Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Is Your Bio Doing You and Your Business Justice?

"Is Your Bio Doing You and Your Business Justice?"


If Not, Don't Miss this Timely Opportunity to Do Something About It.




Hey all,

I want to tell you why I will likely not be helping anyone redo their bios anytime soon.

This connects with me wanting to tell you about a limited time deal on the coolest new ebook I've seen in a while.

(If you are an independent professional such as a coach, consultant, solopreneur, aspiring and thriving author, speaker or infopreneur - pay attention - Even if you aren't this could me more relevant than you might think)

It's about your bio.

But to rewind . . .
I was just in California for a pretty amazing meeting of some of North America's top business and marketing coaches.

I'll tell you about it sometime. Pretty cool.

While I was there I met a lady who has been referred to as a "bio whisperer".  She helps people take their mediocre bios and make them 'wow' worthy. In the last year I've come to understand how our bios are one of the most overlooked and undervalued parts of our marketing. So, a few months ago I totally redid my bio.

And, since she was sitting next to me, I pulled out my laptop and I showed it to her.

I thought it was really good!

She did not.

Within five minutes, she had given me a whole new understanding of what my bio could sound like. She lovingly, expertly and yet ruthlessly eviscerated, critiqued, took apart, reworded and re-imagined my life story.

I was sold. You need to check her out.



Her name is Nancy Juetten, and she is the author of the popular and well-reviewed "Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide".

I just bought it. It kicks ass. It's one of the most practical, high value ebooks I've ever read.

If you want to jump right to buying it - you can go here:





But before you do - let me give my pitch on why your bio matters. A lot.

Why your bio matters more than you think:


We live in a day and age where people are more skeptical than ever about advertising, marketing and business. Cynicism is rampant. Dealing with faceless corporations in the age of facebook is losing its luster.


In the age of social media - relationships matter more than they ever have. People are no longer buying from 'companies' they are buying from 'people'. And the beginning of the relationship is them being clear about who you are and what you're all about.


Relationships matter. So does authenticity.


People smell bullshit faster than ever before.


And attention spans are shorter than they've ever been.


To sum it up: we live in an age of A.D.D. cynics


So you have to capture their attention FAST. And they need to get that you're 'REAL' extremely quickly too. Within seconds of seeing your marketing materials (e.g. brochures, business cards, websites, posters) they will decide if you are relevant to them and whether or not they like and trust you.


Harsh but true.


Your bio is the place they look to learn about who you are and what your story is.


Your story is what they will or won't connect to. If they connect to your story - they will overlook a lot of marketing gaffes.


There are three possible scenarios with your bio:
  • SCENARIO #1: No Bio. This is terrible. Suddenly your business feels cold. Bureaucratic. Antiseptic. A bit too clean.
  • SCENARIO #2: A Bad Bio. This might even be worse. I have read bios that come across as resumes, or too quirky and no substance - some that make the person seem incredibly arrogant. If you're making reference to your "extraordinary capacities" as a "prodigy" and citing your "exemplary achievement" - I might consider cutting those bits out. Regardless of 'how' it goes wrong - a bad bio will lose people faster than anything. After all, if you're they're going to be getting the support from you but they don't connect with you . . .
  • SCENARIO #3: A Great Bio. When you have a great bio people's hearts will leap. It will become immediately clear whether or not it's a fit. They will feel your humanity and already have warm vibes towards you - before you've ever met. A rockstar bio will also share your story in such a way that you earn expert status and media attention. More and more people aren't buying products or services - they're buying stories. They want to feel a connection with what they're buying. Your bio is central to that.

And there is no product on earth that I know thatcan help you create an inspiring, clear and powerful bio like Nancy's ebook.

When people ask me for help with their bio I will send them to her ebook.

Why is it so good?

Her ebook (and I think this is the best part) is paaaaacked with examples of real life bios that work. It's one thing to hear the concepts and hope they work - it's another to read a bio and feel the impact of it.

It's also packed with step by step instructions on how to craft your own.


So, go check this out and let me know what you think:



warmest, 

tad

Four Keys to an Inspiring Bio

"Does your bio have all four of these critical elements in it? (Most bios don't, but the three below do)."



Hey all,

Since I sent out the promo for the spring sale  of my colleague Nancy's kick ass bio ebook "Bye Bye Boring Bio!", I've had a few people ask. "What about youuuuur bio Tad?"

Uhhhm . . . I'm working on it? Will totally share it when I'm done.
Perhaps we can all work on ours together? (high fives)

If you want to check out the special deal Nancy is offering right now, just go to the link below:



The Four Critical Elements of a Kick Ass Bio:

So, today, I thought I would share with you what Nancy (The Bio Whisperer) considers the four 'must have' elements of a homerun bio (you may have never considered some of these before).


CRITICAL ELEMENT #1: Stunning Results

Your stunning results are the most compelling benefits you deliver for your ideal client.

Here are a couple of quick examples:

- Bette James Laughrun's Isagenix nutritional supplements business was the #12 income earner in the company for much of 2008.

