I posted a little while back about the importance of owning and using an iPhone/iPod Touch/Android Device to showcase your portfolio when you’re out and about. Well, add the iPad (or any other tablet device for that matter) to the list, because I have a feeling this sort of presentation method is going to catch on. 

When I told my wife I was thinking about getting an iPad, she wasn't surprised - but she didn't really know why I wanted one. She thought I just wanted one to play games and surf the Internet while she was watching terrible reality TV shows - which was partly true - but those were just the side benefits of having one. I wanted it for a presentation device. I want to put my portfolio in a potential client's hands and let them swipe through my portfolio at their pace. Sure, you could have them 'click' through it on a laptop, but an iPad is more interactive and holds their attention in a different and, I think, better way. No plugs, no arrow keys - just an intuitive touch-based interface. 

So that's in-theory, what about in-practice? I went to a coffee shop on Monday evening to meet with a couple about photographing their wedding, I showed up about 10 minutes early, sat down next to two complete strangers, got into a conversation, 5 minutes later they had already cruised through my entire portfolio and asked for my business card. The key differences between the iPad and a laptop presentation is, a) the iPad isn't threatening and, b) doesn't turn me into a salesman in the same way a laptop does. The laptop is a complicated device, the iPad is an intriguing device. The laptop presentation requires thought and motivation to produce a slideshow, the iPad allows you to give a presentation on-the-fly, if you even want to, that is. I’m not on display when people look through my portfolio on the iPad, my portfolio is.

I'm advocating that you consider the iPad for your business, but at the same time, I'm suggesting any tablet device that allows you to present your work in this fashion, the iPad currently happens to be the one I decided to go with. Another reason to give this presentation method some serious thought is the fact that our competition will probably be doing the same thing.

Here's how conversation usually went when I first began in photography:

Q: So what line of work are you in?
A: I'm a photographer.
Q: Oh really, what sort of photography?
A: Just about everything - real estate, weddings, portraits...Let me show you, do you have a computer? Oh, right, we're outside, of course you don't - I'll send you an email.

Argh. So what's the solution to this conundrum? The portable portfolio.

Do yourself a favor right now: Go out and buy an iPhone, iPod Touch, or some sort of Android device with a great screen.

Be Prepared:

If the conversation prompts someone wanting to see your work, you're ready. You don't have to ask them if they have a computer, you don't have to email them a link, you don't have to let the conversation dwindle - you can grab their attention immediately and make your pitch.

Update it Regularly:

Now that you have it, update it. Allocate 15 minutes each week to adding your new top picks, dropping your new low picks, and rearranging the rest. This will keep your portfolio fresh and reflect your best work to date.

Digital vs Print:

Nothing beats your work in print. The look, the feel, the smell, the sense of finality - it's unbeatable. It's also inconvenient, time-consuming, and expensive. The digital portfolio is all about instantly being able to showcase your work anywhere at anytime. It doesn't attempt to replace your printed portfolio, it supplements it for brief encounters.

So if you don't have a portable portfolio already, get one.

We've started a few threads titled 'delivery options', 'accounting options', and now we're introducting 'marketing materials'. This will be an ongoing topic dedicated to both tangible and intangible (online) means of marketing.

In today's day and age, our portfolio tends to live in the 'cloud' - online, that is. And guess what, it should be online for anyone, anywhere, to view it anytime. But guess what's also true? Showing your portfolio online during a face-to-face meeting is sort of clumsy. It could also be viewed as if you're underprepared, or even unprepared.

First up: the professional photo album. A custom-designed, top-of-the-line print-quality photo album is a signature in itself - it has 'professional' written all over it. With some labs, you can design each page in photoshop for your own customization, others will have you add photos to previously-created themes (which aren't half bad most of the time). 

One of the key factors when dealing with tangible marketing materials is to have your potential client leave with something in their hand - and if you're a photographer making a pitch, you'll want it to be more than just a business card. At first, it may seem like an expensive photo album would be the last thing you'd bring, seeing as the person/people you're talking to can't leave with it - but it's just the opposite. Leaving a professional photo album with a hopeful client allows you to arrange a follow-up meeting, setting you up for a second face-to-face visit when you come to pick it back up. Yes, it involves an element of trust - but if your album makes an impression, it might get passed around the office, making more impressions without you even being there. Give it try, see what happens.