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Author: Franz Malten Buemann
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The 14 Best Graphic Design Portfolios We’ve Ever Seen, & How to Start Your Own
A great graphic design portfolio can’t move mountains, but it can change your life with a new job or opportunity. AI and other factors are impacting graphic design hiring, making your portfolio more important than ever before.
And while some designers still carry a physical book of printed design examples, most portfolios are graphic designer websites. These sites show audiences much more than design skills like logo design or typography.
Whether you’re a full-time graphic designer or dabbling in design as a side project in your free time, it’s critical you create a sleek graphic design portfolio to showcase your work to potential clients.
Fortunately, we’ve created a list of 14 impressive graphic design portfolios, followed by instructions on how you can create your own. Keep reading to get all the tips you need to curate the perfect space to showcase your work.
A graphic design portfolio is one of the most important elements a client needs to see when choosing a graphic designer — which means a portfolio is vital for proving your skill as a designer.
Additionally, a graphic design portfolio, much like a resume, provides necessary contact information, and any case studies you care to include from past employers.
Most portfolios today are graphic designer websites. This means that they’re not only a way to connect with clients. They also help graphic designers build communities and share their work with potential fans around the world.
So what does a graphic design portfolio need to look like to stand out? Some of the best graphic design portfolios today include these elements:Motion graphics
Video
Original illustrations
Animation
Product design
UX design
Ad campaigns
Storyboards
Brand identityLet’s look at some graphic design portfolio website examples to inspire and motivate your portfolio development. You could be a traditional graphic designer or experimenting with new media. There’s something here for everyone.
1. Morag MyerscoughBright graphics, animations, and clean design make this an exceptional graphic design portfolio. This approach is great for designers who lean into the art of design. It also works for designers who take on more experimental or site-specific projects.
Why we chose this graphic design portfolio: Myerscough’s aesthetic is unique and this image-focused site quickly communicates her style.
Short sections of copy connect her visual brand to her background, professional experience, and personal philosophy. The combination makes the site feel like it shows the whole designer, not just a visualization of the work she does for clients.
2. Heather ShawThis graphic design portfolio website includes samples of book and website designs, branding, and more. It’s good for designers who work in many different media but want to present a cohesive portfolio.
Why we chose this graphic design portfolio: Heather Shaw’s portfolio is super clear and easy to navigate. It shows a wide range of skills and approaches to solving client problems, but it’s also visually consistent.
The designer also uses text effectively to explain each project and to encourage further engagement with the work.
3. Mohamed SamirSamir’s work includes branding, typography, posters, and print design. So, this graphic design portfolio zeros in on a tight collection of award-winning designs.
This graphic design portfolio is on Behance. This makes it a good fit for graphic designers who want an online presence without designing their own website.
Why we love this graphic designer’s website: Besides the high quality of the design work, this portfolio shows a diverse range of approaches to typography and style. At the same time, it shows a consistent vision and passion for visual communication.
The printed design work is also well-photographed. While the designer could have added a digital file instead, the photographs give you a better sense of the final polished design.
4. Gleb KuznetsovKuznetsov’s portfolio combines product design, user experience, and graphic design to create something entirely new. This Dribble-hosted portfolio has over 50 images, which could be overwhelming. But they’re split into seven easy-to-understand projects.
This makes it a great graphic design portfolio example for designers who want to show long-term or complex projects.
Why this is a great example of a graphic design portfolio website: From the images to his brief “About” statement, this designer makes his unique vision and personality part of the work and its presentation.
5. Chris TammarGreat designers often let the work do the talking. It’s a streamlined graphic design portfolio that calls attention to client deliverables. When text is present, it adds to the value of the work, like mentioning other websites that featured their infographics. This is a great portfolio format for designers doing graphic design work like:
Logo design
Packaging
Brochures for business clientsWhy we chose this graphic design portfolio: This group of work is simple and to the point. It also shows off a wide range of skills and tactics with a consistent vision.
6. Sophia YeshiA clear header and tile design emphasize work samples from this powerful graphic designer.
While the tiles emphasize the designer’s unique style, you can click on each tile to get the full details about each project. This is a great approach for designers who want to share the deeper story behind each project while still making the site easy to navigate.Why we love this graphic designer’s website: A distinct style is important in graphic design. That said, it can be tough to show how many ways you can apply that distinct style in a business context. Major brands, including Google, Nike, and Comcast, use Yeshi’s unique illustrative voice to speak for their brands.
This website portfolio makes that point clear, while still making graphic design the focus.
