Every now and then, people ask me about strategy portfolios. How you write one. How you present one. What's ok to include and exclude. When do we share a portfolio or a CV. Or both. Those sorts of things.
I asked the Salmon Crew for their tips. Here's what they shared with me:
Keep your structure simple. It shows you can think systematically. Try different ones. Brief, strategy, work, results. Problem, solution, execution. Brief, role of strategy, impact. Just stay consistent.
Flexibility matters. Strategy can add value in different ways. New brand articulation. New take on the target audience. Fresh comms proposition. Unlocking more agency work. Changing a business model. Or, sometimes, arguing the best thing is to change nothing.
Tips for junior folks. Be specific about your contribution. Don't just say big name clients. If your role was research, show how inventive you were with it. It shows resourcefulness when resources are tight (they always are). Show how your work led to later decisions. Always have an eye on the prize. Few people do.
Tailor your portfolio to different employers. Some places prioritise the rigour. Others, the leap. Others, the idea and craft. Others, the results. This always varies. As always, think like your audience.
Inject personality. There's a fine balance between being systematic and being robotic. Just because it's a work thing, doesn't mean you can't make it feel personal. People should buy you, in your totality.
Work with a designer to make your portfolio 10% more striking. One member had a Creative Director re-design their portfolio and got thousands of views. Without him changing a single word.
Use plain language. Jargon projects lack of confidence. The only person you're impressing is someone who is not very good. You probably don't want to work for them, if you can avoid it.
Learn from the best. Crew member Pedro shared a list of strategy portfolios we could all learn from. Look at the works of Renato Migrone, Daniel Kolb, Isaque, Mollie Partesotti, Clarice Hasler, Barbara Reis, or Julia Garcia. There will be many others.
Remember what Virgil Abloh said about his process: just make something 3% more creative. That's it. Useful advice for crafting portfolios as well.
