This practical article provides a template for how to write a professional bio or an "About Me" page. The example that is used in the template is for a business coach.  However, it's not hard to adapt this professional bio template to your own profession. 

Why you need a professional bio

After you write a bio or "About Me" page you'll use it for a range of networking and marketing purposes: on your website or blog; listing yourself on job registries; summarizing your expertise for people introducing you at a speaking engagement; or attaching to the end of an article you've written.

Remember, your bio is not a resume

When writing a bio or "about me", remember the difference between bio and biography.  

Bio = short.  Biography = long.

A good bio is short. Because if it's too long, people won't read it.

Writing a bio

Think of your professional bio as a little advertisement for your business. Ideally, it addresses what I call the “four reader questions” (4RQs). These are the four questions that readers want answered in your professional bio:

1) who you are...
2) your expertise and how it addresses...
3) their problem or goal, and how they can...
4) contact you

Sample professional bio or "About Me"

Look at the sample professional bio below and see if you can identify the 4RQs:

Jane Smith is a small business coach who helps women make the transition from full-time mom to successful entrepreneur. A grandmother now, Jane started her coaching business in 2002 to help other women deal with the sometimes overwhelming prospect of starting a new business while still running a household.

Prior to raising her family, Jane spent over ten years as a teacher, corporate trainer and workshop leader. Today Jane offers a wide range of coaching programs and services – from individual coaching, to seminars and keynote speeches. To contact Jane, please visit her coaching website at http://www.janesmith.com

Were you able to identify the 4RQs in this professional bio? Here is Jane’s professional bio again, with the 4RQs identified:

Jane Smith is a small business coach (who Jane is) who helps women make the transition from full-time mom to successful entrepreneur (their problem or goal). A grandmother now (Jane’s expertise – shows she has been a mother and is now older and presumably wiser), Jane started her coaching business in 2002 to help other women deal with the sometimes overwhelming prospect of starting a new business while still running a household (how Jane helps them overcome their problem or achieve their goal).

Prior to raising her family, Jane spent over ten years as a teacher, corporate trainer and workshop leader (Jane’s expertise). Today Jane offers a wide range of programs and services – from individual coaching, to seminars and keynote speeches (how Jane can help). To contact Jane, please visit her website http://www.janesmart.com (how to contact Jane).

More tips for writing your professional bio or "About Me"

· remember, keep your professional bio or "About Me" short

· be selective - don't list your entire professional background

· be very specific about who you work with and how you can help them

· don't be bland - let your personality show

· follow the professional bio template below

Professional Bio Template:

Below are some sentence starters for how to write a bio. Most of the time it's best to limit your bio to three or four sentences.  This is particularly true for a professional bio that you would use when being introduced as a speaker, or at the end of an article you have written.

When writing a bio for your website, you can make it a little longer if you wish. But make sure you break it into short paragraphs (no more than three sentences in each paragraph). This will increase the likelihood that people will actually read your bio.

· ______________ (your name) is a _________ (the type of coach you are) coach who helps _________ (your target clients) to ___________ (a problem or goal your target clients have).

· Prior to establishing her/his coaching business, _______(your name) spent _______ years as a ________________ (your relevant experience).

· ________ (your name) offers a wide range of programs and services – from ___________, to __________ and __________ (your services)

· ________ (your name) specializes in coaching ______ (target clients) to ___________ (problem target clients want to solve, or goal they want to achieve)

· After a successful career __________ (what you’ve been successful in), _______ (your name) now coaches other people to achieve the same success.

· _________ (your name) is no stranger to ________ (the industry or problem you coach). She/he spent ___ years as a ________ (occupation: e.g. mother of three, professional dancer, corporate executive).

· Her/his book ________ (book title) was published in ____ (publication year) and has since helped _______ (number: hundreds? thousands?) of people to _______ (problem book solved for them, or what it taught them)

· To contact _______ (your name) please email ______ or go to _______ (your web site)