7. Stefanie BrüecklerThis portfolio includes packaging design, illustration, and web design as well as graphic design and branding work. It’s one of our favorite graphic designer websites because it’s clean and easy to navigate.
It also shows a lot of different examples of work at a glance. This makes it a great example for designers who aren’t sure how to organize all the work they want to include in their portfolio.
Why we love this graphic designer website example: Brückler’s graphic design portfolio focuses on the tiniest of details to create an excellent user experience. From the simple page loading animation to the thoughtful use of motion graphics, this designer hones in on the stunning details.
8. Chip KiddBook cover designer Chip Kidd’s graphic design portfolio website uses lightbox-style pop-ups. Popups make it easier to focus on each book cover. This is a smart way to narrow in on the visuals with a graphic design site while still making it easy to see all the work in one place.
Kidd uses a range of different styles for book covers, and it’s edited in a way that makes this range look natural and exciting instead of chaotic.Why this is a great example of a graphic design portfolio website: The dark background makes this graphic designer’s style pop. And the simple side navigation gives users a quick path to learn more about the designer and his work.
9. MDZ DesignConcise and exciting images on this graphic designer website example give site visitors a peek at execution and strategy.
MDZ Design also offers product design and strategy to clients. This makes their graphic design portfolio a useful example for strategy-focused designers.
Why we love this graphic designer website example: The range of services this portfolio shows could be overwhelming or confusing. Instead, it’s a chance to see their approach to problem-solving. They also make it easy to see how their process leads to results for their clients.
10. Alex TrochutThis graphic design portfolio is also a home for Trochut’s product design, animations, music, and NFTs. It’s a great example for multimedia artists who want to present their work on a single website. It also works for creators with a big collection of work to show.
Why we love this graphic designer website example: The four-column layout of this site shows image thumbnails of varying sizes. Each column moves at a different pace as you scroll down the page.
This motion feels dynamic and exciting and reinforces this designer’s original takes on color, type, and layout.
11. Tobias van SchneiderThis graphic design portfolio website uses a range of type sizes and contrasts to emphasize the ideas it communicates. This is a great approach for entrepreneurial designers. It’s also smart for anyone who does collaborations as part of their design work.
Why we love this graphic designer’s website: A sticky header and big blocks of color and text make this graphic designer website interesting to explore. This site also uses scale well. It combines big images with both big and small text to emphasize each client project.
12. Kate MorossThere are many ways to play up a unique style, and this graphic design website highlights this designer’s recent work as well as a full project archive. This is a great example for designers who also do illustration.
Why we chose this graphic design portfolio: Moross uses space effectively on this site. It’s easy to get an immediate sense of the designer’s distinct style. The simple navigation helps users refine their search to target a specific type of work, like hand-drawn type or editorial design.
13. Ling KLingK’s portfolio features their latest project while also showing other industry niches. The structure of the website helps prospective clients quickly decide if they want to work with this designer.
Why this is a great example of a graphic design portfolio website: It can be tough to convey how campaign materials for a complex event, like a wedding or conference, work together. This designer effectively shows the breadth and depth of work for each project and makes it easy to see the value of each deliverable.
14. Nisha K. SethiSethi’s portfolio is simple and straightforward. It puts the spotlight on each design project. The “About” section also tells a clear story that encourages further questions and conversation.
It can be tempting to tell an audience everything on your website. But a great portfolio should offer enough samples to entice clients to reach out and learn more, but not so much that it overwhelms. This website is a great example of offering just enough.
Why we love this graphic designer website example: This graphic design portfolio combines hand-lettering, printmaking, and other media with digital design. While this designer works in a range of media, their portfolio shows a strong voice that is effective across many channels.
1. Curate your best work, and show a wide breadth of skill.
Lindsay Burke, a HubSpot Product Designer, emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity when it comes to curating a graphic design portfolio. She says, “I recommend selecting your strongest projects and making these the primary focus of your portfolio website.”
Ideally, your portfolio will feature your sharpest, most impressive 10-20 designs — undoubtedly, someone pursuing your portfolio won’t have the time to look at more, and if your first couple projects are impressive enough, they shouldn’t need to.
But it’s equally critical you show potential clients your versatility. If you’ve dabbled in logo design as well as video animation, it’s good to include both kinds of projects in your portfolio.
2. Choose the right platform to showcase your work.
Investing in a quality website with a custom domain URL will pay off in the long run by demonstrating your professionalism to potential clients.
