how to write your biography for a conference

• Event Website Publish a modern and mobile friendly event website.
• Registration & Payments Collect registrations & online payments for your event.
• Abstract Management Collect and manage all your abstract submissions.
• Peer Reviews Easily distribute and manage your peer reviews.
• Conference Program Effortlessly build & publish your event program.
• Virtual Poster Sessions Host engaging virtual poster sessions.
• Customer Success Stories
• Wall of Love ❤️

How to Write a Speaker Bio for a Conference (with Examples)

Published on 28 Jul 2022

Author bios, or speaker bios, can be used for a variety of purposes. They can be included as part of your application to present at a conference or posted to an event website to introduce yourself as a presenter at the event. Bios can also be helpful to have on your profile in the participant directory of the conference management tool used for the event, so that others to know what you’re working on. 

For many, an author bio is their first introduction to their peers – sort of like a digital, written handshake. In the world of academic conferences, conference programmes and websites will include a biography of every speaker.

An interesting, engaging bio can help encourage others to participate in the event, and impact the number of people who attend your presentation, so it’s important to take your time, do your research, and write a biography that will highlight the characteristics that set you apart from the rest. 

How do you write a good short bio?

Start by taking notes of your strengths and accomplishments. Look at your CV and pull out the very basics like where you went to school and your primary area of interest, then add in the impressive details like fellowships, published pieces, or exciting collaborations.

Here are the detailed steps to take to write a bio that will inspire your peers to attend your presentation or connect with you in a breakout session.

Step 1: Find out the required length

When you’re writing a speaker bio for a specific conference, make sure you know the length of bio the organizer is looking for. Each conference will have its own guidelines, and some will even ask for two versions – a longer one for the event website and a shorter one for the printed program. 

Step 2. Write in the third person

Write your bio as if you’re writing it about someone else. Not only is this the most common format for a speaker biography, but it gives you the opportunity to add many details of your success and experiences without coming across as pompous or arrogant. Writing in the third person gives some authors more confidence to speak about themselves and their accomplishments. 

Start out with your full name, then decide whether to refer to yourself throughout using your first name or last name. For less formal events, using your first name creates an air of familiarity, while referring to yourself by your last name is more professional and formal. 

Step 3: Make a list of the basics

There are basic pieces of information that should be included in every speaker's biography.

• Your full name
• Your credentials
• Where you completed your graduate studies
• Your current position and where you work
• Your areas of interest
• How your experience is relevant and beneficial to the focus of the event
• Your most notable accomplishments - avoid building a laundry-list of published pieces, focus on the most impressive
• If you’ve published in any top peer-reviewed journals like Science, Nature, or the equivalent for your field, be sure to include this 
• List any patents you hold or any breakthrough findings
• Note any impressive research collaborations with well-known subject matter experts

Step 4: Write to your audience

Get to know your audience before you start writing. I don’t mean get to know them personally – that will happen at the event. I mean get an understanding of the demographics and areas of interest of the potential conference attendees that will be reading your bio. 

If you’re presenting at an ornithology conference and your audience is passionate about hands-on research, focus the content of your bio more heavily towards your applied experience studying birds. You can do this by highlighting the hands-on research you’ve done rather than the degrees and certifications you’ve earned. In this example, when discussing your PhD thesis, you would focus on the part of your research that led you to travel to Antarctica to study the Wandering Albatross migration. 

If your audience is made up primarily of institutional academics, highlight who funded your research and which institutions you were collaborating with when the work was being conducted. For example, focus the mention of your PhD thesis around the fact that you studied at UCLA under one of their many renowned Professors of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. 

Step 5: Add some personality

One way to set yourself apart from other speakers is to inject some fun into your bio. You want it to be interesting and engaging – that’s how you will encourage other conference attendees to read the biography from start to finish. Don’t be afraid to try out some wordplay or alliterations. While there are great bios that start out with the speaker’s primary research area, some of the most engaging bios start off with a sentence or statement that is bold, unexpected, and captures your reader’s attention. 

Examples of speakers' bio

Here are two good examples of the type of speaker’s biographies you’ll find on conference websites and programs. 

