Do Something! Five Ways to Improve Your Bio

Even if you don't have a professional brochure or if you don't have control of most of your firm's marketing materials, you do have some control over your biography. Your bio can be used on a website, a blog, profiles on social networking sites, in seminar or presentation materials, etc., etc. You want your bio to be a tool that will help you connect with clients, potential clients, strategic alliances and referral sources.

Here are five ways to improve your biography:

1. Make sure it's updated. When is the last time you reviewed your bio? Does it include your most recent accomplishments? Does it reflect your most recent experience? Your experiences, your clients and the market all change over time. Your bio needs to change, too. Review your bio and update it at least twice a year.

2. Include a photograph. It doesn't matter what you look like. But a photograph will help others to feel as if they 'know' you. It's a way of deepening your connection with your audience. People do business with people that they know, like and trust. If they can see your face, they're that much closer to knowing and trusting you. Not only that, but a photograph helps people remember you better.

3. Make it personal. Put something of yourself into your bio. Ditch the old 'resume format' for your biography. It's dry and boring and makes clients' eyes glaze over. If you want to be memorable, give people something to remember. Put yourself back in your bio. Think of your bio as your client's introduction to you.

4. Consider your clients. Although your bio is about you, it has to be about your clients as well. Your education and work history may be important, but with few exceptions, clients don't care how many bar associations you belong to, where you went to school or where you worked. They care about what benefits them and what you can do for them. If you're going to include something in your bio, ask yourself why your client would care about it - how will it benefit them? Make sure your bio tells clients why your experience matters - what about that experience aids you in representing your clients?

5. Speak your clients' language This is a corollary to #4. Your bio, like any other marketing materials, should be written in language your clients understand. If you're describing your experience and how it can help your clients, use the words your clients use to describe their legal issues or problems. Stay away from language that only other lawyers or experts in your area will understand, unless you're sure that your clients also understand that language.

Comments

[robert fligel]

I enjoyed this post and agree that most people don't put enough thought and effort into their bio. What is more important than YOU, the business owner.

Last year I decided to put a photo on my website and all of my print ads and it has been effective. There are folks who may recognize me but not my firm's name.

As I have seen some average photos in bios, I would also suggest getting a high quality photo done and not being shy about a little Adobe editing.

Please visit my blog at
http://rf-sources.com/index.php/site/blog/