Having your own website helps you organize your portfolio to suit all your business needs — for instance, perhaps you’ll include ‘Projects’, ‘About Me’, and ‘Contact Me’ sections, so visitors can peruse your content and then contact you without ever leaving the site.
Take a look at this list of the best website builders if you need help choosing a platform for your portfolio.
3. Include a professional case study or client recommendations.
Lindsay Burke told me it’s incredibly valuable to write out a case study to complement any website visuals — “Through a written case study, your site visitors can get a sense of your project’s background, the problem you were aiming to solve through design, and the process you took to arrive at a final deliverable. A lot of time, effort, and iteration goes into design solutions, and a written case study will help communicate your unique process.”
To cultivate a strong case study, consider including the background of the project, the problem, the process, your deliverable, and any next steps.
In the process section of your case study, Burke suggests including research, experience mapping, persona development, wire-framing, sketching, usability testing, and iteration.
Additionally, it will impress future clients if you can include recommendations from prior employers, which allows you to demonstrate a level of professionalism.
4. Integrate your personality.
As you can see in the examples above, each portfolio is drastically different depending on the artist’s unique style. Someone checking out Tobias van Schneider’s portfolio will expect something vastly different from someone looking at Ling K’s site. Ensure your portfolio — including layout, background, and website title — reflects who you are as a designer.
5. Describe the creative process.
Each designer has a unique process when working with clients — and the sooner a potential client can learn about your process, the better. It’s important you include context, so visitors can get a sense of how you handle challenges, and how your designs solve real-world problems.
Plus, including a description of your creative process can help a potential client figure out whether you’re capable of handling the scope of their project.
For instance, they might be unsure of your ability to handle graphic designs for mobile until they read how you single-handedly brainstormed and created the designs for another client’s mobile site. In this case, context is critical.
6. Show non-client work, or side projects.
Amanda Chong, a former HubSpot Designer, says, “Side projects are a great way to demonstrate your will to take initiative and your ability to balance multiple things at once. They’re also a great way to show some of the more experimental, creative ideas that you might not be able to show through your day-to-day work.”
If you’re just starting out, it’s acceptable to include side projects or non-client work so potential customers can get a sense of your ability and style.
Consider incorporating school work, a logo you designed for your aunt’s company, or an internal design you created for your current company — ideally, your designs will negate any concerns potential clients have over your lack of career experience.
1. Help a local business or start-up with its design and brand.
One of the easiest ways to begin building your client base is by reaching out to non-profits or local businesses in your area. Think about creating mock-ups or sketches in advance, These can help you give businesses a sense of your skill and vision.
Perhaps you think a local restaurant needs a new menu logo, or want to help a gift shop with their online marketing materials.
Projects like these will help you better understand local marketing challenges, and give you time to develop your skills in those areas. You never know what a pro-bono project could lead to next.
2. Create content for your own personal brand.
As you build personal brand content, take the time to ensure your marketing materials are cohesive and sleek.
Design a unique logo for your brand. Next, start building your website, and add that same design across various materials, including your business card and resume. This is also a great time to start a branded social media account, and to create posts that show off your design skills and interests.
Clients are more likely to work with you if they can see the type of high-quality work you’re able to create for yourself.
3. Redesign an existing website.
Don’t wait for your dream client to give you a call. Instead, create a complete website redesign for a well-known brand to prove your skills to future clients.
This is a well-known strategy already used by plenty of designers — just take a look at some of the impressive Behance mock-ups for brands like Twitch.
Additionally, Amanda Chong told me, “If you’re creating mockups for established brands to use as part of your portfolio, it’s important to pair this with a case study or description of the process that helped you arrive at your proposed design. Talk about what you think wasn’t working with the existing design, some of the constraints that you think the designers were working with, and why you made the decisions that you did.”
Chong added, “Mockups are great at showing your visual design skills, but don’t necessarily demonstrate your ability to work in a real-world context, so you’ll want to take the time to explain how you would have approached it in a true business setting.”
4. Create graphic design materials for a made-up company.
If your designs are impressive enough, potential clients won’t care that you created them for a fictitious company. In fact, you could impress them with your innovation and creativity.
Consider demonstrating your skills by putting together a creative brief for a fake company, complete with wireframes and sketches. Other projects you can create for imaginary companies include:Branding
Style guides
Posters
Billboards
Social media ads
Apparel graphics
Wrapping paper
Brochures and email newsletters
Simple GIFs
Animated infographics
Trade show booths
Branded wall art
Pitch decks
Book covers
PackagingIn due time, real companies will take notice.