Brandon Farbstein

Brandon Farbstein’s bio is short, it’s interesting, and it opens with information that highlights the attributes that set him apart from other speakers. It gets personal and draws the reader in. Personally, if I saw this bio in a conference program I would definitely make time in my schedule to attend this presentation. 

“At just 20, Brandon Farbstein has already made a name for himself worldwide as a sought-after speaker and prominent Gen Z activist. Diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism at the age of 2, Brandon stands at 3’9” – making his life’s journey full of adversity, strength, and impact. After feeling invisible and without a purpose for the first 15 years of his life, he discovered his calling on the TEDx stage, and suddenly realized his life’s meaning: to change the lens through which people see their world.  In just three years of speaking, over five million people across the globe have been inspired by Brandon; and his work continues to touch audiences from every walk of life.”

One notable thing lacking here is clear information about Brandon’s work. We know a lot about him personally, we know that he’s a TEDx speaker, and we know that his work has impacted millions of people, but we really don’t know what he actually does. 

Nicole Redvers

Nicole Redvers' bio starts by identifying her personal connection to her field of study, peaking the interest of readers and making it clear that she is passionate about her work. She goes on to cover her specific area of research, the institutions she’s connected with, and the advocacy works she’s involved with to advance her research in a way that will improve the lives of others. 

“Dr. Nicole Redvers, ND, MPH, is a member of the Deninu K’ue First Nation in Denendeh (NWT) and has worked with Indigenous patients, scholars, and communities around the globe her entire career. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Department of Indigenous Health at the University of North Dakota where she helped develop and launch the first Indigenous health PhD program. Dr. Redvers is co-founder and current board chair of the Canadian charity the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation based in Yellowknife, NWT, providing traditional Indigenous-rooted Land-based wellness supports to northerners. She has been actively involved at regional, national, and international levels promoting the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in both human and planetary health research and practice. She is author of the trade paperback book titled, ‘The Science of the Sacred: Bridging Global Indigenous Medicine Systems and Modern Scientific Principles’.”

One thing I like about this bio is that it takes the reader through a logical flow of information that ends with Redvers’ most notable accomplishments. 

A good speaker's bio is short, direct, and sparks interest. It provides the speaker with an opportunity to connect with conference attendees before the event begins, and it provides event attendees with an introduction to the speakers presenting at the event which will help them determine which presentations they want to attend.

With the instructions we provided and half an hour of your time, you’ll have a bio that stands out from the rest!

5 Best Event Registration Platforms for Your Next Conference

By having one software to organize registrations and submissions, a pediatric health center runs aro...

5 Essential Conference Apps for Your Event

In today’s digital age, the success of any conference hinges not just on the content and speakers bu...

Table of Contents

Understanding the purpose of a speaker bio, how to write a speaker bio for a conference, how to use artificial intelligence to write speaker bios, 3 examples of effective speaker bios, free speaker bio template, unlock the power of speaker bios, how to write a speaker bio for a conference (with examples).

A well-crafted speaker bio is a great way to create a strong first impression with event attendees and generate buzz. Not only can a solid bio establish credibility for your event and pique the audience’s curiosity, but it also can accelerate event promotion efforts.

Keep reading to learn more about why speaker bios matter, discover how to write a bio for a conference, and view speaker bio examples that should give you a better idea about what a strong bio looks like.

Speaker bios play a pivotal role in effective event marketing strategies . By populating your event website with speaker bios, you can showcase your event’s content caliber while creating interest and engagement. Once speaker bios are live, you can repurpose this content — for example, by creating graphics, sharing them on social media, and tagging the speakers.

The best speaker bios include the following elements:

• The speaker’s name and title
• Their current affiliation (e.g., CEO of Acme Corp.)
• Relevant experience and expertise
• Accomplishments and achievements (e.g., awards or publications)
• Education and qualifications
• Information about previous speaking engagements
• A personal touch that describes the speaker’s hobbies, interests, or passions outside of their professional life
• Contact information

Effective speaker bios begin with a compelling opening line that grabs the reader’s attention. At a high level, speaker bios should showcase the speaker’s expertise, credentials, and achievements. They should also highlight relevant industry experience and accomplishments. 

