The Bio-Sheet: An Essential Part of Your Media Kit
If you are a public speaker, podcast guest, show host, entrepreneur, book author, or business owner, an essential part of business success is having a strong network. Potential connections need to know who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Having a document in hand or ready to email describing your unique selling points, makes your service, brand, or you, desirable and memorable. Above all else, it will differentiate you from your competitors.
What is a Bio-Sheet? A bio-sheet is a professionally designed corporate flyer that details on one page a short biography of who you are, what you do, why you are an expert in your field, and how you can benefit an audience. Think of it as a business card on steroids, so it should be designed to match your established brand.
Why do you need a Bio-Sheet?
Relying solely on social media to make connections may not be your best option. You can easily get lost in the crowd, and despite your best efforts, the rewards may be small in comparison to other forms of marketing. This is where a bio-sheet comes into play.
First impressions are important, really important, after all, there is a lineup of people behind you that claim they can do what you do. We need people to recognize us for who we are - experts in our field and how we can help them or their business.
Creative professional Bio-Sheets get shared. When you send your sheet to a lead you have generated, that person can send it on to others. The relationship building stays active generating more visits to your website and social media channels.
Bio-Sheets are designed to interact with potential clients. They should be designed to be interactive PDF’s. Readers will find it easy to click your website or social media icons and embedded links will take them directly to your website, Linkedin page and so forth. You can print it to use as a handout at the next trade show or public speaking engagement. Keep in mind the print version will not be interactive, but will of course, keep the creativity in tack. It can be emailed to potential leads. It is a powerful page of information that quickly generates interest in you and your services. It is a versatile marketing tool that can be used many ways. Here at the expertbookers, we feel it is invaluable, so much so that we include it in our package price when you sign up for our podcast booking service.
What should you include on your Bio-Sheet?
Questions that can be answered and topics that can be discussed should be included to give the reader an overall impression of what he/she could expect from an interview with you. Your questions/topics should be designed to deliver value to the people you wish to connect with. A podcast host will use it as an outline to prepare for your podcast episode with you as a guest.
A short bio that describes you and your experience. If you have achieved something outstanding or noteworthy that is related to your work, include it. Again, be sure to mention what value you have to offer those you wish to work with. It should be professional, written in the third person, and preferably not too long and wordy.
Prospective clients need to see you. So use a great photo and make sure it is a good quality high-resolution snap. It can be a head-shot or a full-body photo. If you have a professional picture in a setting that sets you apart from the crowd, then by all means use it. A good graphic designer will design your one-sheet around your picture and match your company branded guidelines. It will speak volumes about you and your business.
Quality is essential. There is such a thing as a bad bio-sheet. If the quality of your bio-sheet is poor, it can cause you more harm than good! Unless you are a digital designer of some description capable of creating your own sheet, use a professional. It is not expensive to have a beautifully designed, fully interactive one-sheet created for you. We use designbycreatives.com