Show Your Work: A Tested Strategy for Agency Growth

In today’s hyper-connected world, where transparency and authenticity reign supreme in business, one strategy stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness: showing your work. 

Inspired by Austin Kleon's philosophy and detailed in my book, Borderless, this approach has proven to be a cornerstone for agency growth. 

By openly sharing your creative process, successes, and even failures, you can attract clients, collaborators, and build a community around your brand.

Why Show Your Work?

Showing your work isn't just about showcasing final products. It’s about the journey, the behind-the-scenes processes that lead to those polished outcomes. 

This approach helps demystify your services, making them more accessible and understandable to potential clients who might otherwise be intimidated by the complexity of digital and creative work.

Transparency Builds Trust

Transparency is at the heart of showing your work. 

When clients and potential customers can see the thought process, the expertise, and the meticulous attention to detail that goes into each project, trust is built. This trust is fundamental not only for attracting new clients but also for retaining existing ones who value an inside look at how their projects are coming to life.

1. Document the Process

Start by documenting every stage of your project workflows. Whether it’s the initial brainstorming sessions, the mid-project hurdles, or the final touches before delivery, each phase offers valuable insights for outsiders. 

Capture these moments through videos, blog posts, or quick social media updates. This doesn’t just showcase what you do; it educates your audience about the value of your work.

2. Utilize Social Media

Platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter are perfect for sharing these updates. Use Instagram for visuals like early sketches or design drafts, LinkedIn for articles that dive deeper into the methodologies and strategies, and Twitter for quick, engaging insights and real-time updates. 

Each platform can cater to different aspects of your projects, reaching diverse audience segments effectively.

3. Involve Your Audience

Engagement increases when the audience is involved. Use your platforms to ask for feedback on certain elements of your project, conduct polls about design choices, or even crowdsource ideas. 

This interaction not only makes your audience feel valued but also deepens their investment in your work.

4. Share Lessons and Insights

Every project teaches something new. By sharing these lessons, not only do you offer valuable industry insights but also position your agency as a thought leader. This aspect of showing your work can particularly resonate on platforms like Medium or your agency’s blog, where you can publish in-depth reflective pieces.

5. Celebrate Success and Learn from Failures

Be honest about what works and what doesn’t. Celebrating successes is great, but discussing failures and the lessons learned from them can be even more impactful. This shows that your agency values growth and continuous improvement, qualities that are highly attractive to forward-thinking clients.

From "Borderless" to Action

In "Borderless," I emphasize the importance of breaking down barriers, not just geographically but also in terms of accessibility and understanding. Showing your work does exactly that. It breaks down the barriers between you and your potential clients, making your agency’s expertise more accessible and relatable.

Embrace this tested strategy for agency growth, and watch as your business expands its reach and strengthens its connections within the industry.