Why You Need A Speaker Bio
–Carrie Richardson, Partner, Richardson & Richardson Consulting
A Speaker Bio Is Essential For Women in Tech
Technology professionals who wish to curate their reputation as experts, trusted advisors or thought leaders should be looking for opportunities for visibility in their industry and community, including finding live and virtual speaking opportunities.
This is especially important for women who are working in technology. With fewer women working in the industry, there will naturally be fewer women represented at events. Make it easier to be chosen when a call for speakers is issued for an event by having a professional and up-to-date speaker bio ready to submit with your prospectus.
Five Reasons Women In Technology Should Be Speaking At Industry Events
- Networking: Speaking at conferences provides opportunities for women in the technology industry to network with others in our field and make valuable connections. This leads to more women being considered for new opportunities, collaborations, and mentorship.
- Thought Leadership: Speaking at conferences allows women in the technology to establish themselves as thought leaders in their field. This leads to increased visibility and credibility, which can open doors to new opportunities.
- Personal and Professional Growth: Preparing and delivering a presentation at a conference requires research, preparation, and practice. This will help the person presenting develop new skills, overcome the nerves that some experience when presenting live or to large groups. and improve their public speaking abilities.
- Sharing Knowledge and Expertise: Speaking at conferences allows women in the technology industry to share their knowledge and expertise with others. This can help educate and inspire others in the field, and make a positive impact on the technology industry as a whole.
- Career Growth: Conference participation can lead to career advancement. Being seen as an authority on a subject demonstrates both expertise and leadership. This can help women in the technology industry advance in their careers and reach their professional goals.
What Should Your Speaker Bio Include?
Having a polished speaker biography is an important tool for getting more speaking opportunities. In order to increase the chances of being selected as a speaker, you need to make an impression on the committee choosing topics and presenters for the event you’d like to speak at.
A well-written speaker biography should include information about the speaker’s professional background, education, and experience. It should also highlight the speaker’s areas of expertise and any relevant publications or presentations. Additionally, the speaker biography should include contact information and a headshot, and should be written in a clear, concise, and engaging style. A polished speaker biography can help women in the technology industry get more speaking opportunities by showcasing their qualifications and making them more attractive to conference organizers.
How Do I Write a Speaker Bio?
A great place to start will be joining the 2 Seats Community and asking for some help from the women in the community who’ve already created speaker bios, or ask questions of the members in the community who write them professionally.
Learn How To Write a Speaker Bio
On February 1, Gennifer Biggs will be walking our community through the basics of crafting a speaker bio.
I stole her speaker bio off of her LinkedIn profile
Please forgive the blurry quality of the image below, to view the full document, head on over to her LinkedIn page and see how she has placed her speaker bio, including the outlines of several talks that she is able to give with minimal prep time. (More topics are featured on page two of Genn’s speaker bio, not featured here.)
Gennifer Biggs
I’ve personally known Gennifer for almost ten years. We met when she worked for Ingram Micro, and I’ve personally used her corporate content creation services to launch a new I.T. security company. Gennifer has worked in corporate communications, public relations and marketing for Ingram, I.T. By Design, Data Inventions and Citrix.
Gennifer has provided discreet ghostwriting, content creation, public relations and marketing strategy to dozens of vendors and IT service providers. She is regularly called upon to share her thoughts on panels, webinars and main stages. She was also one of the first people to put her hand up and volunteer to help with the 2 Seats movement.
Writing A Speaker Bio, with Gennifer Biggs
If you missed the live presentation, here’s the video:
Remember, 2 Seats is a community that only works when you do – so remember to invite another women working in tech (or hoping to work in tech!) and let’s get working on making it easier for conference organizers to choose amazing women to put on stage.
Earned Media and PR with Marie Rourke
Check out last week’s featured 2 Seats community expert, Marie Rourke, founder of WhiteFox PR, sharing on earned media, PR queries and press releases. Marie was joined by Colleen Frye, Managing Editor of Channel Pro Network.
Don’t Miss Colleen Frye, Managing Editor, Channel Pro Networks
Colleen will be presenting on a similar topic on February 8, don’t miss the opportunity to learn the publisher’s point of view on earned media! Tune in to see what Channel Pro Networks looks for when choosing who to publish and who presents at events.
Third Wednesday Mentor Match
Don’t forget, the third Wednesday of every month is mentor match with Joy Beland and Tracie Orisko! If you’re looking for a mentor or offering to mentor, join us and get to know the women in the community – maybe you’ll meet your perfect match!
Thanks for your patience as we learn to cooperate, communicate and navigate a new community! Watch for updates on platforms and invitations – we’re solving problems on the fly. We look forward to seeing you on Wednesdays!