Does your bio feel tired? Crafting a bio that draws clients in doesn’t have to be a chore. Here are a few techniques, backed up by knockout real life examples, to help you give your bio a revamp.

In March’s Marketing and Branding Month, we’ll go deep on agent branding and best practices for spending with Zillow, Realtor.com and more. Top CMOs of leading firms drop by to share their newest tactics, too. And to top off this theme month, Inman is debuting a brand new set of awards for branding and marketing leaders in the industry called Marketing All-Stars.

This article was last updated Mar. 6, 2023.

As a content writer, I find that the one piece of content almost no one is happy with is their professional bio. Everyone seems to feel that it could be better — should be better — but they’re not sure how to create the effect they’re looking for.

Writing a bio doesn’t have to be difficult. Start by determining the purpose of your bio, then follow some simple techniques to give yourself plenty of options so that you can put together a bio that you’ll be proud of.

The purpose of a professional bio

It might seem that writing a bio is something you do just because you have to. After all, between your website, social media and introductions at professional events, you’re frequently called upon to give a snapshot of your background and credentials.

However, a well-constructed bio can do a lot more for you. It can:

Tell a story

Whether it’s the story of how you got into and built your business, what brought you to your local market or what excites you about practicing real estate, a thoughtfully arranged bio can draw the reader into your journey and make them want to work with you.

Make a connection

Think about your ideal client, and craft a bio that helps you connect. Perhaps your military service drew you into working as a military relocation professional (MRP). Maybe you fell in love with your market when you went to college there. Use your bio to connect with your potential audience.

Create a context

Part of the purpose of your bio is to answer the question, “Why should I work with (insert your name here)?” Answer that question by giving people a context for your services: statistics, experience, awards and other indicators of your fitness.

Selling yourself can be uncomfortable, but it’s an essential part of helping potential clients learn to trust and rely on your expertise.

Define your niche

If you are an expert in a particular area of real estate, use your bio to define that niche and explain why you serve it so well. Don’t worry about turning off other clients — showing your expertise in one area often translates to a positive perception across the board.

Bios we love

Looking at interesting examples of bios can give you an idea of what you want in your own. First-person or third-person, written or video, changes across platforms — all of these considerations enter into planning and executing your own biographical profile.

What follows are some great examples of bios with interesting formats, techniques and other elements. They’ll help you think outside the box as consider your own current or future bio.

Start strong

Managing broker at Windermere Real Estate Midtown Diane Terry begins her bio in a way that instantly aligns her with the buyers and sellers she’s seeking to work with.

Diane Terry

Diane’s life has been a series of big, brave moves. Ask what lessons those moves taught her, and she will tell you that moving is scary, people are wonderful, and you should never make assumptions.

By letting her potential clients know that she’s been where they are, she builds rapport and trust and helps them to feel a sense of comfort in the service she’ll provide.

Just like a first meeting, an opening paragraph sets the stage for the entire bio and creates a first impression for the reader. Make it a great one.

Share your market expertise

Karen Wenner Cooper

The Northern Virginia/D.C.-area real estate market serves a diverse and, in many ways, transient population. People come from all over the world to live and work in the area, and it’s often said that no one is actually from there.

In her bio, Karen Wenner Cooper emphasizes her Loudoun County roots, differentiating herself through her knowledge of the local market. Because she is from the area, she has insight to offer on the changes and development there. This insight translates into experience and expertise that engenders trust in potential clients.

Whether she’s working with people relocating to the area who want to get to know it better or area natives who want to work with a local expert, Cooper’s emphasis on a lifetime spent in Northern Virginia provides valuable context.

Another D.C.-area agent whose bio emphasizes her local expertise is Kaye Placeres. In fact, she puts her reputation as a local authority right up front, combining it with an attention-getting first line:

Kaye Placeres

“You’ve probably heard the saying, “Nobody’s actually from DC.” Having lived in the Washington Metro since the age of three, I consider myself an exception — and a proud DC native.