5. Design a logo for a brand you love.
Stick to the type of content you enjoy designing. If you’re particularly adept at making logos, and are often inspired by the logos used by real brands, consider designing an alternative logo for a brand you like.
Then take a look at these inspiring reimagined NFL logos. While these NFL teams probably won’t make a shift, they’re great examples of the designers’ skills and creativity.
6. Create a stock theme for WordPress.
WordPress, a popular content management system, allows users to develop stock themes for WP. Best of all, if your theme is approved, you can sell it as a premium theme for extra cash.
Begin by studying WordPress’s most popular themes, and considering how you can create an impressive alternative. Take a look at WordPress’s Theme Review Requirements and this overview of how to create a child theme to learn more.
7. Take part in a design challenge.
To get inspired, practice your skills, or interact with other designers in a community and build your portfolio at the same time, think about participating in a design challenge.
Design challenges can also help you uncover skills you didn’t know you had by forcing you to step outside your design comfort zone.
There are various daily, weekly, or monthly challenges that will send you prompts on things to design — for instance, try checking out the Daily UI Design Challenge or The Daily Logo Challenge.
You’ve done the work, and now you’re pulling together your graphic design portfolio. Try these tips to make your graphic design portfolio stand out.
1. Show your versatility.
A portfolio should show a range of different works, so you want to highlight what you can do. Some clients prefer a more streamlined look, while others are looking for more experimentation.
If you have clients from different industries, include some work from each industry. Then, edit your portfolio based on the kind of client you’re showing your portfolio to.
For example, if you’re meeting with a client in real estate, show work samples from similar industries.
You’ll also want to show anyone who sees your portfolio what you can do. So, if you create design logos, books, and motion graphics, include a little bit of everything in your portfolio.
2. Display your best work.
That said, try to limit your portfolio to your best work. Don’t include a piece in your portfolio just to show that you can do it. The way that you edit your portfolio shows that you understand your strengths and know how to play them up. So, edit your portfolio to include only your best work.
If you’re great with one skill set but not as good with another, edit your portfolio to spotlight that skill. If possible, create portfolio pieces that show many skill sets at the same time.
For example, if you love hand lettering, a poster could emphasize your graphic design skills alongside this unique ability.
3. Include case studies.
Every client is unique, and each will teach you something new. As you continue to work with different clients, build up a collection of these stories.
Try not to throw anything away without documenting it. That page of thumbnails might not be much to look at on its own, but this kind of work in progress is a great way to show prospective clients how you solve problems.
When you present case studies in your portfolio, start with the initial problem your client approached you with. Next, show what the conversation and ideation process looked like over time. As you pull your case study together, don’t forget to include the final solution you delivered.
4. Make it clean and easy to navigate.
Design is about more than visual skills, it’s about communicating. So the format of your portfolio, whether it’s printed or online, should be clear and simple to scan.
This point is especially important for graphic designer websites. It can be tempting to build a website that shows off the latest trends or to add Easter eggs that people need to hunt for. There’s a fine line between art and design, and those approaches can be super inspiring.
But building a complex site can also mean that clients in a hurry could miss some of your best work.
For example, a graphic designer once sent his portfolio to a creative director friend of mine. They liked the designer’s drawing but didn’t see much of the graphic design or web work that he talked about in his resume. With a little digging, they found a URL in one of the sketchbook drawings, and that URL led to his website.
This hide-and-seek process was cool, but it wasn’t clear or easy to navigate. This scenario could have been a missed opportunity for that designer.
5. Prominently display contact information.
If someone wants to talk to you, there are many places they can find you online. But you want to make it easy for them, and for you. You don’t want to miss out on an important meeting because a client reached out to you with an email you don’t check anymore.
Most graphic designer websites have a contact page that has your contact information. Once you add this to your site, be sure to check that the links and forms are working.
6. Display your unique personality.
There are thousands of successful graphic designers out there, and you might be competing against some of them for your next client. So, the best tip for a great portfolio is to be yourself.
Whether you have a feel for typography or are talented with color, show off the way that you see the world in your graphic design portfolio. Think about every detail, and then execute to the best of your ability.
Whether it’s the first version of your portfolio or the 200th, make it feel like something only you could create.
The best graphic design portfolios aren’t ever finished.
You’ve learned about the value of a graphic design portfolio and checked out some of the best portfolio examples. You read about how to create your portfolio, then you scanned some smart ideas to build on the graphic design work you’ve already completed.
So what’s next?
Even the best graphic design portfolios need constant updates. Keep in mind that while your first graphic design portfolio may be complete, portfolio building won’t ever really end.
