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Member Bio for Associate, Planning, Marketing and Full Service Members
As a BEI Member, you have unique access to a network of qualified professionals who can help you create and even become a part of your Exit Planning Advisor Team. The best way to begin building your network is to provide your fellow Members with a strong Member Bio.
This Coaching Tip will provide you with suggestions about how to create a strong, succinct, informative Bio to increase the opportunities you have to teach and learn from other Exit Planning Advisors, provide concrete proof of your expertise, and grow your client base.
Why Bother?
A lacking or absent profile can imply inactivity or a lack of expertise, giving other Advisors—or even business owners—pause when considering your services. Providing relevant information can increase the number of people who reach out to you to seek advice or partnerships, keeping your pipeline full and your awareness of cutting-edge Exit Planning practices sharp.
Keeping It Above the Fold
Strong Member Bios provide the maximum amount of information about you in the minimum amount of space. When creating your profile, consider the following formatting and content tips.
1. Introduce Yourself
Begin by providing your role, business philosophy, and a preview of your services in two to three sentences. Consider the following example:
Anthony Bryant is an Attorney and Certified Public Accountant with over 25 years of experience in the areas of Trust & Estate Planning, Taxation and Business & Corporate Law.
Recognizing that every situation is unique, he works with families and their businesses to preserve wealth and protect assets, plan for their legacy, and provide for future generations while addressing special situations and complicated circumstances.
This introduction is rich in information and succinct. It affords Members and business owners a brief but telling synopsis of what Anthony does and how he does it.
2. Provide Key Terms for Your Industry Niches.
Members tend to search for experts in particular niches. In the form of a bulleted list, tell fellow members in which fields you specialize (e.g., M&A, financial management, business valuation) and the industries in which you specialize (e.g., construction, biotech, hospice care).
3. Provide Your Professional Designations.
In the form of a bulleted list, provide Members with your professional affiliations and associations of which you’re a member. This information validates your expertise and can uncover connections you and other Members have to one another that may not have been obvious. You may also include information about your education in this section if applicable.
Remember to keep your Bio above the fold: Members tend to shy away from Bios that are too long (more than three or four short paragraphs) or that lack paragraph breaks (i.e., walls of text). When possible, use lists to convey expertise in bite-sized portions. When Members find what they’re looking for, they’ll typically stop and reach out to you over reading your entire history. You may provide a link to your firm’s website at the end of your Bio for more in-depth information if available.