No B2B Writing Portfolio? No Problem! Here’s How to Build One, Even if You Haven’t Written for a “Real” Client Yet
By Steve Slaunwhite

Imagine you’re on a Zoom call with a potential client. You’re excited! After all, you could be minutes away from landing a great-paying gig.

Then, the worst-case scenario unfolds.

The client asks you, “Can you send us examples of your B2B writing? We’re especially interested in seeing a blog article and, ideally, a marketing email.”

Oh, shoot, you think. I don’t have those types of writing samples. What do I do now?

You might still be able to land the gig by sending them related writing samples or pointing them to your wonderfully written website.

But let’s face it. The chances of that client hiring you just went way down.

50% of B2B Clients Will Ask for Samples

When writers ask me how to break into B2B writing, I often say many clients won’t ask to see samples. Instead, they’ll review the content you’ve written for your own freelance business. (Your website, blog posts, pitch emails, and so on.)

But, just as many will ask for examples of your best B2B writing. And if you don’t have any, well … you’re … I’ll let you finish that sentence!

If you want to break into the fun and lucrative world of B2B writing, having a portfolio will give you a HUGE advantage.

“But how the heck do I get one without any clients?” you might ask. You write them! I’ll give you a shortcut in just a moment. But first, let’s review the types of samples you need.

Below is the “dream” portfolio, based on the most common writing samples B2B clients request when interviewing a freelance writer.

1. Article

Most B2B marketing takes an educational (rather than salesy) approach. That’s why B2B companies love articles. In fact, a B2B company might need upward of 100 per year. Why so many? They use them for e-newsletters, blog posts, social media posts, and placed articles in the trades.

So, you definitely want a solid B2B article in your portfolio.

These are great gigs, by the way. You can typically charge $500–$1,250 each. (B2B companies tend to pay significantly more for articles than B2C companies.)

And having one of these in your portfolio also indicates to a client that you can probably write long-form content, such as e-books and white papers — projects that typically pay $4,500 and up.

2. Marketing Email

No sector does more email marketing than B2B. Annual surveys of B2B marketing directors (conducted by MarketingProfs and the Content Marketing Institute) consistently reveal that email is a favorite channel. I often joke that if you tried to take email away from a B2B marketing director, you’d do so with them kicking and screaming!

When you write for a B2B company, you’ll be crafting all types of emails: promotional, follow-up, nurturing, outreach, you name it. A typical fee for a series of five emails is around $2,000. It’s not unusual to get one of those gigs from the same client each month.

The best kind of email for your portfolio is one that promotes a lead-generation offer, such as a free webinar or e-book. If a potential client sees that you can write one of those, you’re in!

3. Product Description Page

When you get a moment, review a few B2B company websites. You’ll soon notice just how robust many of them are, often with dozens of pages. I have a client whose site features more than 32, half of which are product description pages.

Just as the name implies, a product description page provides a detailed and persuasive presentation of a product (or service), its features and benefits, and how to buy. These pages are crucial linchpins in the B2B marketing funnel.

The typical fee you can charge for one of these pages is $750–$1,500.

If you can show a client an example of your product description writing, you’ll gain the edge over other writers they may be considering.

4. Case Study

Also known as “customer success stories,” case studies are a heck of a lot of fun to write. You get to interview one of your client’s customers, tell their story in the form of a compelling article, and get paid around $2,000 for the privilege.

What’s not to like!

If a potential client is talking to you about writing a case study, they’ll definitely want to see an example. You will NOT get the gig without one.

The problem is, getting a case study in your portfolio when you’ve never been hired to write one before seems impossible. But there is a way. (More on that in a bit.)

The bottom line is, if you want to handle this type of project, you need a sample to show.

5. Social Media Sponsored Post (Advertisement)

The next time you’re on Facebook or LinkedIn, notice how often sponsored posts roll up your timeline. These are popular forms of advertising for B2B companies. They use sponsored posts to showcase products and services, promote offers, and generate leads.

Writing one is both fun and challenging. In just a few words, you need to gain attention and motivate the reader to click Learn More, Register, Buy Now, or whatever the call to action may be.

Not easy.

But if you can show a potential client evidence that you can write an effective sponsored post, their eyes will light up. B2B marketers are under constant pressure to get results from these types of ads.

So, make sure one is in your portfolio.

Okay, that’s the dream portfolio you want — a portfolio that, in my opinion, will double your chances of landing great clients. So, get writing!

And if you’re looking for help …

A Shortcut to Building an Awesome B2B Portfolio

Take a course or training program that includes portfolio-building assignments. Ideally, one where you can create B2B writing samples like those I just described.

Ensure that, during the program, you’ll get expert feedback on your assignments, so your B2B writing samples are top-notch and likely to impress clients.

You also want your samples to look good from a design perspective. (Sending clients a raw Word or Google Doc sends the wrong message.)

There’s another good reason to jump into a training program that features portfolio building. You learn by doing.

By actually writing a real-world case study, product description page, marketing email, social media sponsored post, and article, you rapidly become a better, more skilled B2B writer.

Double Your Chances of Landing the Client

Now let’s return to the scenario I started with earlier. You’re talking to a potential client. They ask to see an example of a case study and marketing email you wrote.

But this time you confidently respond, “Sure. I’ll email those to you right now.”

By being able to say that, you’ve just doubled your chances of landing that client.

My advice? Give yourself that advantage.