Professional Bio
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I’m working on updating my bio and I’m looking for some feedback/suggestions as to what I should include and how it should be presented.
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The only place that Merrill Lynch allows my bio to appear online is on their pre-approved FA home page. The address for my homepage will appear in my e-mail signature, my monthly newsletter and on my business card. Since I can not post my bio anywhere else online, I will include links to it in from places such as LinkedIn or anywhere that it is appropriate. In addition to the online bio, I will have printed fact sheets that I will include in hardcopy prospecting literature or handouts at events.
The purpose of the bio is to serve as a quick description of what I do and why I am qualified to work with a prospect/client. I don’t expect the bio to be a huge business generator but in the past, clients and prospects have sent my bio to referrals as an initial introduction.
Here is the basic format that I used in the past:
1st paragraph
Years of experience
Degrees and schools from which they are held (MBA, BS)
Certifications (CFP, CRPC, CSNA)
2nd paragraph
Who I work with
What I specialize in
My process
My resources
3rd paragraph
Community/organizational involvement
I’m trying to find the balance between being informative and concise. I doubt that the alphabet soup of certifications mean anything to the clients/prospects without a description of what they are/mean. Has anyone seen them concisely described in a bio?
Thank you!
--WM
I don’t think you’re B/D will let you explain the certifications in your bio. Maybe I’m wrong, but usually they don’t allow that stuff. I typically only see that in RIA websites/literature (they like to explain the CFP and why they “sit on the same side of the table” as the client).
Hank, your wisdom is underwhelming. I don’t think you are Putsy (read some old posts to understand what I mean), but you seem to get closer with each post.
[quote=now_indy]Hank, your wisdom is underwhelming. I don’t think you are Putsy (read some old posts to understand what I mean), but you seem to get closer with each post.[/quote]
Ok. I read putsy’s old posts. I don’t think I’m putsy, either. You have an outstanding grasp for the obvious.
Actually Ferris, you nailed it completely. Your first sentence is exactly what I meant. I wasn’t trying to insult Hank, just trying to let him know that his acting like one of the old guys on the Muppet Show is getting old.
[quote=Ferris Bueller]He was implying that you are starting to turn into Putsy. It was meant as an insult, but failed completely. Gosh don’t you just feel awful now, Hank?[/quote]
My self-esteem is indexed to what is said about me on this board.