What do you want to tackle for your next project? Social media to promote your new portfolio? A new resume or professional bio to attract clients? The possibilities are endless.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. -
Is Password Reset Ruining Your Customer Experience?
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The next train
It’s not a luxury, it’s a choice.
We can build slack into our lives. We can create cycles so that we don’t need to dance with a crisis around time on a regular basis.
If there’s another train after this one, you don’t have to fret.
If the deadline for the project is tomorrow, not today, you don’t have to sweat it.
If the guests aren’t arriving for an hour…
Sometimes, we choose to use the urgent crisis as fuel. We set up our lives around creating these deadlines, reminding ourselves that if we cross that line, we’re dead.
And then we allow the world to do it to us. To create urgencies simply to take our attention and focus.
Productivity is a measure of the value of what we ship in the time we’ve got to invest. It’s not measured in drama.
It’s possible to do great work without putting everything in jeopardy.
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Org Chart Software Market Worth USD 653.82 Million by 2029. | Nevron Software, Visio, Canva, Lucidchart
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Help Requested! New slogan for my company!
I work for a large trucking company and we are trying to create a new slogan for our company. We want to find a new, fresh, and creative way to say that we strive to provide the best customer experience without saying something basic like “Powering the Customer Experience” Any help to make this working slogan better/more unique would be amazing! submitted by /u/juliadavis2112 [link] [comments]
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Our 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report
We have always been focused on building a unique and fulfilling workplace at Buffer, where we value the well-being of our customers and team, and prioritize our individual and collective growth. While diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have always been a big part of our culture, it is more important than ever for organizations to bring a business approach to DEI efforts in order to foster a culture where all team members feel welcomed and valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity for success. That’s why we completed our first DEI report, compiling data collected from an internal survey and audit to give us formal insight into setting goals, measuring success, and helping to hold us accountable for continually improving our culture. Here’s how we collected our data, used that data to identify our top three focus areas, then formulated a roadmap to support our goals, ensuring DEI is a foundational component of our company strategy.How we went about collecting DEI dataWe had not previously performed an internal audit of our DEI data, so decided to establish baseline metrics to help us set informed goals moving forward, and allow us to measure success over time. To help us, I chose to use Pluto, a diversity, equity and inclusion data platform that supports companies in their DEI efforts by providing a secure space for employees to share their identity and experiences. Pluto offers comprehensive DEI metrics, advanced intersectional analytics, proprietary privacy measures, and anonymous two-way messaging, all which help generate actionable insights to help build a stronger culture and drive continuous improvement. Pluto Stories in action We had 66 percent of our 88 person team complete Pluto’s 20-minute anonymous survey at the end of 2021, and we also audited our attrition, promotions, and applicant data in relation to DEI. This helped us get a well rounded look at where we are at currently, so we can set goals for the future.Results from Buffer’s 2022 DEI reportWe have a lot of reasons to celebrate what we have accomplished so far!Teammates feel our culture generally supports them bringing their authentic self to work.Most teammates feel that they belong and are respected.Nearly everyone feels that our benefits are inclusive, they love the flexible work, and feel the pay is fair.We have great LGBTQ representation.Our applicant pool is quite diverse overall.Of course, we also have room for improvement, and there are some areas that we need to focus on to create a more inclusive and equitable experience for all team members. Here’s more on each of those: DiversityWhile our applicant pool is diverse, our team representation numbers do not maintain similar percentages, and our Black and Latine representation is lower than where we want it to be.This chart represents diversity at BufferInclusionWe found that about a third of the team doesn’t feel comfortable voicing contrary ideas or discussing DEI related topics. This impacts our teams psychological safety, and can add to challenges around artificial harmony.Most people who hide a part of their identity at work are hiding religious beliefs, disability, mental health, or political beliefs, and do so because they fear how they might be perceived, or that it will negatively impact them.This chart represents how comfortable teammates feel voicing contrary ideasThis chart represents how receptive teammates feel we are to general issuesThis chart represents teammates who might be hiding a part of their identity at workEquitySome people are unaware of Buffer’s incident reporting policies, unsure how to report incidents, or are uncomfortable reporting. There are also team members who don’t know how to request necessary accommodations.This chart represents comfortability with requesting accommodations ➡️ You can view our survey results directly in the Pluto dashboard here.What we’re focusing on nextUsing the results of our data, we created three main focal areas to guide our DEI Roadmap and prioritize our efforts. While there are many important areas of culture and DEI that we want to continually build upon, we decided to narrow our focus so we can have the most impact. As we move along