Top Ten Tips for Writing a Professional Overview or BiographyWritten by Tara Kachaturoff, Executive Coach
A professional biography or overview, showcasing your background, experience and expertise, is a necessity for every business owner. This often overlooked marketing tool is an excellent way to introduce you and your business to potential clients and possible strategic business partners. Potentially, it might open up opportunities for speaking engagements, radio or television interviews, or a feature print article. While any information about you and your business is helpful, information that is presented in a professional, well-polished manner can make all difference in how others perceive you. Consider these important points as you craft your own professional biography.1.One page wonder. Your professional biography should be a few paragraphs and kept to one page or less. One page is perfect for copying on reverse side of a handout or flyer. Several paragraphs, left justified make it easier to read and skim. 2.First, second, or third person? Always write your biography in third person. That is, refer to yourself by your name or she/he as appropriate. It sounds more professional as it appears that a third party wrote text. For example, “Alexandra has been featured in New York Times, Forbes, Newsweek, and Time magazines.” 3.Business in brief. Not only do readers want to know what you do, but also they want to know who you work with – because they might want to work with you! A professional biography should include a sentence or two about your business niche (or niches) as well as types of clients you serve. A modified version of your 30-second elevator pitch might be perfect. 4.And winner is…. Make sure that you include a list of awards that you have received. Readers are interested in knowing about your talents and organizations that recognize you for them. 5.Organizations. Include names of organizations, clubs, or associations to which you belong. A reader’s interest might be highlighted at seeing that you belong to same alumni association or professional business group. Again, these connections might possibly lead to some interesting and exciting business opportunities. 6.Certifications and designations. Include any professional certifications or designations you hold. Make sure you write out their names in full, rather than use abbreviations. Not everyone might know that CMA stands for Certified Management Accountant. And, perhaps, in a different discipline, it might represent something else – like a Certified Materials Analyst. If you no longer hold a particular designation, but it has played a major role in who you are and what you do, don’t hesitate to make a reference to it. For example, “Ann is a former Certified Data Processor and spent last decade as an adjunct faculty member teaching higher mathematics at University of Colorado, Boulder.” Don’t include abbreviations of college degrees, like MBAs as it looks unprofessional. The only exception to this would be for a Ph.D. designation.
| | Top 10 Steps to Donating Your Coaching ServicesWritten by Tara Kachaturoff, Executive Coach
Donating coaching services is a great way for new and established coaches, alike, to gain new clients. It’s also a wonderful way to contribute support to charitable and other organizations which support communities, locally and globally. It is important that we all contribute something back to our community and donating a coaching package is perfect way. Your donation may be entered in a silent auction, raffled off, or even awarded as a door prize. It’s a win-win situation for everyone; you’ll be able to do what you love – coach – and at same time, help raise money for a cause that you believe in. 1. Determine what services you are willing to donate. Consider donating a one-month coaching package. Be certain that you are very clear on exactly what that package will comprise, including any client intake material you might need to send. Also determine how many sessions you can offer and how long each will be. You will need to provide all of this information in package that you submit to sponsoring organization. Finally, make sure that you have time in your schedule and business stability to provide these services, as they will not be contributing revenue towards your business. 2. Determine which charities or organizations you might like to support. Make a list of fifteen or twenty organizations to which you would consider donating your services. These might include hospitals, private schools, organizations which support a particular health issue, as well as groups that support animal rights or environment. 3. Gather detailed information about each organization. Research and read about each organization you might wish to support. Make a detailed list or database where you can record organization’s name, address, telephone number, website, and name of main contact person. Call each organization and ask when they schedule their fundraisers and if they will accept a donation from you. It is good idea to have this information because you will need to plan in advance to make sure you don’t miss any potential opportunities. Fundraisers are scheduled throughout year. Also, many organizations have required paperwork to be completed and returned along with item you are donating, so it is a good idea to find this out in advance. 4. Select organizations you wish to support. Once you have a list, determine how many donations you can afford both from both a financial and time standpoint. Don’t over schedule or over burden yourself by making too many donations. For most coaches, making one to two donations per year would be doable and affordable. 5. Create a gift certificate. Use a package like Microsoft Publisher or even a word processing program to develop a certificate that is either 8 ½ X 11 inches or 4 ½ X 11 inches. Print gift certificate on heavy bond paper and laminate it.
|
