Many of the people who need to know you, don't. Your prospects don't. Your website visitors don't. Even your clients don't.

That's because, if you're like most business professionals, your promotional bio undersells you and fails to give credit where credit is due. Problem is, you can't effectively sell your services and products unless and until you can sell yourself. The personal sale is the most important sale you ever make.

You can't sell yourself without a bio that creates credibility, establishes your expertise and spells out your specialness. You can't get good clients with a bad bio.

Chances are your printed bio sheet, your website "about us" information and your social networking profiles don't promote you as well as they could and should. As a result, those you seek to influence don't know all that you do, have done and can do.

This is not to say you're unqualified or lacking in specialized talent and skill. It is to say that you don't adequately share that information online and in your printed marketing materials.

That's too bad, because your personal bio is your most important online and print marketing piece. Yours should knock their socks off.

Is your bio boosting or blocking you? Does it pass the "So what?" test? Does it disqualify rather than qualify you from working with your ideal prospects?

The beginning tells a bundle. A sure sign your bio doesn't work is if it starts by saying that you "launched your company seven years ago." Or that you're a New York native. Or that you received your masters of business degree from the University of Wisconsin. Or that you have been the firm's CEO since 2003.

The problem: dated information. Have you accomplished anything since?

Nor am I impressed when you tell me that you "value excellent workmanship and service." Or that you "grow our business with trust, integrity, expertise and experience." Or that you're "committed to operate by our core values." Oh, pul-eease!

Skip the baloney, and give me benefits. Tell me how you can help me increase my profits or enhance my lifestyle, and how you can save me time, money and headaches. And tell me how you differ from your competitors.

What goes into a good bio? You should include your:

  • "Only" phrase (" _______ is the area's only financial planner who ...)
  • Awards and other honors
  • Specialties
  • Experience
  • Accomplishments
  • Skills and capabilities
  • Other qualifications
  • Unique services and products
  • Publication history (where/how you've been published)
  • Client profile (who you serve and how)
  • Resources (vendors, contractors, etc.)
  • Affiliations
  • Educational background

Make it a priority to update and upgrade your bio within the next month. Why? Because it's your most valuable, versatile and vital personal promotion tool. It's your "brag sheet" that does the boasting in print so you need not do it in person.

In these competitive times, nothing differentiates you more decisively than a stellar bio.