our DEI journey, we can reevaluate what we focus on to determine if any adjustments need to be made.Uplift historically underrepresented groups within Buffer and the communities we impact, focusing on increasing Black representation where possible.Increase psychological safety so the team feels comfortable voicing contrary ideas or discussing DEI related topics.Center the experience of historically underrepresented teammates.Our roadmap for 2022 and beyondTo support our goals, we have outlined initiatives and policies to help us move the needle, and expand upon our culture. Our roadmap is designed to support our three main focal areas, however we also want to remain flexible based on the needs of the team and any reactive work that might pop up throughout the year, so we intend to iterate often and be willing to pivot as needed. Since we are just getting started in our DEI journey, we want to remain open to learning along the way!1. Uplift historically underrepresented groups within Buffer and the communities we impact, focusing on increasing Black representation where possible. At Buffer, we strive to be a profitable company, and we haven’t taken Venture Capital money in eight years. Because of this, we grow our team gradually and don’t hire often, which means the hires we do make are incredibly important, and can have a large impact on the success of our company, as well as our representation goals. Therefore, we want to ensure our hiring experience is equitable and efficient for every open role.When we are not actively hiring, we want to make sure we are positively impacting our internal team, and our external communities. This means we will prioritize team training and education opportunities on topics such as bias, anti-racism, and interviewing best practices, as well as work to nurture identity centered community groups, and highlight Black-owned customers. (Are you a Buffer customer and have a Black-owned business? Reach out on Twitter to let us know!) 2. Increase psychological safety so the team feels comfortable voicing contrary ideas or discussing DEI related topics.Psychological safety has been proven to be a vital aspect of high performing teams, and helps maximize the benefits of diversity because it makes inclusion possible. In a psychologically safe environment, team members are able to ask questions, discuss thoughts and feelings regarding work and related projects, and acknowledge limitations in what they know or understand. Psychological safety helps create an inclusive environment where historically underrepresented teammates can succeed. Without inclusion, it isn’t possible to attract and retain talent.To help increase our comfort in discussing potentially challenging topics, we plan to provide educational opportunities around engaging in uncomfortable conversations, skills for healthy debates and inclusive management. We want to support one another in sharing alternative perspectives so all voices can be heard, and we can better identify potential risks and challenges in our decisions.Additionally, we plan to examine and evolve the systems and processes that support our team to improve clarity, reduce the opportunity for bias, and increase alignment, making adjustments and iterating where needed. This includes looking at structures such as incident reporting, accommodation requests, performance review processes, career frameworks, and termination processes to help mitigate uncertainty and anxiety, creating a container for candor.3. Center the experience of historically underrepresented teammates.Centering the experience of historically underrepresented groups brings our goals full circle, providing a way for teammates to participate fully in our culture and company. To do this, we plan to foster Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and create a DEI Council, which have been shown to identify and develop internal leaders, increase retention rates, increase professional success of members, support recruitment efforts of underrepresented talent, and nurture talent pipelines. They promote team engagement and strengthen connection both internally and externally within the communities we impact. It allows us to tap into the immense benefit of diverse perspectives, supporting our overall ability to do well as a company. Systemic changes are needed to create equity – not only for teams, businesses and corporations, but for the societies and countries we live in. Every step we can take towards growing and improving where we can, is a vibration that can reverberate out into the world we interact with. – Katie Gilmure, DEI Manager at BufferWhile none of these initiatives are quick fixes, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach with DEI, we are committed to creating a better world both inside and outside of Buffer. Systemic changes are needed to create equity – not only for teams, businesses and corporations, but for the societies and countries we live in. Every step we can take towards growing and improving where we can, is a vibration that can reverberate out into the world we interact with. Since we are just getting started in our DEI journey, we’d love to learn from you! What DEI initiatives have worked well for you? What else can we share about how we’re approaching DEI at Buffer? Send us a tweet to let us know!
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3 Ways to Drive Inclusive Agent Engagement
Two years of sporadic lockdowns have opened up the hiring landscape to more diverse workers, so it’s crucial to ensure you focus on inclusive agent engagement in your contact center.
Though there is no doubt that the shift to remote work took a period of adjustment for some individuals, it quickly became clear that many folks benefited from these changes. With remote work technology and shifts to e-commerce, many people who couldn’t access call center jobs could now participate.
That also opened more opportunities for people who couldn’t perform call center work before the pandemic. Hiring various people with various backgrounds, life experiences, and skillsets is beneficial to business and benefits everyone.
