By coordinating a "wow" moment with each self-promotion piece you create, you can dramatically enhance your portfolio strategy.

Holiday Mailers

An excuse to do anything impressive—simply put, that's the reason holiday mailers are such a worthwhile effort. "Any significant holiday, and even the insignificant ones, offer an opportunity to show your passion, creativity, and thinking," says Aaron Keller, managing partner at Capsule. "Holidays also represent times of the year when mail has a better chance of being opened, considered, and perhaps even saved." But don't go down the holiday mailer chimney unless you have the talent to get your piece noticed and opened; you might find yourself stuck with a big bill and not much recognition to show for it.