She then goes on to develop her first-person bio with an emphasis on her role as the local expert, her affiliation with a D.C.-based brokerage, her recognition by Washingtonian magazine, all of which reinforce that central professional identity.

Instagram experts

In her bulleted bio, D.C.-area Realtor Vicky Noufal provides a lot of information in just a few words and emojis. The personal, the professional, and the platforms for additional information — all are succinctly provided for visitors to her Instagram.

By choosing just a few details, the reader gets a snapshot of Noufal’s life, personality and level of experience and expertise. This type of short and sweet bio is perfect for a social media platform.

Similarly, Jo Delay’s Barefoot Realtor Instagram bio provides plenty of information in a brief and engaging format. The perfectly chosen emojis and brief descriptors offer an easy way to get to know this island property expert.

By using the mobile format as it’s meant to be used, and creating a bio that’s uniquely suited to the platform, these IG profiles stand out — and draw visitors in.

Short but sweet

Arlene Reed

We sometimes get the idea that a bio has to be long and drawn-out to be effective. In fact, the opposite is often true. Arlene Reed’s succinct bio is a masterclass in maximizing impact. In just six sentences, she conveys an impressive body of knowledge and experience, fitting in her entrepreneurial background and some of her most impressive accomplishments.

Remember, bigger doesn’t always mean better. Scrambling to include every possible detail, award or statistic will not necessarily make your bio more effective. In many cases, it means that people will stop reading halfway through.

Start with the most important or impressive aspect of your background, and pare down to the essentials. You might just find that distilling your bio to its essence is the answer to creating the impression you want.

Bring the funny

Urban Acres Real Estate in Coralville, Iowa, makes a huge impact with their use of hilarious visuals to tell a story about their agents’ personalities, both collectively and individually. In addition, they provide titles like The Organizer and The Go-Getter that shorthand each person’s most defining qualities.

While these elements are just the intros to the more formal bio that follows the click, they’re a great way to give you an idea of the brokerage’s vibe and the fun you’d have working with this fun and funny crew.

Show how (and why) clients value your service

Don’t just tell the reader that you’re great with clients. Include quotes from your reviews and testimonials so that they can see just how good your service is.

Amber Tkaczuk

Omaha, Nebraska agent Amber Tkaczuk’s bio includes quotes both from her and from her client testimonials. The quote itself offers insight into the process of working with Tkaczuk, mentioning specific elements of her pre-listing process so that prospective clients view her as a standout professional and see her service as truly value-added.

“Amber went above and beyond to help us sell our house quickly and for more than we thought was possible. When you are dealing with such a big decision and season in life, it’s nice to find a professional you can trust. Her attention to detail adds so much value, from getting amazing professional photos taken to having stagers come through and give feedback; all of those things made a huge difference. We cannot say enough positive things about our experience. She is simply amazing!”

Use video for maximum impact

Video marketing is the preferred format for content creation across many platforms, yet many real estate professionals are reluctant to create videos. Take a look at Philadelphia agent Caitlin Beck’s video bio, and you might rethink your reluctance.

By presenting her bio as a video business card, Beck has the opportunity to make a solid first impression on potential clients. Watching this video, one can imagine what it would be like to talk with Beck about your real estate needs or tour homes with her. Her professionalism and presentation are huge selling points.

At the same time, the interspersed views of her market make the point that she knows the area and, more importantly, she loves the area. Her passion and enthusiasm come through — and draw in potential clients.

In addition, the video offers an opportunity for homesellers to imagine Beck selling their property by using her expertise in social media and video marketing. Her presentation skills offer a glimpse of what she brings to the table as she represents her Philadelphia clients.

Christy Murdock is a Realtor, freelance writer, coach and consultant and the owner of Writing Real Estate. She is also the creator of the online course Crafting the Property Description: The Step-by-Step Formula for Reluctant Real Estate Writers. Follow Writing Real Estate on TwitterInstagram and YouTube.

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