Let me start with a confession.
For years, I thought an “About Us” page was enough.
You know the one—grid of smiling headshots, job titles underneath, maybe a LinkedIn icon if we were feeling fancy. Clean. Safe. Forgettable.
Then one day, during a client pitch, something awkward happened. The client stopped me mid-presentation and asked, “So… who exactly will work on our project?”
I froze for half a second. I had slides. I had logos. I had awards.
But I didn’t really have people.
That moment changed how I think about showcasing team expertise. And if you run an agency—or work in one—this matters more than you think.
People don’t hire agencies. They hire confidence in people.
Clients say they’re buying “services.”
What they’re actually buying is peace of mind.
They want to know:
- Who’s making decisions?
- Who’s solving problems at 2 a.m.?
- Who’s been through similar messes before?
A generic team page doesn’t answer that. It just fills space.
I once worked with a mid-sized design agency that had incredible talent. Truly top-tier. But their website? Everyone looked identical—same bio length, same buzzwords, same tone. “Creative thinker.” “Passionate problem-solver.” You’ve read it before. We all have.
When they revamped their approach and spotlighted individual expertise, inquiries changed. Prospects started saying things like,
“I read Sarah’s case study on SaaS onboarding—felt like she already understood our problem.”
That’s the difference.
Stop listing roles. Start telling stories.
Here’s a simple truth:
Expertise without context feels hollow.
Instead of:
John Doe – Senior Developer
Try showing:
- What John has built
- What nearly failed
- What he learned the hard way
One agency I advised let a developer write a short post about a product launch that went sideways. Deadlines missed. Stress everywhere. But they fixed it. Clients loved that honesty. It felt real. Human.
That kind of content builds trust faster than any badge or certification.
This is where having a centralized, professional online presence for each team member becomes powerful. Not scattered links. Not outdated PDFs. One clean place that evolves with them. Platforms like a professional portfolio platform make this ridiculously easier than custom-building everything from scratch.
Give each team member a “stage,” not just a profile
Think of it this way:
Your agency website is the theater.
Your team members deserve their own spotlight.
The best setups I’ve seen include:
- Personal portfolios connected to the agency brand
- Case studies written in first person
- Short insights or blog-style reflections
- Speaking clips, interviews, or even Loom videos
A strategist once told me she landed three clients in a month because prospects binge-read her thinking. Not the agency’s homepage. Her ideas.
That’s when I realized agencies shouldn’t hide their talent behind logos.
Using a modern online portfolio solution lets agencies scale this without chaos. Same structure. Same quality. Still personal.
Let personality leak through (yes, really)
Perfection is suspicious.
One copywriter I know openly mentions that she hates writing cold emails—but loves rewriting bad ones. That tiny detail? Memorable. Clients mention it on calls.
Encourage your team to:
- Share opinions (politely)
- Admit preferences
- Show quirks
Not everyone has to sound the same. In fact, they shouldn’t.
This is why rigid “corporate bios” kill authenticity. Give guidelines, not scripts. Tools like a customizable portfolio website help maintain brand consistency without silencing personality.
Make expertise easy to explore, not buried
Here’s a frustrating experience I’ve had more than once:
I’m interested in an agency.
I like their work.
I want to learn more about one person.
And then… nothing. No links. No depth. Just a headshot.
If someone has to dig, they won’t.
Smart agencies:
- Link team expertise directly from service pages
- Let prospects filter by skills or roles
- Share team content on social and newsletters
When team members have their own polished presence—like through a personal brand portfolio—this becomes seamless.
Internal bonus: your team feels seen
This part doesn’t get talked about enough.
When you showcase expertise properly, morale improves.
I saw it firsthand. A junior marketer’s article was featured on the agency site. Her inbox lit up. Confidence skyrocketed. She stayed with the company longer than expected.
People want recognition. Not just internally, but publicly.
Providing your team with something like a digital professional profile signals trust. It says, “We believe in your expertise.” That’s powerful.
Don’t wait until you “grow bigger”
This is the excuse I hear all the time.
“We’ll do that later.”
“When we have more clients.”
“When we redesign the site.”
Truth?
Later rarely comes.
Start small. Highlight one person. One story. One case study. Build from there.
With scalable tools like a portfolio builder for professionals, you don’t need a massive dev budget or months of planning. You just need intention.
Final thoughts (from someone who learned late)
If I could go back and fix one mistake from my early agency days, this would be it:
I’d put people front and center sooner.
Logos attract attention.
Expertise builds trust.
People close deals.
So my advice?
Let your team speak. Let them shine. Let them be human.
Clients are paying attention. Even when you think they’re not.
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