It is not easy to prepare your own profile or biography. If you are modest, you are not good at telling the world why you are so good at what you do. If you are uncomfortable writing about yourself, it will be the one task that gets pushed to the side because you have other things that are more important to do. And if you are a shameless self-promoter, you may get the facts right but the tone might turn readers off.
That’s why our team encourages clients to prepare a professional profile that is written to engage and reassure readers, while at the same time conveying key information.
To help get you started, here’s what you need to keep in mind when preparing your profile for the “About …” Page:
Tell your story. If you were motivated to become an estate planning attorney because someone in your family needed help and you didn’t think they were treated right, share that. The same if you were inspired by an Elder Law clinic that you did while a law student. Let the visitors to your page know who you are, what makes you tick.
Remember your target audience. While some visitors to your website will be lawyers and other professionals, most will be laypeople who may not recognize organizational acronyms or credentials that you and your colleagues use on a daily basis. They may not know what NAELA means, or what a CELA is. Like any good reporter, write in a way that someone who knows nothing about estate planning or elder law will be able to understand.
Skip the hyperbole. Avoid using over-the-top terms and expressions. People tend to be skeptical when the language becomes overly boastful. The same applies to flowery or overly dramatic language. Keep it straightforward, and steer clear of too much colorful language.
Keep first things first. Your accomplishments may fill three pages, but your readers will likely only skim the first page. Make sure that the most important things are in the first paragraph, in case they only read that.
Build in connections. People look for commonalities when they speak, meet and read profiles on websites. That’s why in addition to college and law school information, you want to include any outside activities. Are you involved in local charitable groups? Volunteer with the local Girl Scouts? Include all of these to give readers a chance to connect with you in a meaningful way.