Want to know how to properly market your makeup portfolio? Professional MUA, Gabrielle Rivera, reveals 6 of the best ways to get it seen by the masses!
Being a Makeup Artist in the 21st Century
As a professional makeup artist, you’ll quickly realize how saturated this career field can be. At the beginning of your career, you might feel that it’s difficult to stand out above the rest. One of the single greatest things you can do to get your name out there and shine is to not only have a solid makeup portfolio – but know how to market it correctly.
So, I’m going to share with you today 6 ways to market your makeup portfolio online. In my opinion, these 6 methods are the best! If maximized properly, they’ll help you grow your business, gain clientele, and open all sorts of doors for networking!
6 Ways You Should Market Your Makeup Portfolio
1. Website vs. Social Media
When building your business, it’s always important to remember that you are a professional. It’s easy for many to get swept away by social media and the audience that “influencers” receive.
Yes, having a following on social media platforms can benefit your business because it can help you gain exposure. But at the same time, you’ll also be limiting potential clientele by only having your business and/or makeup portfolio on social media.
As an industry professional, if you want others to take you and your business seriously, using only social media is NOT be the way to go. Social media is an outlet that is extremely saturated with other makeup artists. These makeup artists are all promoting their work, same as you. However, when clients see that you have a social media presence AS WELL AS a professional website and makeup portfolio, they’ll be all the more inclined to work with you.
Having a professional website that showcases your portfolio will help put you above the rest because it’ll show your dedication and overall professionalism.
2. Know Your Brand
When it comes to marketing your makeup portfolio, another key tip is to seriously plan out the type of branding you envision for your business and work. Branding allows potential clients to visually understand your style. Your brand will give people a sense of who you are as a creator, an artist, and a professional.
When you carefully plan out the branding of your business and makeup portfolio, you are telling the world what it is you offer. If you’re not sure how to brand your business, think about your logo, color scheme(s), and the overall style of makeup/photography that will best suit you.
3. Know Your “Why”
Showcasing your skills and previous work is monumental when developing your makeup portfolio. Just keep in mind that your portfolio should also allow potential clients the chance to better get to know YOU, too!
Building a rapport with people is a major part of gaining loyal, long-term clients. Moreover, building rapport is critical for your networking opportunities. When building your website, make sure to create an eye-catching Homepage. Take it one step further by creating an About Me section that lets clients feel like they’re getting a glimpse into your life – and into who you are as a person.
In this industry, you’ll quickly find that most clients want to know your WHY. For example, why did you choose this field, and what drives you to be your very best? Why are you passionate about this line of work?
Clients want to know that to you, it’s about more than just making money. They want to book with someone who will provide them with some type of personal experience. Marketing a successful makeup portfolio is all about creating a lasting impression for clients… and a simple way to do this is by letting them get to know you.
4. Maximize Your Makeup Portfolio By Showcasing Your BEST Work
When I think about what makes a successful makeup portfolio, I try to put myself in the shoes of the customer. As a prospective client, I would want to see clean work, the versatility of skill or style, and clear, crisp images.
A big part of marketing your portfolio comes down to your images. There’s a lot to be said about the artists who go above and beyond; taking the time to ensure that the application, lighting, and quality of their photos always showcase their best work.
Obviously, high-quality photos are a MUST for any professional makeup portfolio. But there’s a lot more to it than just that! The organization and presentation of your photos can also help to make your portfolio successful, too. As you’re developing your own portfolio, ask yourself: do you prefer the “less is more” approach? Or do you prefer to provide more samples so that clients can see a wider range of your work?
5. Pair Your Makeup Portfolio with Testimonials on Your Website
As I mentioned earlier, social media is undoubtedly a great tool to help your business gain exposure. But if you want to set yourself apart from other artists on social media, include a Testimonials section on your professional website or makeup portfolio!
Just like with restaurants or movies, potential customers will often seek out reviews to get a better idea of your business – before they take the leap and book with you. Reviews will help them make their decision about you. So, make sure to give past clients the opportunity to write a testimonial about their experience with you! Furthermore, showcase these raving reviews directly on your website. As a result, potential clients will have a better understanding of what their own experience will be if they work with you.
In my experience, reviews are a great way to help alleviate any reservations a client might have about booking with your business. When they see how many people have had great experiences with you, it’ll reassure new clients that you truly are the best fit for their needs!
6. Make Yourself Accessible
My last tip to help you market your makeup portfolio is to make it easy for clients to contact you! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard clients complain that they didn’t know how to contact an MUA, or had trouble finding their contact information.
This doesn’t need to be complicated either. On your website, all you need to do is clearly list your:
- Full name
- Business address
- Phone number
Making this information public and easy to find will really go a long way! You don’t want clients to have a difficult time when navigating your makeup portfolio and/or website. You especially don’t want them to struggle with finding your contact information. If they do, it’ll drastically lower the chances of them wanting to book with you.
Likewise, on every platform you’re using, make sure to indicate the easiest or preferred way for client communication. This will help:
- Ensure that you don’t miss any potential clients who are trying to reach out to you;
- Keep your client contacts organized and in one place;
- Keep a consistent and reliable source of contact with your client.
I guarantee that if you apply these 6 tips, you’ll be able to market your makeup portfolio successfully!
Got any additional tips to add to this list? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