When companies start to bring diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility to the forefront, it creates a work environment where all customers see themselves represented and agent engagement levels remain consistently high.
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Why is Inclusive Agent Engagement Important?
It’s the simplest equation we know—happy agents = happy customers.
If your contact center agents enjoy their work, feel up to the task, and are properly equipped for success, their customer interactions will be superior. Your customer satisfaction (CSat) scores will also get a boost.
When you create a diverse and inclusive, welcoming environment, people tend to be happier, show up more often, and work harder when they are there.
Now more than ever, people have higher expectations for the customer service they receive. When a customer calls your contact center, they want to speak with empathetic representatives and have their query resolved quickly and efficiently without transfers.TIP:
Ensuring agents aren’t overwhelmed by call volumes is a great way to improve agent satisfaction. Fonolo’s Voice Call-Backs help smooth out call spikes and keep call volumes manageable—agents get some breathing room while the customer experience is improved.Agents who can build a rapport with their customers automatically have more successful interactions. If agents are burnt out or have difficulty performing their tasks, they’re less likely to be engaged, which quickly impacts their interactions with customers.
How Does Accessibility Impact Employee Engagement?
Every agent has different needs, whether during training or performing their daily duties. If those needs are not met, in all likelihood, their numbers will be down, work will be frustrating for them, and overall agent performance will drop.
Making your call center accessible for all call center agents can require some investment. But it will save you more in the long run, making agents more productive, lowering turnover rates, and ultimately providing the best customer experience possible.
How to Improve Agent Engagement with Accessibility in Mind
1. Ask every agent what they need to succeed at their job.
Empower agents by asking them exactly what they need to succeed. Every agent’s experience is different—but the best way to get agents what they need is simply by asking. Ask when they first join the team. Consider either a one-on-one meeting with management on their first day or provide an Accessibility Needs form for each agent.
Agent Engagement Will Be Critical for Contact Centers in 2022Simply delivering necessary accessibility equipment isn’t enough. Regular check-ins are equally as important as asking in the first place. Always be sure to schedule follow-ups every few months. Our needs are constantly changing, and ensuring management is on top of it for their team will make agents feel cared for and, therefore, more loyal to the company.
2. Ensure every agent receives ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training.
Many people are unaware of their biases towards others, which can impact how they interact with their fellow employees and how engaged they feel at work. Making basic DEI training a core part of your call center training strategy will also help them empathize more and improve their interactions with customers.
Managers need to have a thorough understanding of DEI and should be provided separate learning opportunities specifically for DEI regarding management.
3. Employ technology that agents need to do the best work possible.
When we design for disability, we all benefit. Bringing in technology that makes your workplace more inclusive and equitable will help everyone else.
9 Inclusive Practices to Boost Agent PerformanceAfter getting a sense of what each employee needs to perform their job best, make sure you provide them with those tools. The longer an agent has to wait for equipment, the longer they’re unable to perform their duties correctly and the faster they’ll become less engaged and empowered. It’s also important that this equipment is quickly repaired if it fails for those same reasons.
Examples of accessibility technology might include:Assistive devices for people with hearing or speech impairments
Ergonomic desk furniture and accessories
Large desktop monitors
Wheelchair ramps for in-office workThe post 3 Ways to Drive Inclusive Agent Engagement first appeared on Fonolo.
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Last Updated on June 2, 2022 by Rakesh Gupta Salesforce Flow is one of the most powerful tools provided by Salesforce to implement business requirements declaratively. Till date, I have written 200+ flows just for my blog posts! Salesforce Flow helps businesses to save time, as well as money, by
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Does Marketing Really Matter? (8 Benefits That Show It’s Critical)
Many small businesses don’t think they “do marketing,” or need to “do marketing.” In fact, around 37% of small businesses in a survey of 500 small businesses don’t have a website to market their products and services.
The basis for this line of argument for many of them is that they’re too busy trying to get customers through the door to be bothered about “fancy marketing.”
However, marketing is a more effortless and surer way to bring in the business they want. This article will reveal some benefits of digital marketing for small businesses and show that marketing truly matters regardless of the business you run.They believe that customers would inevitably find their way to them since they have a great product or service. But unfortunately, although this strategy might bring some customers (after all, who doesn’t love great products and service?), its results pale compared to what they’ll get if they use digital marketing.
The global pandemic and measures to curb its effects have changed the business and retail landscape. Many people have integrated online reviews and searching online into their decision to purchase a product or service. This reveals just how much digital marketing helps small businesses and why it’s in their benefit to take advantage of this new situation.