Now that we’ve got the basics down, consider these five tips for writing winning speaker bios.

1. Tailor the Bio to the Conference Theme and Audience

Since every event is different, ensuring that your speaker bios align with the conference theme and resonate with the target audience is essential. 

For example, if you’re hosting an event catering to executives, you must ensure each speaker’s bio highlights their executive experience. Incorporate language and keywords that resonate with the audience. In this example, you may want to include leadership qualities, board appointments, and examples of driving innovation, digital transformation, and return on investment.

2. Structure the Speaker Bio Effectively

Organize the speaker bio logically and concisely so readers can quickly determine what each speaker is about. Pay attention to the structure, too. Using bullet points and short paragraphs can make the bios more accessible, improving readability. Generally speaking, bios should be 300 words at maximum.

3. Include Social Proof and Credibility

Incorporate testimonials, endorsements, and other accolades from previous speaking engagements to demonstrate the accomplishments of your speakers. Mention notable publications, awards, and recognitions.

For example, if a particular speaker was named CEO of the Year, ensure their bio conveys that information. At the same time, share relevant statistics or achievements demonstrating expertise (e.g., grew ARR 250% in two years). 

4. Add a Personal Touch 

At the end of the day, we’re all people, and your speakers are more than the sum of their professional accomplishments. Compelling speaker bios include personal anecdotes about their lives or experiences related to the event’s theme. 

After reading a bio, audience members should know precisely why each individual was invited to participate in the event. To humanize speakers, include a sentence or two about their interests outside of work.

5. Review and Refine the Bio

Once you’re done writing a bio draft, proofread it to ensure there aren’t any typos and that the content is grammatically correct. Double-check your work to ensure that the bio is tight and free of unnecessary details. Run the bio by a trusted colleague for a second opinion if possible, and then get the stamp of approval from the professional who is featured. 

Lean events team? You can use generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to jumpstart the process of writing speaker bios. Here’s an example of what you could ask ChatGPT to pump out a high-quality speaker bio. 

Here are some additional prompt ideas you can use to write your conference speaker bios:

• Full speaker bio: Can you write a comprehensive speaker bio for [Speaker’s Name], who will speak at our upcoming [Event Name]?
• Key accomplishments: Write a speaker bio highlighting the most important accomplishments of [Speaker’s Name].
• Professional background: Provide a brief overview of the professional background of [Speaker’s Name] for their speaker bio.
• Relevant experience: Write a bio emphasizing [Speaker’s Name]’s relevant experience and expertise in [Industry/Topic].
• Thought leadership: Create a bio that showcases [Speaker’s Name]’s thought leadership and unique insights in the field of [Industry/Topic].
• Notable contributions: Write a speaker bio outlining the notable contributions that [Speaker’s Name] has made to the [Industry/Field].
• Presentation Style: Provide a bio that captures [Speaker’s Name]’s engaging presentation style and ability to connect with diverse audiences.
• Innovative approach: Write a speaker bio highlighting [Speaker’s Name]’s innovative approach to [Industry/Topic] and their impact on the field.
• Audience takeaways: Create a bio communicating the practical takeaways attendees can expect from [Speaker’s Name]’s presentation.
• Upcoming speaking engagement: Write a brief speaker bio for [Speaker’s Name] for their upcoming presentation at [Event Name, Date, and Location].
• Education and credentials: Provide a speaker bio with the educational background and relevant credentials of [Speaker’s Name].

Feel free to mix and match these prompts or provide specific details about the speaker’s background and accomplishments and the event they will be speaking at to get a tailored and impactful speaker bio. Just know that you must fact-check the output because the information may not be up-to-date or accurate. 

What exactly does this look like in practice? Here are three speaker bio examples that should get you thinking in the right direction.

Bio Example for a Tech Conference Speaker

Derek Jeter’s bio for INBOUND 2023 keeps it short and sweet, likely because most people are familiar with this baseball powerhouse. 

Here is the text of that bio:

Derek Jeter

Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and National Baseball HOF Inductee

The Baseball Hall of Famer and business leader shares what his leadership experience on and off the field has taught him about business. 

Bio Example for a DE&I Conference Speaker 

Here is the bio for Charisse Kosova, who will be speaking at the 26th annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference . This event serves as a platform for accomplished DE&I practitioners worldwide to showcase their work and engage in dialogues about critical subjects such as race, social justice, neurodiversity, women’s health, disability, allyship, and other themes.

Charisse Kosova 

Director, DEI Learning & Development 

McDonald’s Corporation 

Charisse Kosova is director of DEI L&D at McDonald’s Corporation, working to drive the success of McDonald’s DEI learning journey at all levels of the organization. Before McDonald’s, she was the head of Global Training & Development at Shure Incorporated, where she built the first centralized learning function and advised the D&I council on global learning strategy. As director of Global Talent Development for IOR Global Services, she consulted with multinational corporations to build greater intercultural leadership and management skills across culturally diverse teams. Over time this work of bridging “otherness,” combined with her own commitment to social justice, led to a more focused expertise in DEI. Charisse has lived and worked in Ethiopia, Morocco, Japan, and the UK, and has seen first-hand how continuous learning in a diverse, inclusive environment leads not only to greater employee productivity and engagement, but also to increased professional and personal well-being.

Bio Example for a Fintech Conference Speaker

Stephanie Yu’s bio page for FinovateFall — the world’s premier fintech showcase — is outstanding, partly because it includes the sessions at which she’ll speak. Check it out:

Stephanie Yu

Director of Product Management

Stephanie Yu, director of Product Management at Uplift. Uplift is the enterprise Buy Now, Pay Later solution for the world’s leading travel, retail, and e-commerce brands.

Stephanie leads the core product development at Uplift. As a product leader, she has led the business to over 200% revenue growth in 2022.

Prior to Uplift, Stephanie held various leadership roles at Moody’s. She started out as a research data analyst at Moody’s and expanded into product management, leading market research and driving innovative product development like the Data Contribution Portal at Moody’s Commercial Real Estate line of business ⸺ resulting in improved workflows for 200 property researchers, and “Pulse” AI-powered commercial real estate market news feed.

Former Bizzaboer Rachel Heller , who is now GitHub’s senior content program manager of events, uses a helpful template for writing conference speaker bios:

• Something descriptive about what you do (not just your title and company)
• Why are you credible
• Your role and/or any previous relevant roles 
• Any extracurricular professional accolades or organizations you’re part of
• Something personal that humanizes you

Here is her 99-word bio using this formula:

Rachel Heller is an event content professional with over a decade of experience working on events ranging from 50 to 50,000 attendees. Currently, she is the senior content program manager for events at GitHub. Rachel is a member of the Event Content Council and previously held event content strategy roles at Sage Intacct and PTC. She is passionate about diverse, equitable, and inclusive presenter lineups, and when she’s not thinking up new session format ideas or searching for the best speakers, Rachel enjoys hiking, restoring furniture, and trying to beat her fastest time solving the NYT crossword puzzle.

What would your bio look like using this template?

Although many event marketers might underestimate their importance, speaker bios can profoundly impact event success. By creating concise, compelling bios that interest your target audience, you can gin up excitement, sell more tickets, and ensure your next event is the best yet.

As you begin creating speaker bios for your next event, keep this blog’s tips in mind. And remember to lean into generative AI tools to speed up the process!

But wait, did you know you can use generative AI to supercharge your event planning and promotion efforts? It’s true, and we’ve built a guide to help: 100+ chatbot prompts for event professionals .

You may also be interested in

Satellite Events: How Localized Gatherings Can Help Scale Your Event Strategy

Why Integrate a Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ Leader into Your Event Tech Stack

The Micro-event Revolution: How Smaller Gatherings Are Making a Big Impact

Enjoying this article.

