eWomenNetwork Blog

Guest Post by Nancy Juetten

A client-attracting bio is a universal tool in the marketing toolbox for business owners serious about growing and attracting the right clients. Read on for tips to help you get the mission accomplished in short order.

Not every business owner has the interest or inclination to get interviewed by the media, become a popular public speaker, or step into that dream of becoming a best-selling author. However, it is a universal need among business owners to position themselves to attract more of the right clients right now. Those who want to stand out and shine as they attract more clients need to say who they are, the mission they are on, the results they bring about, and why it matters in compelling terms that capture attention straight away. That means using your bio as a tool to attract exactly what you seek in terms that actually compel prospects into action.

For example, if you were seeking a personal fitness trainer, which of these two descriptions would compel you to lean in and engage?

A. I am a personal fitness trainer who serves 50-something rich people who reside on Mercer Island who want to get in better shape now.

B. I am a Jewish mother with a PhD who is also a fitness maven on a mission to get 50-somethings off the couch and taking the stairs with a smile because they look to the second half of life as the best half of life.

As for me, I’d choose B. because the message is steeped in authenticity, wow, and the promise of great possibilities that really resonate in a compelling, emotional way. And it all happens with one line of text.

The fact is, everyone’s business bio can be made better to showcase more authenticity, better messaging, and delicious benefits that really resonate with their target market. Best of all, a better bio can invite more of the right opportunities to reflect well in the balance sheet. Like all things — including exercise — it’s a matter of getting into action and selecting well chosen words that deliver the goods.

As you ponder those words, consider these marketplace realities:

1) There are 27 million independent business professionals trying to make a go of it beyond the scope of “cubicle nation.” Some have exited voluntarily, and some choose never to return or can’t find their way back in. These people have to make their way in the world somehow, and that means it is essential to differentiate and stand apart quickly in an online search. Blah, blah, blah and boring messages don’t get the job done.

2) There are many people who need to invite additional streams of income beyond traditional employment to make ends meet in this demanding economy in which many states are still reporting double digit unemployment. What potential clients find out about them in a quick Google search can mean the difference between getting a call to get into action or sitting indefinitely for calls that never come in. Conduct a “Google” search for your name, your company name, and the key words for which you want to be known as the expert. If the search reveals a disconnect, consider that your wake up call to take inspired action to change that for the better.

3) Speakers who want more paid speaking engagements can invite plenty more of them and the compensation that goes with them, provided they lead with a provocative, timely headline and describe their message points in ways that get meeting planners to say “YES” right away. Those who ramble in broad generalities are often disappointed by their results, whereas those who describe the value they bring in bold terms often welcome the compensation.

4) In today’s economy that the Wall Street Journal has called “the age of going solo,” decision makers recognize that they are doing business first and foremost with PEOPLE as opposed to COMPANIES. People want to know about that energy healer, financial planner, or business coach before putting their money on the line to benefit from their unique ways of serving clients. How quickly a consultant, expert, author, or media personality can get to the “like, trust, and respect” place has a direct impact over how much influence they can command and how much money they can make. A well crafted bio that makes clear the stunning results, sassy sound bites, succinct stories, and relevant social information that guides ideal clients to get there faster can bring plenty more qualified sales opportunities than leading with an old school bio that reads like yesterday’s news.

5) There are a great many people who struggle GREATLY with talking about themselves. For those who want to get seen, heard, celebrated and ultimately COMPEN$ATED, this is a huge problem. Those who are willing to articulate the value they bring for their ideal clients in terms that resonate and are sufficiently compelling to invite prospects to become paying clients can advance along their path to revenue generation a whole lot faster than those who don’t or won’t. It’s an exercise well worth the effort, as you’ll soon find out when you plug in these lessons to your expert advantage to scoop up the marketplace opportunities that await.  (Original post http://biznik.com/articles/getting-your-bio-in-great-shape-offers-rewards-that-show-up-in-the-balance-sheet)

Join Nancy Juetten on Success Institute 1/18/11, 1:30pm CST to  ”Take the Rock Start Status Reality Check”