Writing a Good Professional Bio with Microsoft Word

A well-written and captivating professional bio will paint a picture of an interesting, talented professional and serve as a top-notch marketing document. Oftentimes, when a client takes interest in your company’s services, they like to get a good idea of the people they would potentially be working with…what their backgrounds are, memberships to associations, accolades, education, etc. A good bio is more than putting down facts; it’s about exemplifying your career path, accomplishments and talent and putting this information into a polished story that makes readers want to know more about you or your business.

In a sense, a professional bio is a sales tool, so it should use exciting words that show business value to a potential client. It should also demonstrate how you responded to opportunities and challenges that have shaped your success.

Before you begin writing your professional bio, determine exactly what you want to say. Your bio may need to be tweaked depending on what you are using it for. Once you have this figured out, grab a copy of your updated resume and make a list of the following:

• Overall business or professional experience (i.e. – 19 years it Marketing and Sales)
• Current job title with brief description of what you do
• Your contact information
• Any hobbies
• Any personal info you would like to include (i.e – live in Milwaukee, WI with my wife and two kids)
• A small headshot (jpg)
• A fun/interesting fact about yourself (this can be a conversation starter & help you stand out as an individual)

If applicable:

• Publications or presentations you have completed
• Professional memberships you currently hold
• Awards, honors and certifications you have received
• Educational background
• Quotes or testimonials from clients
• Links to examples of your work
• An old bio

After you have all this information together, open up Microsoft Word and start writing. There are many different formats you can write your bio in, but remember…it should tell a story of you as a professional and present business value to a potential client. Your main goal in writing a professional biography is to inform the readers of your business, what services you offer and your qualifications. A few tips you may want to follow are:

• Your bio should be written in third person, “he/she” instead of “I.” By presenting it as if someone else wrote it provides a distinction between you and the writer
• Draw the reader in with an engaging opening
• Be crystal clear about your expertise from the get-go
• Keep your bio as short as possible and split it into short 3-4 sentence paragraphs
• Create different versions for different audiences
• Read more tips

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