When was the last time you updated your Bio/About page on your website? Is it engaging and upbeat or does it read more like an obituary?
BLAH BLAH BORING
Don't shoot the messenger, but most people don't really care about your acronyms and accolades - they just won't tell you. When we land on the page that's supposed to tell us about you, that's what we want to know. About you the person. The personality attached to the person. This is where an emotional connection will take place (or not) and this determines if we hang around to get to know you better or move on to someone more interesting.
REAL LIFE EXAMPLES
This is what my original Forbes profile used to look like:
Donna L. Johnson, The Unemployed Entrepreneur ™, is a speaker and confidence coach who worked her way up from file clerk to management while starting a business at night and on weekends.Donna is a relationship building expert and Founder of an Austin-based women’s entrepreneurial group. She trains and empowers a diverse group of women to succeed in life and in business. She educates members on the importance of creating a strong personal brand and challenges women to out-think and not out-spend when it comes to marketing your business.Visit www.iHiredMe.net to get resources and support to succeed.
Here's what I changed it to a couple of months ago:
I'm The Unemployed Entrepreneur® and I've been writing for Forbes since March 2010. Summary of professional experience: 15 jobs by the age of 22. My written word hustle is a mix of business street smarts, lifestyle, and controversy. I take a stand on things I'm passionate about without being afraid of backlash.
When I'm not blogging, speaking, and reading, I visualize being on the set of my dream job as a tv talk show host. Follow my journey at http://www.iHiredMe.net and hit me up on twitter @iHiredMe.
Now go take a look at yours and give it an extreme makeover. Publicity Specialist Melissa Cassera wrote a great post about the same thing and gives you valuable tips to take your bio from drab to fab.
Have specific questions? Share your thoughts below and let me know. I'd love to help.
Photo credit: Thomas Hawk
Love the New/Improved bio. The bio is my hardest page to write. So instead of spending the time, I stick to a stock bio and never look at it again. On the other hand, I love reading other people's bios on their blogs. So why don't I spend the time to work on mine and give other something to smile, marvel or admire on my blog? I fear putting myself out there and revealing the 'real me'.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, that's fixing to change :-) I will be changing it this Month to be a little like your new one and ALOT about ME professionally and personally, for better or worse. How else can I get my readers to relate to me? By being 'R-E-A-L'.
Thanks for the positive feedback, Stephanie. You're audience wants to know the "real you". That's the whole reason why we follow you. Let me know when you get the new bio up...looking forward to seeing it.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE IT!! Okay...mine needs an upgrade. There you go, pulling my chain again. :-) Will revamp entire website by 2011. Thank you, chica!
ReplyDeleteChain pulling...I love it when that happens!
ReplyDeleteI do love the movement to be real. I had to go look at my site again and remembered that our About Us page is about us collectively. You do have me thinking about adding a page for each of us, but one step at a time. I'm way more public than my business partner is and asking her to do a bio that would show her to the world would be HUGE. :-) But I did recently get her to realize that what she wants our business to do for her life is just as important as what she wants to do for others, so who knows. Maybe by the end of the year I'll be able to convince her to do a video with me and - gasp! - maybe even a bio that's just about her! Woo hoo!
ReplyDeleteMonica - one step at a time is the key. There's no one size fits all, you just have to find a happy medium. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMonica - one step at a time is the key. There's no one size fits all, you just have to find a happy medium. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete