Follow these simple steps to creating a powerful bio that the
media will love: 

1. Your bio should always begin with your credentials, academic
   achievements, professional and academic affiliations. 

2. If you are the author of books, papers, and/or studies note
   those next along with the names of the papers and studies
   and where they appear etc., so the media can  document them. 

3. List your areas of expertise. 

4. List the years you have been active in these areas and your
   fields. 

5. List any involvement in any association, achievements or
   awards you have received in your field. 

6. List media appearances TV or radio and quotes in magazines
   in newspapers. 

7. What does not belong in a bio: your personal family history,
   personal triumphs or tragedies, your birth place. You can
   include the location where you currently  reside or practice. 

8. Information has to be absolutely accurate, up to date, and
   easily verifiable as the media has resources to check out
   your information. 

9. Be sure the bio on your website is exactly the same and
   consistent with the bio that   you are presenting to the
   media. You can always offer an expanded version on your    
   website. However, you should not be inconsistent with your 
   bio. You can certainly  have other info on your website but 
   the bio must remain consistent with the one you present to 
   the media. 

10. The purpose of a professional bio for use in the media is
    to give them a snapshot of your expertise so they can
    determine if you qualify as the expert for the segment or
    article they have in mind. 

11. In addition to the bio, have a professional .jpeg of
    yourself in your professional capacity and jpeg of your
    book cover ready to go. 

12. Tapes are requested by the media. Have at least
    professional quality tapes ready to be sent. As you send
    them, restock. The media moves fast and needs the info     
    immediately and cannot wait for copies to be made or 
    compiled, etc. 


Additional tip: when responding to a media alert, if you don't
quite fit exactly what they are looking for, let them know how
you tie in and maybe they can develop a different segment for
you.  Keep in mind the media does not change the segment because
of the focus of the expert - they want the expert to fit the
segment. 


You are encouraged to develop a separate website for the media.  

This website should have: 

- Your contact info 
- Your bio 
- Your picture 
- Your book (but not presented in a sales way) 
- Articles you have written
- Developed segment ideas that include talking points and a list
  of questions you would like to asked along with your intro. 


Follow these 12 simple guidelines and you'll be well prepared
when that phone call comes!