• Event Software Overview
• Klik Experiential & SmartBadge
• Product Integrations
• Security & Compliance
• Enterprise Event Software
• Insights & Reporting
• Capabilities
• Room Block Management
• Event Content
• Event Management
• Event Networking
• Event Marketing
• Audience Engagement
• Onsite Software & Wearables
• Event Live Streaming
• Sponsors & Exhibitors
• Mobile Event App
• Event Registration Software
• By Event Format
• In-person Events
• Virtual Events
• Hybrid Events
• By Use Case
• Conferences
• Field Marketing
• Internal Events
• By Who You Are
• Corporations
• Higher Education
• Associations
• Customer Stories
• Knowledge Center
• Professional Services
• Bizzabo Studios
• Hopin vs. Bizzabo
• Cvent vs. Bizzabo
• Stova vs. Bizzabo
• Resource Library
• Event Success Book
• Event Experience Podcast
• Conference Planning Guide
• AI-assisted Events Guide
• Event Management FAQs
• Become a Partner
• Press & Awards
• Help Us Grow

Maximize your event ROI with Bizzabo

How to write a speaker bio (with examples)

• Carolyn Manion Kinnie
• December 9, 2023

Table of Contents

Introduction.

Nailing down the first impression is an essential skill for professional speakers. Because of the high supply in the speaking industry, a first impression that sets you apart from the crowd goes a long way toward landing gigs. Often, knowing how to write a speaker bio is an essential part of creating that incredible first impression.

What to include when writing a speaker bio

If you want to make a good first impression with your bio, it needs to include the following:

• Your name and title (obviously)
• Where you work or serve currently (even if that’s your own business!)
• Your expertise or experience (certifications, degrees, etc.)
• Career highlights (awards, recognition, accomplishments)
• A personal touch (family, hobbies, or fun fact)

Talking about yourself might be easy, but that doesn’t mean you know how to write a bio. And if waxing eloquent about your own accomplishments doesn’t come naturally or this is the first time you’ve put together a professional bio, this task starts to look pretty daunting. Like any professional bio, your speaker bio deserves a good deal of thought and intentionality. Your speaker bio should be oriented toward a few particular goals (which we’ll cover shortly). However, it is far more than a paragraph version of your resume or CV. So what is it? How do you write a speaker bio?

The Speaker Lab exists precisely to help speakers like you with questions like these. We’ve created this guide to writing your speaker bio so you can wow clients and audience members alike, whether you have 100 or 500 words to tell your story!

There are several situations that call for speaker bios. These might vary in length, tone, and audience. However, the principles behind a good professional speaker bio remain the same regardless! In this piece we’ll review the contexts in which you’ll use a speaker bio as well as the principles that make them great. Of course, we can’t tell you what makes a speaker bio fundamentally awesome without giving a few examples! In the second section we’ll dig deeper into some example bios from professional speakers who embody the fundamentals. You can use these fundamental principles as a basic bio template for writing your own!

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

Where to use your speaker bio

If you’ve read, watched, or listened to a lot of our TSL content, you know one of the first things we tell aspiring speakers to do is create a speaker website. While you’re working on that website, you will realize you need to say something about yourself. The “professional bio” you fired off a couple years ago to your class alumni update probably isn’t going to cut it. Time for a speaker bio!

If you have a standalone speaking website, your bio probably belongs on your “about” page. If your website includes a lot of services other than speaking, you could put a more speaking-oriented bio on your “speaking” page. Don’t sweat this decision too much, because you can always update or shift things around in the future! For inspiration, see how the speaking stars whose bios we feature below tackle this one depending on the scope of their business.

The speaker bio on your website should be directed at your clients. Especially at the beginning of your career, the people who pack in the auditorium will probably not be the people hiring you. A good speaker bio can make or break your chances at landing a gig, so don’t feel that any time or effort spent on this step is wasted! It’s often wisest to have a short, punchy, introduction to your bio as well as a longer, more elaborate section. The short section can go on a landing page, home page, or just the top of your “about” page to capture attention. Check out Erick Rheam’s website to see what we mean!

Another place online where your speaker bio might appear? The website of any Speakers Bureaus you work with.Likely the most professional version of your bio, this will be very accomplishments-oriented as it appeals to clients who already have very specific goals. For a great bio example from a bureau website, look no further than Stephen Shapiro’s at AAE speakers .

So your elegantly crafted “about” page just won you a client. What about they ask for a bio to put in the event program?

