Follow these simple steps to creating a powerful bio that the media will love:
1. Your bio should always begin with your credentials, academic achievements, professional and academic affiliations.
2. If you are the author of books, papers, and/or studies note those next along with the names of the papers and studies and where they appear etc., so the media can document them.
3. List your areas of expertise.
4. List the years you have been active in these areas and your fields.
5. List any involvement in any association, achievements or awards you have received in your field.
6. List media appearances TV or radio and quotes in magazines in newspapers.
7. What does not belong in a bio: your personal family history, personal triumphs or tragedies, your birth place. You can include the location where you currently reside or practice.
8. Information has to be absolutely accurate, up to date, and easily verifiable as the media has resources to check out your information.
9. Be sure the bio on your website is exactly the same and consistent with the bio that you are presenting to the media. You can always offer an expanded version on your website. However, you should not be inconsistent with your bio. You can certainly have other info on your website but the bio must remain consistent with the one you present to the media.
10. The purpose of a professional bio for use in the media is to give them a snapshot of your expertise so they can determine if you qualify as the expert for the segment or article they have in mind.
11. In addition to the bio, have a professional .jpeg of yourself in your professional capacity and jpeg of your book cover ready to go.
12. Tapes are requested by the media. Have at least professional quality tapes ready to be sent. As you send them, restock. The media moves fast and needs the info immediately and cannot wait for copies to be made or compiled, etc.
Additional tip: when responding to a media alert, if you don’t quite fit exactly what they are looking for, let them know how you tie in and maybe they can develop a different segment for you. Keep in mind the media does not change the segment because of the focus of the expert – they want the expert to fit the segment.
You are encouraged to develop a separate website for the media.
This website should have:
– Your contact info
– Your bio
– Your picture
– Your book (but not presented in a sales way)
– Articles you have written
– Developed segment ideas that include talking points and a list of questions you would like to asked along with your intro.
Follow these 12 simple guidelines and you’ll be well prepared when that phone call comes!
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