The 10-Second You {Case Study}
Making your online presence reflect your offline personality when 140 characters is considered “long.”
The Client
A social sales speaker, social media expert and strategist, and a continuous connections officer who works with organizations to drive revenue through the effective use of social selling strategies and techniques.
The Challenge
In a society that feeds off of trending topics and instant entertainment, it’s vital that you stand out from the crowd. Playing it safe is no longer an option for those who want to succeed in the online marketplace – if you want the sale, you have to shorten your pitch and hone the quick hook. The clock is ticking, the “next big thing” is coming in their social feeds – you have a lot of competition for their time, so make the most of it.
What this particular client had going for him was that he’s a one-of-a kind networker, a master of creating connections and building an online community where discussions can be facilitated in a respectful and informative way. However, his current bio failed to reflect his colorful personality by its use of more traditional language to describe his background, work history, and professional achievements. In short, the client’s existing bios – both long and short – did not accurately portray him or his abilities to bring a room to life, nor did it cause him to stand out from the lengthy leadership crowd on a list of potential speakers.
The Solution
Having a bio that makes you stand out from the crowd can mean the difference between getting the job and losing the opportunity. Understanding that you have a limited amount of time to grab the attention of your prospective clients, it’s imperative that you utilize the 10-second window in the best way possible, hitting your highlights by utilizing your best assets.
In the case of my client, that meant focusing on his successful past events and playing on the humor that he uses to keep his audience awake and engaged. Since almost everyone has some experience hearing a speaker who can’t hold the room, we utilized that common experience for the initial grab, trusting that by getting a nod of recognition, we can keep them reading to see why this guy is different.
We balanced wit with experience, demonstrating that he might be a “funny guy,” but he also has the credentials to back it up. He has written books, is much sought after for interviews and articles for top tier media outlets, and provides practical application steps while holding the attention of his audience. In just a few sentences we were able to demonstrate that his hilarity and attention-grabbing suit coats make him stand out as an individual, his sense of comedic timing makes him an entertaining speaker for events, and his real-world experience gives him practical application practices to share with the audience.
With a few strategic tweaks, my client’s bio went from a cover page snooze to a kaleidoscope of possibilities, making his offerings and experience accurately reflect the man who has been entertaining and enlightening audiences for the last ten years.
Steps You Can Take to Do the Same
If you’re looking for a personal bio renovation, these are great starting points to keep in mind as you update your resume – online or offline – to reflect what companies and individuals are looking for in their next speaker, coach, or promotional event host.
- Perfect the 10 second read through – if people visit your website for 10 seconds, can they walk away with a simple understanding of what you do/sell?
- Fit your “About” on a “My Name Is…” name badge – if you only had 2” x 3” to hit your highlights, could you do it? What’s vital and what’s extra?
- Go for the sweet tooth – what icing can you pull them in with (i.e. “NY Times Bestseller,” “Coach to the Stars,” “The Godfather of Leadership”) that makes them to want to know more?
- Avoid the buzz word monster – everyone can throw around “social” terms, but simplifying and demystifying jargon for your potential customers quickly proves that you understand your craft.