How to build a bio that brings in more business

​Make sure your first point of contact isn’t your last!
 
It’s amazing how many times you need a bio for yourself. Whether you’re pitching a new client, looking to post info on your website, or writing a guest blog for a prominent website, you need a succinct story that’s readable and means business. Is your current bio up to snuff? Or are you perhaps starting a new one from scratch? Let these best-practice pointers be your guide:
 
Consider your audience. Yes, yes, this is Step One in virtually every article we’ve posted. But there’s a good reason for this. C-level executives may be interested in your strategic chops, whereas front-line managers may be more interested in your tactical skills. If your experience spans numerous industries, a client from Industry A may not be interested in your Industry B experience. Then again, they might: If you can bring relevant insights from one industry to another, that’s a bonus. The key word, of course, is “relevant.”
 
Consider the context. Where will this bio be appearing? Atop a session pre-read? Accompanying a business proposal? As an “about the author” blurb for an article you’re writing? The setting will determine the tone, the length, and the layer of detail. It’s really another iteration of “know thy audience.”
 
Structure before you write. This part should be easy. We’re big fans of simple outlines (as in, “Beginning,” “Middle,” and “End”). But it’s vital; you don’t want to ramble. Lead big. If your most impressive two-word tag is “Former executive,” open with it. Generally, your first sentence should be able to stand alone and sum up your entire bio. After that, you can block in more details such as your relevant background, relevant experience, impressive clients served, any big numbers/milestones worth mentioning (“…where I was part of the team that helped turnaround this business unit’s run rate by X percent in just Y months”, etc.).
 
Park your ego. This is a fine line to walk. On the surface, the bio is all about your accomplishments. But its purpose is to inform the reader, to help them answer the questions in their mind when they first see it, such as “Why should I hire this person?” or “Why would this person have a better perspective on this challenge than I do?” So a little humility goes a long way. Note that we mentioned “part of the team” in our example above. That’s not just modesty. It’s realism. To say that you single-handedly boosted a company’s sales is disingenuous and downright suspect to the reader. Don’t go there.
 
Tell a story. While your bio may feel like a requisite part of a larger piece, or a box to be checked on a list, don’t fall into the trap of writing a Wikipedia entry. Your bio is written to be read. Reward the reader for reading it. Feel free to drop in a minuscule comment or dash of attitude. Let your personality shine through. Address the reader as an individual you’re writing to, one-to-one, rather than a crowd you’re addressing at an arena. It’s the old Fireside Chat technique. It worked for FDR; it can work for you, too.
 
Go modular. Here’s the cool part. In a perfect world, you’d have a unique bio for each discrete piece that requires it. But that’s actually not hard to do. Simply create a master file with all the info/more than you need. Then you can pare it down to suit pretty much any assignment. Save those other versions, too. You’ll use them again. If you have, say, three or four  bios saved in a folder you can readily access (Dropbox, anyone?), you’ll be pretty well set. And it should go without saying that this entire process gets easier as you go.
 
Consider using a cost-effective outside resource. Following the above best-practice guidelines will maximize your odds of success. But if the prospect seems daunting, consider feeding your thought-leading ideas to an expert writing source, and freeing up more of your time for core activities. Fortunately for you, we have the unique combination of consulting, marketing, and creative skills which have let us help independent consultants and boutique agencies to boost their billing for more than 15 years. Best of all, we’re fast, efficient, and surprisingly affordable, given the value we provide. Contact us right now and let’s talk about growing your business as quickly and productively as possible. 

---