An up-close photo of male hands typing a professional bio on a Mac laptop.

How to Write a Great Professional Bio

It takes prospects no more than 50 milliseconds to form an opinion about a website. Additionally, according to the Research-Based Web Design and Usability Guidelines, users judge website credibility by its design. For B2B companies or entrepreneurs who depend on leads, these revelations are staggering.

Many companies are starting to invest in their website design as a key element of their online marketing strategy. However, while their landing pages become more modern, there is one element that still flies under the radar: the professional bio.

A professional bio is a summary of a person’s or company’s accomplishments, traits, and qualifications. It is versatile and is used across a variety of industries including marketing, media, corporations, and law firms. A short bio can provide personal branding that showcases abilities, strengths, products, and personality. Equipped with a great professional headshot, your professional bio can become a strategic way to convert inbound leads.

Your bio does not have to live exclusively on a website. Although your site is the most convenient place for people to access your bio, you can also print it and use it at conferences. You can send your bio to business partners and prospective leads, add it to pitches and decks, or use it in other various media outlets, such as press releases.

While your bio should convey a lot of information, it should also be succinct, which means a great professional bio is difficult to create.

 

Start With Your Name

It’s important to include your name and the company you work for in a professional bio so leads can easily follow up with you if they have more questions or concerns. Immediately following the name should be a sentence that shows prospective clients who you are and how you can help them.

According to an eye-tracking study by the Missouri University of Science and Technology, users form a first impression 180 milliseconds after viewing content. That is why it’s important to front-load your professional bio with the most important elements: who you are, what you do, and how you can help clients.

Additionally, it’s good practice to create a headline of your name even before starting your bio. That way, if a client remembers at least one thing from your bio, it’s your name.

 

Include Branding

Whether you are an entrepreneur or you work for a company, you’ll want to include your  brand with your bio. This could mean using the same logo, format, colors, font, or picture. Consistency in bios across multiple platforms is important because clients need to recognize you. If you use a different bio for different sites, clients could become confused and think they connected with the wrong business.

Additionally, many potential clients are discovering businesses online, including e-commerce stores, car dealerships, and even virtual law firms. This means that your bio page needs to be formatted for mobile, social media, and desktop.

 

Discuss Your Job Title and What You Do

Though you might think it’s redundant to state your occupation in a professional bio, it’s best not to assume your client will know exactly what you do right away. This is a prime opportunity to showcase your responsibilities, helping them understand who you are and what you do on a day-to-day basis.

This part of your bio should entice clients to read more about you. If you bury this important information in the middle or end of the bio, there is a good chance they won’t read it. Instead, think of your occupation information as the lead in a newspaper article that provides the most important details in the beginning.

 

Include a Professional Accomplishment

Professional accomplishments help resumes stand out — they can also help you polish your professional bio. However, it’s important to note that professional bios are not the same as resumes or cover letters. Instead of using a bulleted list to highlight accomplishments, focus on how your accomplishments benefit your clients.

Lawyers, for example, should try describing their cases from the client’s perspective. Try to answer these questions:

  • What did you do for the client?
  • How did you make the client feel?
  • What makes you different from the competition?

By answering these questions, you can give clients a better understanding of what it’s like working with you.

 

State Your Values

Core values are an important aspect of your business. They shape the company’s identity and streamline an organization’s workflow. Stating your values can also educate potential clients about the company and give you a competitive edge. Some examples of professional values include:

  • Commitment to sustainability;
  • Innovation and excellence;
  • Helping those less fortunate;
  • Honesty;
  • Diligence;

Values typically wrap up a bio, giving you another opportunity to tell clients what you stand for.

 

Other Things to Include

Besides the required elements of a bio, there are some optional details you could include. These options have the potential to make your bio stand out even more:

  • Your area of practice;
  • Important cases or publications;
  • Speaking engagements;
  • Board memberships;
  • Affiliated associations or organizations.

The following aspects of a bio can further support your credentials.

Provide Personal Insight

While some people look at including personal  details as unprofessional, others find providing these details helps them connect with potential clients. Examples of personal details include:

  • Hobbies;
  • Favorite types of media;
  • Family life;
  • Funny details;
  • Unique traits or personal history.

Using these types of details can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level and is an effective way of humanizing your bio.

Include Your Contact Info

The amount of contact information that you include in a bio is up to you. There are many different ways a client can get in touch with you, including email, phone numbers, contact sheets, and social media. Do not put any contact information online that you are not comfortable with revealing, like your address or mobile phone. Instead, put your office phone or email on your bio to ensure you are separating work life and home life.

 

Things to Avoid

To create the most efficient bio possible, there are some general factors you’ll want to avoid. When writing a bio, keep these points in mind:

  • Blocks of text: Too much text can make a reader tired and you could lose their attention. Instead, keep paragraphs two to three sentences long.
  • Lying: Besides being morally wrong, false claims are easy to disprove and can cause distrust in the professional relationship. Lies and exaggerations should be avoided at all costs.
  • Writing in the first person: The first person can look redundant on the page and sound unprofessional. Instead, use the third person even if you’re writing your bio.
  • Using padding to make the bio longer: Flowery language is not needed in professional bios. There is no actual word limit on bios, however, those with more experience will naturally have longer bios. Focus on relevant information that will help clients understand how you can help them.
  • Too much information: As stated above, use caution when deciding whether to include personal information. Though you want to connect with your audience, it must still be professional and trustworthy.

 

Where Should Your Bio Go?

Before publishing your bio online, it must live in one place. Depending on your marketing needs, there are various places to house your bio, including:

  • Facebook Business page;
  • LinkedIn profile;
  • Instagram account;
  • Personal website;
  • Personal blog;
  • Industry website;
  • Industry blog byline.

Remember, your bio is an important part of a website, and in the bigger picture, is essential for marketing yourself or your company. Potential clients may see your professional bio in a variety of places.

Your bio is a tool you can leverage even while networking, making it easier to convert the qualified leads you acquire. It’s important to consistently tighten, strengthen, and update your bio as much as possible.

 

At 4LegalLeads, we’re committed to helping legal professionals grow their businesses. Leads are just one part of a successful legal business strategy, so our blog covers a wide range of topics.

We believe you deserve both quality legal leads and the knowledge you need to make the most of your investment. Explore our blog further to find the tools that help you succeed!

 

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