How to Write A Stand Out Professional Bio
Writing a stand out Professional Bio is one of the most effective ways to introduce yourself and build immediate rapport & credibility to an audience.
Creating trust, authority, and influence to either your reader or listener is critical when you are trying to build your personal brand and stand out as the expert you are.
Due to this competitive marketplace and the need to be consistent in building your brand, gone are the days can you copy & paste your information into a bio summary or template.
Having the tools on how to write an effective bio about yourself helps tee up your audience to know who you are, your area of expertise, and why they should listen to you.
There are 3 different types of Professional Bios I work on with my clients:
1. Presentation bios for speaking engagements (keynotes, podcasts, webinars, etc.) – This is what people will read or hear leading up to your presentation or listening to you on a podcast/webinar/any speaking engagement.
2. Website Bio – what people view on your “About Me” page.
3. Social media Bio – this includes headliners and social media profiles. Think about when you land on a LinkedIn profile, this is what you see in someone’s “About” section.
THE GOAL & FOCUS OF ANY PROFESSIONAL BIO IS TWO-FOLD:
Build Credibility - who you are & why they should listen to you
Build Authority - why you are the go-to influential expert in your niche
In today’s blog, we are focusing on a Presentation Bios that are written for a presentation, webinar, a book, or a podcast.
Here are my 5 Pro Tips on How To Write an Effective Professional Bio:
1. Define which bio type you will be writing for. You cannot copy and paste your bio from one type of bio to the next. Define which bio you will be creating, and focus on writing one at a time.
2. Know your audience. Before you create your bio, know who you will be speaking to. Are they in your profession? Do they speak your professions language (ie: designer language, medical language, accounting terminology, etc.)? Do they understand certain acronyms or do you need to spell out specific words? Is being a member of an organization important or relevant to this particular audience? Whatever builds your credibility with this audience, include in your bio. Knowing who you are speaking to or writing to is an important piece to determine which information to include or omit.
3. First sentence needs to be powerful & encourages the reader to keep reading or listening to you. Be very specific as to: who you are, what you do, and what you want people to know about you. Include your name, credentials, title, and what type of expert you are.
4. Keep it relevant. Cut the fluff, be direct, and keep it simple. Aim to keep your professional bio 5-7 sentences max. People get sleepy in the middle of the bio, so keep them focused by keeping it short & to the point.
5. Choose three career highlight. Make sure to keep this bio relevant and include three current major career highlights. There is no need to write your extensive career history in here.
Bonus Pro Tips:
· Summarize with a personal note. This is a unique touch! Consider adding one sentence liner about your personal life; tying in where you live or your current passions.
· Check your grammar. Have someone else take a peek at your content before you submit. From my own experience, it is easy to miss your own mistakes.
· Update annually. This also includes updating your CV, resume, cover letter, websites, and social media profiles as well.
EXAMPLE OF A POWERFUL FIRST SENTENCE:
Jane Smith, MD, MPH is an expert in Infectious Diseases at Huntington Hospital, and is also the Residency Program Director for the Strong Training Program.
EXAMPLE OF MY BIO FOR MY UPCOMING BOOK:
Ashlee Klevens Hayes, PharmD, MHA, CELDC is the Founder and Executive Career Coach of RX Ashlee. Dr. Hayes began her career in hospital pharmacy administration at a large, academic medical center before pivoting to a non-traditional role at a healthcare technology startup company. This transition opened her eyes to the many unique opportunities available within the industry, and after many of her peers and colleagues connected with her to discuss her transition into such a non-clinical role, she realized her passion for providing mentorship, coaching, and helping others in their career development. At RX Ashlee, she has provided career coaching at the University of Southern California, been published in Thrive Business, and has traveled all over the world to give keynote presentations. She runs online communities focused on career development, facilitates women's mastermind programs, and coaches interview prep clients on a one-on-one basis. She currently lives in Orange County, California with her husband, daughter and two rescue dogs.
IF YOU NEED SUPPORT OR SPECIFIC TOOLS ON HOW TO WRITE YOUR PROFESSIONAL BIO OR SUMMARY, IT IS SUPER QUICK AND FUN FOR ME TO HELP YOU WITH.
PLEASE REACH OUT FOR SUPPORT, I AM HERE FOR YOU!
XX
Ashlee
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