How to Write an “About Me” for Financial Agents

An “About Me” page is one of the most important pages on your website. Behind the homepage, it’s usually the second most viewed page. People will go to that page expecting to find out the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your business. Your “About Me” page should answer those questions in a way that’s easy to understand.

You should keep these 7 things in mind when writing the perfect bio:

1) Know Your Audience

Whether you’re in finance or another industry, you most likely already have a niche that you service. Customers are too different to focus on attracting everybody, so you should have a specific type of person in mind for your services. The most important thing when writing an “About Me” page is knowing who your audience is. You will want to use language and imagery that will speak directly to your niche. Always have this group in mind when crafting any digital experience, especially your website.

You will need to understand the prospective customer before you even begin to describe yourself. How can you even begin to tell them who you are and how you can meet their needs if you don’t know who they are and what they need?

Once you understand who your audience is, it’s time to get started on the why and the what. Why would this customer choose me? What can I do for them? Give your audience an insight into why you are the right person for them.

2) Show the Real You

Your “About Me” page should show the reader the “real you”. Give them insight into your personality, how you got to where you are now, your likes and dislikes, and your motivation for doing what you do. By explaining to your audience what your motivations are, you stand a better chance of connecting with them on an emotional level.

Your goal should be to explain who you are as a person and as a professional as honestly as possible. People are far more likely to do business with someone that they trust and empathize with. The process of developing that connection begins with showing those potential customers exactly who you are.

While facts such as where you went to school, what qualifications you have, and how long you have been in the industry are important, they are not the most important thing to many people. Try to pepper these “essential facts” throughout the description of yourself, but don’t focus on them. It will take away from your ability to tell your story. Don’t focus on what you’ve done, focus on why you did it.

3) Tell Your Story

When writing your “About Me” page, you should attempt to tell your audience an engaging story about who you are. Tell the story of how and why you entered the industry, why you want to help people, and what your strengths are. Stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone according to a Stanford study. Not only should your bio be factually accurate, it should tell the audience an engaging story.

A secondary benefit of telling a story in your bio is that it shows off your personality. What you choose to highlight, what cultural touchstones are mentioned, the tone you choose to present yourself with, and how you describe your niche itself says a lot about you.

Framing your bio as a story will make you seem approachable, hopefully drawing similarities between you and your audience. You want to show the audience that you are a person, as well as an advisor. Telling your story is a fantastic way to do that.

4) Tell Your Audience How You Can Help Them

Another important part of your “About Me” page is showing what you can do to help your audience. You can describe yourself all you want, but if the reader cannot see the value you can provide them, they will simply move on to somebody who’s value they can see.

Tell your readers exactly what services you can provide them. Describe what it is you do for your clients, what value you provide, and the specific niche that your services can benefit. If you’re an advisor, whose niche is former CEO’s looking to maintain or grow their current wealth to pass on to the next generation you could say:

“I help retired CEO’s build a strong investment portfolio with the intention of preserving their wealth for their children and grandchildren. My goal is to help families be prepared financially for when a loved one passes on. I will do my best to assemble the perfect portfolio for you, so your children will keep as much of the nest egg that you built for them as possible.”

By explaining your value in your “About Me” page, people who fit within your niche will felt personally spoken to, increasing the likelihood that they will contact you, at least exploring your services.

5) Use of Images

A picture is worth a thousand words. With one image you can convey a lot of information about how you carry yourself, how confident you are, and how professional you are. Images are a very important part of any website, not only because of the information they can convey but also for the aesthetic enhancement they bring a page.

A high-quality photo can serve as a way to draw the reader’s eye across your page. Use images to guide the reader through your bio, down to your contact form. Without images, your page will look boring, potentially causing people to abandon their search.

Remember, the first time somebody meets you, they should be able to recognize you from the picture in your bio. Some things to ensure when choosing your main bio picture include:

• You are dressed professionally
• You are well lit in the photo
• The picture is recent
• The photo is a headshot

You may include multiple pictures on the “About Me” Page. If you do choose to include multiple pictures, ensure that they are diverse. For example, you could include your main bio picture, a group shot of your team, a picture of you with your family (to show you’re human) and one that highlights one of your passions. This will give the reader insight as to who you are (or at least who you perceive yourself to be).

6) Write the Way You Speak

When writing a bio, write from a first-person perspective. Use words like “I” and “We” to show your audience that you wrote it yourself. If you write from the third-person, it will sound awkward and forced, as if somebody from a marketing department wrote it for you.

Your bio should sound like you are introducing yourself to your client at an event. You want it to be professional, yet informal. Take a look at the example below:

“My name is Advisor Jones, I was born right here in Advisorville. For over twenty years I’ve helped retired farmers with over a million dollars net worth maintain their assets for the rest of their lives. I first developed an interest in helping farmers while attending the University of Guelph. I really enjoy…”

That description of Advisor Jones, a financial advisor from Advisorville, sounds a lot more approachable than this one:

“Advisor Jones has twenty years of experience in the financial services industry. Mr. Jones works with farmers with net worth’s of over one million dollars. Advisor Jones is a member of the ‘82 class from the University of Guelph.”

Writing in the first person will make you seem friendlier, more approachable and less “corporate.” It will help the audience see you as a real person, increasing the likelihood that they will contact you.

7)  Include Clear Contact Information

The final thing you need to include on your bio page is a clear call-to-action inviting the audience to contact you. This can be a form that records their contact information, a button that takes them to another page, or a direct link to your email address.

Regardless of which method you choose, including a way for the reader to contact you is essential to any “About Me” page. If you have followed the previous steps and wrote about who you are, what you do, and why people should trust you, readers looking for more information will be ready to contact you.

If they weren’t already thinking about contacting you; offering a clear, easy way for your audience to get in touch with you can motivate action. It’s possible at first they will just have a question or two that you can answer. As time moves on, and they move towards a purchase decision, they will remember who you are, remember your helpfulness, and potentially contact you ahead of others.

With no way for the audience to contact you, the effort you put into your bio may go to waste.

“About Me”: Conclusion

There you have it. Seven things you need to know to write an awesome “About Me” page. Your bio has several purposes, all of which are interconnected and related to gaining the audience’s trust. Tell an engaging story, explain who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Relate that to the needs and wants of your niche, and you will differentiate yourself from the competition.

What other tips do you use when writing bios? If you do, let us know on Twitter @VeridayHQ or on LinkedIn! Differentiate yourself from other advisors by telling an engaging story about yourself and your business on your “About Me” page.