Writing Your About Page or Bio
So You Think This Is About You?

Most people find it uncomfortable to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. You probably feel like you are bragging or being self-centered however if you are promoting a book, business, product, service or speaking at an event, you MUST brag! You must get more comfortable sharing your successes, prominent associations and etc.

It is okay to name drop, yes I said name drop! While you may think this is all about YOU… it is not. It is about providing information to potential readers, customers, patrons and supporters. They need this information to prompt them to buy or to form a positive perception of the value you add.

In my past web design life, I came across this “uncomfortable” place with clients. When building a website, it requires content. The content is typically centered around who, what, when, where and how. In particular, for sites built for Authors, Consultants, Experts, Artists and Speakers… they are the BRAND. The website content is focused on showing the value of that client and the client’s brand.

In general, people form opinions about the client’s brand based in part on their BIO (most often found on an “About Me” page).

Suggestions for your BIO:

When creating your BIO, here are a few suggestions of things you can include:

• Educational Accomplishments (including degrees, certificates or degrees in progress)
• Awards & Recognitions
• Memberships and roles held
• Past accomplishments (prior books, previous events hosted & etc.)
• Past events or programs you participated in (prior speaking engagements)
  Key point: If a well known person also participated at the same event, it is okay to reference them. For example, “Shared the stage with …”.
• Media attention (including radio interviews, TV interviews, newspaper, blog or magazine articles)
• Volunteer activities

Pro tip: Where possible, include numbers!

So while this all may feel like bragging and tooting your own horn, remember this is not about YOU but about showcasing your value to others!