The market out there is simply too big and important to be ignored. According to the Global Overview Report, more than 4.6 billion people worldwide use the internet, and 46.3% of them use the internet to research products and brands.Image Source
So, what does this mean? Having a great product or service is essential, but it’s ultimately futile if nobody knows about it. Digital marketing is how you get your product out there and should be part of every small business’s strategy for growth.
Why some small businesses don’t invest in digital marketing
Since marketing offers many benefits, it’s bewildering to see small businesses fail to invest in it.
However, it’s important to note that these owners have their reasons. Some of the common reasons include:
Service-based companies don’t need to do marketing.
On the surface, this looks like a genuine reason, but it turns out to be smoke and mirrors. As long as you’re a business selling something, you can benefit from a sound digital marketing strategy.
The business has tried marketing before and it didn’t work.
Just because you’ve tried something before and it failed doesn’t mean it can’t ever work. Have you tried something else? Sometimes, some businesses have started on the right marketing path but fall off because of a lack of patience.
It’s essential to measure the right metrics in any marketing campaign to judge whether it’s working or not accurately.
There is plenty of help available to small business owners who want to improve their marketing strategy.
The business is small and plans to stay small.
Growth isn’t for everyone and small businesses that say this can’t really be faulted. However, just because you don’t want to grow bigger doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from marketing.
For example, marketing can help you increase your retention rate and even improve the quality of customers or clients you attract.
Free Guide: Digital Marketing For Small BusinessDownload Now
Why Digital Marketing is Important for Small Businesses
Relying solely on traditional marketing methods will not achieve the desired results, so small businesses should adopt digital marketing.
With so many people connected to the internet, online searches have increased in volume and frequency over the past year. 79% of consumers currently use the internet to find information about local businesses, and a digital marketing strategy makes it possible to be found easily by searchers.Image Source
Another reason why digital marketing is excellent for small businesses is that it can turn customers into brand ambassadors. Using digital testimonials can complement the “word of mouth” way of marketing and since 89% of consumers read reviews before buying products, integrating such testimonials is a no-brainer.
Digital marketing widens your reach. By using multichannel, you can increase conversions and reach potential customers where they are. Social media is a gem, with 4.20 billion people using it. So by tailoring your message on the different channels, you can boost your reach over time.1. It increases your reach
Considering that people today are spending more time than ever before in front of their screen, digital marketing offers small businesses a great chance to reach new audiences.
Small businesses can use either organic or paid digital efforts to reach these new audiences.
2. You can target your audience at the right time
Most digital marketing channels have personalization and segmentation features that allow you to reach your audience with the right message at the right time.
For instance, you can send time-limited offers to subscribers on your email list. Or run Twitter ads during specific holidays to target your audience at the right time.
3. It improves communication at all stages of the buying process
People rarely go from being unaware of your brand to become customers. There’s typically a buying process they go through, and digital marketing channels help you guide your audience through this process.
For instance, you can create valuable content that answers questions your audience might have with your blog. Also, you can use social media to drive conversations and engagement among your audience.
4. It’s cost-effective
Compared to traditional marketing, digital marketing offers a low-cost method to reach your audience. Sometimes, with channels like social media and email marketing, you might not even have to pay to market your products and services to potential customers.
5. It’s easy to tack and monitor
Most digital channels come with analytics that help you quickly identify what elements work within your marketing strategy.
Once you identify an under-performing area of your strategy, you can quickly switch things up and monitor how well the new elements are working.
6. Marketing allows you to know customers better
Before starting your business, you likely had an idea of your ideal customer. However, marketing helps you even get to know this ideal customer more.
How they interact with your campaigns and marketing messages helps you identify what’s important to them and how you can connect better with them.
7. It lets the customer come to you
Consistently creating valuable content for your audience helps you build authority and subject matter expertise (SME) in your industry. When people have problems concerning the topics you talk about, it’s easy for them to turn to you.
8. Digital marketing can increase your revenue.
Assuming your conversion rates are constant, it goes without saying that you’ll make more money if you reach more people — and that’s exactly what digital marketing helps you do.
Using social media, a website, email marketing, and more digital channels, you’ll have more avenues to reach more people through at a marginal cost difference than you would if you used traditional or in-person marketing methods.
Use Digital Marketing for Small Businesses
Digital marketing can have a huge, positive effect on your business. Developing a marketing strategy might take some time, but it’s time well worth it. No business, big or small, new or old, should overlook the opportunity to generate leads and improve conversions that digital marketing offers.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2006 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.