How to Write Your Personal Biography for a Business Conference

Elle Smith reports:

"A well-written bio will highlight your expertise and is often the key to booking a conference in the first place. Many speakers confuse the bio with their CV or resume. The biography should be more client-focused and deliver dynamic and engaging content for the reader, not merely a dry list of accomplishments. Ask the event organizer what length the biography should be, if the speech has already been publicized and if the biography will also serve as your spoken introduction. A good rule of thumb is anywhere from three to six sentences in length. Length is particularly important if your biography will be included in a printed program, as there will be a limited amount of space for each layout. Try not to repeat too much information that might be included in other materials. Write in third-person narrative...You can include more facts and bring more substance to a biography in third person. Start with your first and last name, then use your first name for future references if the conference is friendly and informal. However, using your last name is more likely to impress...Know your audience and tailor your biography for each speaking engagement. Deliver what the audience wants to hear...Treat your biography as though it were an advertisement. Answer the questions of who you are, how your expertise is beneficial to the reader's problems or goals and why you're the perfect person to speak at the conference. Open with your most impressive accomplishment to make the biography 'pop.' Follow with your credentials to prove you are an expert...Bring your biography to a conclusion with the knowledge you will impart to the audience -- their sole purpose for being there. Aspire to give the inspiration they need to break ground in...their own careers. Ask yourself[,] 'What will I bring to this conference that nobody else can?'"