This is a guest-post from the Krissy Bradfield, an excellent Perth based copywriter with an enviable magazine collection and a weird fear of ankle bones.
Writing about yourself is hard. It’s hard for a lot of people. I’ve had numerous clients come to me specifically to write bios (short biographies) for their staff. It’s a task that is often on their books for months but never gets completed in-house because no-one wants to write their bio. Everyone procrastinates.
Here’s why I think people find writing their bio hard: Blowing one’s own trumpet is a bit icky. Right? A lot of us have real issues with promoting ourselves and our abilities. But you have to get over the ickyness. Your bio is your virtual handshake – you absolutely need one if you’re doing business online. Sure, it takes a bit of time to write one but it’s doable if you follow these five simple tips.
1. Step away from the keyboard
The first thing you need to do is pinpoint why you’re writing a bio. What is it for? Who will read it? Where will it be displayed? Does it need to be short and sweet or long and detailed? There’s no point writing it unless you have a specific purpose for it.
2. Be succinct
Flowery prose has no place in a bio; you have to treat it like an elevator pitch. Explain what you do clearly and concisely. If you’re finding it hard to express what it is you do and how it will benefit customers, you need to go back to tip one. The words you use aren’t arbitrary. Each word has a purpose.
3. Be friendly
There is a place for clinical copy but your bio isn’t it. On the web you have about 50 words in which to endear 
yourself to the reader. You want your words to give the reader a big virtual bear hug. The best way to do this is to inject a little personality into what you’re writing. Make it unique and fun. Include details like your favourite TV show theme song or a personal catchphrase. It’s also a great idea to include a headshot and your personal email address so people can contact you straight from your bio.
4. No jargon
You may be the top-selling flange salesperson in the country (congratulations!) but that doesn’t mean anything if people don’t know what a flange is. Jargon is cool when you’re dealing with people who live and breathe your industry, but for the layperson it can be confusing and annoying. Steer clear of it unless it’s absolutely necessary.
5. Take a step back
We are all invested in the image we convey: we want it to be perfect. One of the best things you can do when your bio is finished is give it to someone else to read. That extra pair of eyes will pick up things you miss (like typos and errant punctuation). Someone else can also pull you up on things that seem a little iffy.
Before you let your bio loose on the world make sure, at the very least, that it answers these questions:
- What do you do?
- How long have you been doing it?
- What makes you better at doing it than anyone else?
- Why should people trust you to do it for them?
For a little extra spiciness you can add:
- Awards you’ve won.
- Details of measurable ways you’ve helped clients.
- Highlights of your life outside of work.
Don’t be put off writing your bio. It’s a valuable piece of your marketing collateral and once it’s done it just needs tweaks and edits to keep it relevant.
What about you? Do you have a bio? What info did you include and what did you leave out? Have you seen examples of great bios that you’d like to share?
About Krissy
Krissy Bradfield is a freelance writer from Perth. She started her business in 2006 and now works with clients across a number of industries from all over the world.
Her specialties include blogging, preparing website content, newsletters, ebooks and feature articles for magazines. She’s also finishing her first manuscript and hopes to add Published Author to her resume.
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