Home
>
Top Quick Tips
>
Top 10 Tips on How To Write About Yourself

Top 10 Tips on How To Write About Yourself

Many people find it really hard to write for business and marketing purposes about themselves and/or their product or service ? much harder than it is to write about someone or something else. If that sounds familiar, read on; in this article professional business writer Suzan St Maur shares her top tips on how to write about yourself and what you do, efficiently and effectively.

1. Before you do anything else, ask yourself not what you want to say, but what you want to achieve with the text. Be honest with yourself and don't be overly ambitious. Once you've clearly identified your objective keep it in mind throughout the writing exercise. You'll find that keeps you on track far more effectively ? what you want to achieve should define what you say.

2. Forget modesty. As an experienced salesperson would say, "if you don't think you're good, why the hell should I?" Equally of course you don't want to exaggerate your strengths ? that can lead to problems when you're eventually called upon to deliver! But be realistic about what you can do and don't be afraid to describe it in a positive light.

3. A useful way to achieve tip #2 is to step outside of yourself and regard yourself as a product or better still, as a brand. For the purposes of this exercise you are not Mary Doe the person. You are writing about Mary Doe the brand. It's not as difficult as it sounds; write in the third person to start with, if you find that more comfortable. Imagine you're a colleague writing about you.

4. Bear in mind that whoever reads this text probably won't care much about you; they'll only care about what you can do for them. Structure everything with that in mind. If you need to include factual/statistical information (educational details, qualifications, etc.) then make sure you stick it in a box so it's visually separated from the main text.

5. Where possible, identify the audience who will be reading your text and aim your writing squarely at them. It's possible that the "core" of your text can remain the same for a number of different purposes, with individual "tops and tails" aimed at specific audiences. The more relevant your text is to the reader ? telling him/her how you and your service meet their needs ? the more successful the text will be.

6. First person or third person? In point #3 we suggest writing in the third person to make it easier for you to regard yourself in an objective light. However there are times when you may need to present your text in the first person ? e.g. in a letter or email. Try where possible to use the third person ? if for no other reason than it gives you more leeway to write enthusiastically about yourself.

7. Follow the rules of modern business writing; keep it simple. Use "active voice" rather than "passive voice" where possible. Keep your sentences down to a sensible length and use no more than three or four sentences per paragraph. Use cross headings and "pullouts" to break your text up visually and allow the reader to pick up on the main points.

8. Where appropriate, use short clips of testimonials from existing clients or customers. Avoid the pleasantly banal bits and use phrases and sentences that have some meaning and bite. A sentence or two normally is plenty ? any more and the reader will probably just skim over it.

9. Be sure that your grammar, spelling and punctuation are right. Although standards have been slipping in the last few years the recent publication of "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" has focused everyone's attention on the tekkie bits of writing again. Goofs of this nature make your text, and you, look amateurish.

10. Do a reality check on your text after you've completed it. Show it to friends and colleagues and ask not if they "like" it, but if they feel it represents you fairly ? and if not, why not. Then take other people's opinions on board, but don't lose sleep over them. At the end of the day you probably know yourself, and your market, better than anyone else. Don't be afraid to make final judgments.

Canadian-born Suzan St Maur is an international business writer and author based in the United Kingdom. In addition to her consultancy work for clients in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia, she contributes articles to more than 150 business websites and publications worldwide, and has written eleven published books. Her latest eBooks, "The MAMBA Way To Make Your Words Sell" and "Get Yourself Published" and available as PDF downloads from bookshaker.com.

To subscribe to her free biweekly business writing tips eZine, TIPZ from SUZE, click bookshaker.com.

same day cleaning service Bannockburn ..

In The News:

Google is making a push to ensure its AI, Gemini, is tightly integrated with Android systems by granting it access to core apps like WhatsApp, Messages, and Phone.

A new green energy system is set to change how we capture clean power, and it all starts with the ocean. French startup Seaturns has designed technology that taps into the natural motion of the sea.

Cybersecurity researchers are warning that hackers have started exploiting flaws in chatbots to carry out AI phishing attacks.

Google has just made it easier than ever to regain control of your inbox with Gmail's new Manage Subscriptions tool.

Despite the benefits, residential power saver programs come with several potential drawbacks and concerns that have been raised by both customers and experts.

The Blackdot AI tattoo machine is quiet. It's steady. And according to early users, it hurts a lot less.

Attackers have started to exploit the very signals that users assume will keep them safe when it comes to add-ons to improve productivity or entertainment.

Located on Cerro Pachón in Chile, the world's most powerful digital camera is set to transform how we see the universe.

The innovative DQ Tower stands 28 feet tall with 420 square feet of living space, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and premium amenities in a prefabricated design.

A new mmWave imaging system allows warehouse robots to scan and create 3D models of objects inside sealed containers, potentially revolutionizing shipping processes.

Family fraud endangers seniors when relatives exploit their trust, but removing personal data online and monitoring identity can prevent financial harm to aging parents.

A study analyzing 500,000 customer service interactions shows chatbots struggle with complex issues while human agents excel at matching customer communication styles.

Aigen's Element robot uses solar power and AI to provide farmers with a sustainable alternative to herbicides, working efficiently in cotton and soy fields.

The new Tesla Oasis Supercharger features 11 megawatts of solar panels and 39 megawatt-hours of battery storage, making it one of the largest solar-powered EV stations worldwide.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Cybercriminals accessed Medicare data of more than 100,000 Americans by creating fraudulent accounts, prompting CMS to deactivate accounts and issue new Medicare cards.

China's battery swap technology from CATL lets electric vehicle owners exchange batteries in under two minutes, with plans to expand to 1,000 stations across 31 Chinese cities by 2025.

Analysts at Silent Push have uncovered a widespread scam that uses counterfeit retail websites to steal the credit card information of online shoppers.

Chrome users need to update their browsers immediately as Google addresses a critical vulnerability that hackers are actively exploiting. Additional security measures are recommended.

A study found teens glance at phones for dangerous two-second intervals while driving, using devices primarily for entertainment, texting and navigation despite crash risks.

Security researchers uncovered a flaw in Windows 11 that allows attackers to disable Secure Boot using Microsoft-signed tools, requiring manual updates to protect against bootkits.

Carnegie Mellon's noninvasive brain technology allows users to move robotic fingers by thinking about the motion, offering new possibilities for people with motor impairments.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts. Instead of relying only on a password, MFA requires you to verify your identity using two or more methods.

Scientists from Duke, Harvard, and the University of Otago have unveiled a game-changing tool called DunedinPACNI. It uses a single AI brain scan to reveal how fast a person is biologically aging.

A disturbing wave of fake agent phone scams is sweeping across the United States, catching people off guard and draining their savings.

Top 10 Tips on How To Write About Yourself

Top Quick Tips