- Patricia Fripp is an award-winning speaker, sales presentation trainer, and executive speech coach who delights audiences, electrifies executives who speak, and transforms sales teams.

- Marci Shimoff is the woman's face of the biggest self-help book phenomenon in history, Chick Soup for the Soul.  Her six best-selling titles in the series have met with stunning success, selling more than 13 million copies worldwide in 33 languages and have been on the New York Times bestseller list for a total of 108 weeks.


CRITICAL ELEMENT #2: A Succinct Story

This is a short, concise story that gets to the heart of your passion for
your business and grabs attention in a compelling, memorable way.

Here are a couple of examples:

- Even as a young child, Dennis Conner was aware of his environment.  He noticed that by pushing furniture and accessories around, he could affect
how his space felt.  This passion for three-dimensional space has been a driving force behind his career and life choices ... If you've looking for help in selling your home, wanting to make your home or office feel and look better, or need assistance with holiday space planning, call Dennis Conner at Design Dialogue.  After all these years, he's still pushing furniture around.

- Publicists need to be able to keep a secret.  Publicist Nancy Juetten often tells her clients that as a nine year old, she figured out how many licks it takes to get to the center of the Tootsie Pop, and she'll never tell.

This is a memorable, compelling, and engaging way to build trust and invite new opportunities to be of service.  It works very, very well.

CRITICAL ELEMENT #3: A Sassy Sound Bite

This is a memorable, compelling, engaging way to build like, trust, and
respect with your ideal client.

- Kim Duke of www.salesdivas.com believes that cold calling is best left in
the freezer.

- Credible quotes from the media can also serve as sassy sound bites.   For
example, Meetings and Conventions magazine calls Patricia Fripp "one of the country's 10 most electrifying speakers."

CRITICAL ELEMENT #4: Social Information to Help Your Clients Know, Like and Trust You Immediately

Don't keep your bio strictly business.  Add a comment or two to help your
ideal client like you on the spot.

For example:

- Emmy Award Winning TV Show Host John Curley can make balloon animals and grow a beard in less than a week.

- Viva Visibility Blogger Nancy Marmolejo is fun, friendly, smart as a whip and prone to creative outbursts.

- DIY Publicity Expert Nancy Juetten's son Kyle says that if there were Olympic medals for cleaning, she would earn the gold.

So, those are the four key elements.
But, what do YOU do with them? And how do they work together?


It's probably easier to show than tell.

Three Real Life Kick Ass Bios . . .

A while ago Nancy did a radio interview with Michael Ray, host of Dresser After Dark. He invited her to his talk show to workshop his bio on the air.   Live. Listen in and see how she offered some compelling upgrades to transform his bio from OK to really great in short order using the four elements above.

Holy gutsy.

Would YOU put your chops on the line like that?

Give it a listen by clicking here.


But to jump right to Michael's redone bio . . . Check it out below.


Bio Makeover #1: Michael Ray, Radio Host
Four words that describe Michael Ray's life and business philosophy:

"OK. I Can Do That!"

Michael Ray, host at Dresser After Dark, is a talk show host with passion, skill and talent for coaxing outstanding content from guests whose messages shine with confidence, clarity, and relevance.  His engaging interview style sets the stage for authors, experts, and trainers worldwide to captivate, inform, and inspire action.

His 27-year career in radio and media skills training got its start when he sat down behind a microphone at a radio station in Fairbanks, Alaska in January of 1983.  Since then, he's interviewed thousands of radio guests from stations all across the Midwest and beyond, and he can't wait to meet who comes next.

Ray is a sought-after media skills trainer serving clients such as X, Y, and Z around the globe with his proprietary media skills training system. His new book - "The Link to Connection: Techniques for Getting What You Want Out of Any Media Interview On or Off the Air" is coming soon and will guide experts the world over to achieve winning results through the power of compelling and engaging conversation.

Guests such as (important name, important name, and important name) on Dresser After Dark describe Ray as engaging, thought provoking, and gracious.

Michael Ray lives in the Milwaukee area.  His passion for conversation is rivaled only by his enthusiasm for living an engaged and vibrant life.  Something about him that might surprise you is that his biceps are impressive enough to turn heads and stop traffic.  He is often mistaken for being decades younger than his XX years.

Bio Makeover #2: Larry Kaminer Personal Safety and Security Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, and Expert to the Media
"Within a very few minutes of listening to me answer her very specific
questions during our initial call, it was apparent to me she understood the
nature of my business and the unique vertical we are in. It then became
abundantly obvious to me that she had nailed down one of our target
audiences when she referred me to the editor of a magazine focusing on
international corporate relocation. Within a month my article on
international travel safety for those relocating was published. Now that is
what I call a tangible result. I am very excited to see where Nancy's
excellent talents and entrepreneurial instincts will take me this year!"

Larry Kaminer, President of the Personal Safety Training Group
www.personalsafetygroup.com
Seattle, WA

* * *

"Don't wait to be on the receiving end of gunfire or to have a knife at your throat before you learn essential strategies and tactics that can save your life and the lives of people you care about."

