Portfolio Of Completed Work

casey344

Looking to improve on our sales presentation material.

We currently have printed color laser photos of completed jobs (8" x 10") in a binder between sheet protectors. It is not organized in any way but its setup similar to the portfolio on our website.

If I am behind my computer discussing, "It would look just like this one" I can send a link or an attachment, but when I am on-site selling a job or trying to explain what it will look like these photos come in really handy. There are no tabs, and no way to quickly find what I am looking for. I would also like to highlight certain parts of a job with a blown up picture of just that area and overlay it over the main image.

I need something that is easy to add to, so that a few times each year I can update the binder with the latest completed work.

I have had several realtors ask me for a printed portfolio as well.

What is working for you? I have a meeting setup with a small business graphics consultant in a few weeks, I am just brainstorming now. I spent $300 at a copy shop 6 months ago trying to get this done it it went totally in the wrong direction.

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Casey

rbsremodeling

tablet pc and microsoft one note.

Make folders of your jobs add pictures and website links to product websites.
You can make notes, write on the pictures and anything else you can think of.

You can email and print or add anything to and from one note. Drag photos to it anything else.

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CarterConstruct

How about put it on a CD and hand it out instead of a folder.
You can make custom CD labels and holders. There are printing companies that can make nice CD holders with your company logo on it, too. You could include photos, short videos, and even forms for them to print off.

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CARTER CONSTRUCTION
Building Relationships....not just buildings

Carport King

Do you sell from a laptop? We just did some cd's on window installation for a 5 story building then turned it into a presentation cd.

We have been mailing it out to other condo's in the area. Already recieved an $800,000 job from it. When I talked to the condo board they said the cd is what sold them on our company.

Out of 6 bidders we were the only one's to have a presentation like this.

The nice thing about this is that it cost us $1.18 each to have made in 200 lots. Priceless

Remodel Bud

Pictures sell, but need to be set up correctly with a written script that should be practiced and rehearsed.

When I was selling home improvements in the window, siding & patio room category, I created a slide show of pictures in a sequence that highlighted the certain topics I wanted to discuss. For the sales people that were computer literate, I set the pictures to a slide show with music our company jingle softly playing in he background. I used photoshop to create the slides & to add our logo to each picture, crop them, use pointers,add text etc,etc.

an example would be siding. I started with beautiful pictures of projects we did, a video testimonial of a few customers( little snip its ) and went into the installation process.

1. our insulation board vs. competitors
2. our details moisture capping vs. competitors no capping
3. Our accessories vs. competitors w/ no accessories
4. our vinyl trim detailed work like double bend in the rake vs. competitors not doing good detailed work

There were so many pictures in a very good sequence that helped accomplish my entire theme.

I also used a different slide show on the laptop just of pictures and testimonials for our showroom that ran constantly.

The sales reps that couldn't use a laptop or were not confident enough, i still used the exact presentation with pictures in a binder in the proper sequence.

The use of Harm pictures ( wrong way of doing things, poor installation) and our way were very beneficial, as long as you are careful not to slander a specific company & it isn't overdone. Don't be negative.


The slideshow never took place of the product presentation, but was a great benefit used with it.

Just FYI

RenaissanceR

[deleted]

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casey344

I have a laptop but I rarely take it with me. Most of the time I am standing outside on a shoreline. I have brought it with me in the past but it seemed to be more of a hassle than anything. A tablet may make this process easier, but having it near water (we build docks) concerns me.

I like the video DVD idea. I have made a view slideshows set to music using a program called MemoriesOnTV. Maybe I could try that since its free and depending on the feedback pay for a more professional DVD.

Great input ... thank you.

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Casey

Remodel Bud

I agree. Having both options is the best.

Remodel Bud

I love the idea of sending out info in the video format as a marketing tool!

RPortinga

If it will fit, look at "video cd" or VCD vs DVD. There are still some computers out there without DVD. And once you get the master, you can make your own copies.. CDs are cheaper than DVDs.

Years ago I did a html based presentation on "business card" CDs. The labels were very similar to our actual business cards. I could send one of these plus a cover letter in a standard envelope for standard postage.

Could look at something similar using a small video file, or if you know someone that can do Flash. A business card CD though is limited to about 50meg, and buying 100 at a time the cost was comparable to regular CDs at the time.

Mini size CDs or DVDs are another option, but would probably put you over the 1oz for standard postage.

I've also thought about doing something like this and trying to find a bunch of "cheap" thumb drives.. either 512 or 1GB. You can get your company name/logo put on them, copy your presentation files to it, and give them to select potential customers. This is something I'm looking in to as soon as we have time to put the presentation part of it together.

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Rob Portinga - Bauer Bros. Construction, Inc.
Design/Build - General Contractor - Construction Management

Cdat

I had some kids (youngsters) take all my work photos, scan them or transfer them into their computer, do some fangdangling around, add a rock score and show me the results. I then had them add my company e-mail address to the ending of the little 'show'. Now, when people ask for my website/work photos, I either mail or e-mail them a copy. Been flooded with interview requests ever since.

onenia

I use a binder for testimonials and certifications and a photo album for job pictures. I find that it builds credibility and gets the homeowner talking. They say the average person needs to hear something 10 times before it sticks but visualization and photos have a higher impact and retention rate.

Perfect example today; I said to the homeowner at least 3 different times the services that we offer and that we could handle everything she needed to complete her project. Later in my presentation I whip out the photos and she
says," oh you can do wood floors too, I didn't know you did that. You can do everything I need."

Telling someone what you want them to know... worth about .02
Showing them what you want them to know...priceless.

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Houston remodeling company | Kitchen remodeling | Room additions

RenaissanceR

While at the local BJ's wholesale club this afternoon, picked up an HP 3.5"
Digital Picture frame for $29.95. Holds 45 photos, and has a slide show mode to show off photos of one's work. Comes with it's own leather case, and battery life is 2 hours. I plan on using mine as a "portable presentation" show when on the road, and to supplement the regular set of notebooks I carry. And it fits in your pocket.

The model number is HP DF300a3, or google "HP 3.5" Digital Picture Frame".

JoeF

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