Who is your daddy and what does he do?

Do you remember Arnold asking a room full of kindergartners in Kindergarten Cop about their fathers?

Remember the answers the kids gave? Quick. Funny. Pithy. MEMORABLE! They explained the “who” and “what” in thirty seconds or less.

If you’re engaged in social media you have this opportunity each and every day.

Your social media profile is your opportunity to answer – “Who are you and what do you do?”

On Twitter you get 160 characters (in the BIO SECTION) to write about yourself. That’s it. I look at the bios of each and every follower and choose who I follow (if I’ve not yet interacted with them) by the content of the bio. This isn’t the only chance to connect with me, but it is a first impression.

So, I’ve created a simple formula to help you spruce up your bio. Write wisely. (And if you have additional tips, share in the comments section for all to benefit.)

Tell me first. Are you primarily in advertising? Publishing? WAHM? Start off with your primary venture so I know what it is you “do.”

Be creative. What sets you apart from the pack? I see a lot of bios that list scrapbooking, blog, etc… At least add a descriptive word in front. (FYI – Listing your hobbies is not a bad idea, as it helps people find you when they search for people to follow.)

Write in active voice. Passive voice is no fun. (Typically women are more guilty than men.) I want to know you’re confident (even when you’re not). You can also check out this “strong verbs” guide.

Be a teaser. An enticing or mysterious (but truthful) comment almost always gets me to follow someone (assuming they’ve also told what it is they do)

What’s in it for me? Sell me. I need to know that by following you we will engage in beneficial two-way dialogue.

Call to action. Give me something to do with your bio. (Don’t just direct me to your blog…everyone directs me to their blog!)

Read out loud. Don’t publish your bio without first reading it out loud. In fact, read it out loud to someone else and gauge their reaction.

If this doesn’t help, I came across this great resource, Fifty (50!) Tools which can help you in Writing.

“Now…We’re going to play a little game.”"It’s called, ‘Who is your daddy and what does he do?’”