“The key pieces of a bio are the professional history, destinations and education. but my favorite part is the personal information. It makes an advisor a little more approachable,” shared Victoria Bowen, president of GoingIndie.com.

Bowen recommends differentiating yourself by having some information about what you like to do or what you are passionate about.

William Harris, founder and managing member of WH Cornerstone Investments, lists a "Who knew" section with interesting facts under his normal bio. 

“On nine out of 10 meetings, someone will make a reference to our bios. It is always something different,” said Harris. “They want to know you are a real person.”

Now imagine having a 10-minute conversation about a fun fact in an initial meeting. That is a pretty good way to start off a potential relationship.

Where Should Your Bio Be?
Biographies shouldn't just be listed on the "About Us" or "Our Team" page. Because they are so important, prospects should not have to search to find them. If your Website offers a slide show on its home page that promotes multiple items that can be scrolled through, make sure the biography page is one that visitors easily see.

Also, use social media to show your bio. As someone who was in LinkedIn’s top 1 percent of profiles searched in 2012, I can attest to the fact that prospects are not just looking on your Website to learn about you. While Twitter is brief and to the point, LinkedIn gives much more space to get impactful messages across.

Jim Dario, managing director of product management at TD Ameritrade Institutional, believes most advisors do not differentiate themselves. 

“Social media is an important tool to build a presence online," he said. "It is vitally important, because the way the Gen X clients are going to purchase the services of an advisor is different than what baby boomers have done. GenX-ers are going to utilize technology, looking at your Website as well as your social media presence.”

Spring-cleaning time is here. Use it to clean up your online bio and social media profiles!