If you are an author, speaking is always a great way to sell books – after all, no one sells the book better than the author and Gee Whiz you may generate new business too! At M Com Publishing, we help our authors put together workshops and also schedule speaking gigs as part of their PR program. As a result, we keep a close eye on the bio – especially when the moderator will read it in front of the room. Here are some tips:
Good Bio:
- Talks about your position and company name
- Website mention is a must – especially when printed in programs, as you want people to know how to reach you
- If you are an author, list your books
- Highlight your work experience – only a sentence or two; not an essay
- List any media appearances you have had or awards achieved
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Bad Bio:
- Lists none or very little of the information above
- Talks about super personal information like deaths in the family, sad tragic family illnesses or your match.com profile. Anything that makes your audience uncomfortable is a do-not-list
- Personal interests: if you are talking at a pet expo and your bio mentions you like cats; that is OK. If you are talking to a group of CEOs on financial management, they are not going to want to hear about your pet fluffy.
Unfortunately, we have seen all of the above. Go for the “good”.