Saving Lives & Bringing Peace of Mind,
One Spell-Binding Presentation at a Time:

Larry Kaminer's passion for saving lives - including his own - began one night as a teenager growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa. Pinned down by gunfire during an attempted home invasion, he struggled to think his way through the chaos of the moment as the bullets whistled by. In that instant, Larry resolved never again be caught off guard without a personal safety strategy.  Today, he is president of Personal Safety Group, based in Seattle, WA.

Larry's Riveting, Memorable, and Practical Advice
Saves Lives & Inspires Change:

Today, Larry's "man on the street, from-the-trenches, pull-no-punches" approach to teaching crime avoidance is what sets him apart and makes his message riveting, memorable, and practical. Believing that the mind is your best weapon, Larry teaches audiences to think like criminals, understand the victim selection process, and learn how to eliminate the elements that contribute to being an easy target.  These are lessons learned over three decades of travel in high threat environments in Southern Africa.

Since 2006, Larry and his team of experts, trainers, and consultants from the Army Special Forces, Naval Special Operations, SWAT and Executive Protection arenas have inspired thousands of people to craft personal safety strategies that have the potential to save lives all over the world. At the same time, he and his team bring priceless peace of mind to all who benefit from their compelling and empowering message.

What Larry knows for sure is that no matter how we make our ways in the world, we are all ultimately responsible for our own personal safety.

Audience members and meeting planners from leading Puget Sound corporations, non-profits, county governments, safety councils, and law enforcement training events rave about the impact Larry's message brings to their audiences as personal security earns top-of-mind awareness and inspires new, life-saving behaviors.

Whether he is addressing relocating executives en route to new countries, college aged kids on their way to enjoy campus life, corporate employees or offering provocative media perspective in response to a breaking news story about personal safety, Larry's commentary always packs a powerful punch for personal safety empowerment in perfect timing.

* * *

Bio Makeover #3: Vicki Draper, Energy Healer for Treasured Pets
Vicki Draper says, "Nancy is nothing short of amazing.  She can take good information and turn it into great information in a very short time. My bio is now something that really portrays me and I am proud of sharing it.  For anyone having trouble expressing the right words, Nancy is your best resource.  I am so grateful to have benefited from Nancy's service and expertise!"
Energy Healer Vicki Draper is passionate about ensuring vitality and pain free lives for pets and the owners who love them. 

She discovered her unique talents at an early age.  When Vicki was just 11 years of age, her kitten was diagnosed with distemper. Rather than accept a tragic diagnosis, Vicki intuitively began visualizing a long, healthy life for her beloved pet.  The kitten lived a happy and active 16 years more.  Since 1999, Vicki has worked with thousands of happy and loyal pet owners and their veterinarians to bring to life similar stories for their own pets.  With Vicki's healing touch at their sides, anxious animals are empowered to be calm.  Fearful animals are empowered to feel safe.  Abused animals are empowered to release the old and embrace the new with comfort.  Many pets and their loving owners enjoy more joyful years together as a result. Happy clients cry tears of joy to watch the quick patter return to the steps of pets who are touched by this angel.   Customers from around the world also purchase Vicki's line of essences that invite healing.

With extensive training and clinical experience from leading institutions including the Northwest School of Animal Massage, Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute, Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing, Bellevue Massage School, Acupressure Institute of Berkeley, and Upledger Institute, Vicki has invested thousands of hours to learn the best ways to apply her special gifts with animals for their physical and emotional benefit.  Pet owners and their veterinarians have come to trust and rely on Vicki to solve the unsolvable.  She brings to light the right way to proceed in concert with conventional methods and how to apply new approaches to best serve each pet's unique circumstances in perfect timing.

Vicki embodies a remarkable combination of Sherlock Holmes-inspired investigative skill, Dr. Doolittle-like communication and connection with animals, and Fairy Godmother-like oversight and compassion.  Giving back to the animals in ways to facilitate both healing and peaceful passages is how Vicki's work makes the most crucial difference.  This is her passion and what compels Vicki to serve the animals and their owners every day. Vicki's God-given and inspired intuition, healing gift of touch, and heart-centered commitment to make a difference give pet owners and their pets relief, healing, and peace of mind.    Her phone number enjoys placement on the "speed dial" function of many cell phones across the Puget Sound region as clients engage with Vicki in a variety of ways:

1)    Engage by the hour for energy healing;
2)    Purchase her popular line of essences that invite healing;
3)    Enjoy new information products that support their commitment to lovingly care for their pets throughout their lives.

Vicki also welcomes invitations to speak to pet loving groups and teach about her methods.   Visit this link to see Vicki's healing gifts in action and see happy "Client Tales" in progress.  Get in touch by calling her at 425-785-4232, sending email to vicki@vimiere.com, and visiting the website.

If you like what you've read, I can't recommend Nancy's ebook, 'Bye Bye Boring Bio' enough.

Check it out:

warmest,

tad