In doing research today on marketing for rural businesses, I came across a surprising article. The article is called ‘Using A Portfolio: How To Market Your Business By Hand,’ and discusses the old-fashioned art - or should I say never out of fashion art - of putting together a physical folder or portfolio as a way to market your business.

A Business Portfolio holds your ‘business profile’ - your contact information, brochures, samples or anything else that can introduce you and what your business offers. It is one way to communicate who you are. Portfolios can be used when meeting with new potential clients or when you’re networking with other small business owners. They are especially helpful to provide to local reporters or writers interested in articles about your business, or professionals you contract for support services. Of course, the contents of a physical portfolio can be put online too.

You can give new clients and contacts your business card only, and perhaps they will visit your website. Websites are wonderful, but a new contact has to remember to check out your website at a later time. If you provide your portfolio at the time you meet them, you have the advantage of immediacy of the moment. Your new acquaintance literally holds your business in their hands. They can look at your portfolio immediately and then make the decision to visit your website or not, based on their level of interest. That’s a risk, but also one of the reasons not to give a full portfolio to everyone you meet.

A business portfolio contains information about your business appropriate for those who have serious interest in it, and should be provided only to those you believe to be your target audience or who can help you reach your target audience. Portfolios take time to compile, and make use of printed materials that you’ve paid to prepare or reproduce. They shouldn’t be handed out casually, like a business card or brochure.

If you’re interested in learning more about putting together a portfolio for your rural business, you can get more tips about how to do it here.

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