Can you just copy and paste from your website? If your website bio is really concise, that might work. Oh no. They asked for ~100 words! Don’t feel bad if you have to pare it down a bit. You can still maintain all the principles of a great speaker bio (see the next section) while targeting a new purpose and readership! If someone has to choose between your talk and another scheduled at the same time, that paragraph (hopefully next to a stunning headshot) has to hook them.

Unlike your website bio, the program bio is specifically oriented toward your audience rather than the event planner. The great thing about these event-specific bios is you can change them up for every audience. Certain awards and achievements with which you wooed the interest of the client might not apply to the very niche industry conference you’re speaking too. They are more interested in how you can serve their specific set of needs, so edit accordingly. This bio will probably have the most constrained word limit of all, but you can still integrate all the principles we list below!

Tip: Make this version of your speaker bio sound so good your event planner doesn’t feel tempted to make any unnecessary revisions. You don’t want to be surprised by what you read about yourself!

How to write a great professional speaker bio

Every speaker brings something unique and wonderful to the industry. That means every speaker bio can and should sound completely different. In this world, standing out from the crowd is your biggest advantage!

That isn’t to say there aren’t any important guidelines to follow. If you peruse the professional bios of the most successful, interesting speakers, they all have a few things in common. We’ve distilled those commonalities into five fundamental principles for a great professional speaker bio. Use these as your bio template and you’ll be off to a great start!

• Engage the reader. Whether it’s a client or a conference attendee, they have read a thousand boring speaker bios before. Be interesting! Put a little extra effort into your writing so it actually reads like a story. Creative entrepreneur Beth Inglish nails this one to a T on her website.
• Maintain your personal brand. Who you are onstage should just be an extension of who you are offstage. If that means lots of data, hard-hitting facts, and no-nonsense tone, that is exactly how to write your bio. We say this all the time…if you’re a speaker, you’re a salesperson…for yourself! Your entire business should radiate authenticity, starting with your bio. For example, many tips for professional bio writing recommend only using the third person. Many speakers buck this trend because they emphasize relatability and connection throughout their personal brand. And that’s totally fine.
• Explain who you serve and what value you add. These are the two essential components of any good speaker bio–and really, any professional bio regardless of your industry. These make up the “hook” that grabs the attention of audience and clients alike. If you cut out the rest of your speaker bio, this section (ideally one or two sentences) should be able to stand alone and still sell your services. At the same time, someone who is not a good fit for your speaking services can read the couple lines of your bio and say “ok, they’re cool but they’re not for me,” saving you both valuable time.
• Include your relevant accomplishments. If you won a speaking award, put it on there! If you have helped business leaders double their revenue in a span of six months, let them know! While you shouldn’t over-inflate reality, this isn’t the time to be overly humble. However, the word relevant is pretty important here. Don’t mention niche accomplishments that neither relate to your audience or that personable, human appeal. Mike Kim , Joe Hirsch , and Nancy Duarte all have amazing speaker bios that integrate their most relevant personal accomplishments.
• Be human. A bio is probably the first glimpse a client gets at what makes you you. If you have some cute pets, love going to Disneyland with your family, or tend to pick up really outside the box hobbies, include it! Many speakers stick these sorts of “fun facts” toward the end, but feel free to integrate them in creative ways as well.

Using these five principles as a rough bio template, you should be able to craft a pretty great description of how awesome of a speaker you are. If you still need inspiration, keep reading!

Amazing examples of how to write a speaker bio

The great bios we mentioned above as examples deserve a closer look. These speakers and friends of TSL embody just about all of the principles we teach for speaking success, so we encourage you to take a look around their sites to see how they do it!

Beth Inglish

Beth’s opener is enough to interest anyone looking to get “unstuck.” She takes full advantage of her website’s “about” page to regale us with an appropriately longer bio. Like a poem, this example is moving and eloquent, describing her path from artistry to speaking. It pulls at the heartstrings and really makes you think about the relationship between art, creativity, and business. Which is exactly what Beth does as a speaker. Beth’s accomplishments are deftly woven into her story rather than advertised front and center, which is perfectly in keeping with her personal brand as a creative. While her masterpiece would have to be pared down for an event program, it is a stunning example of a human, engaging, and authentic professional bio for a speaker website.

Erick Rheam

Erick’s shorter “about me” section includes only the most essential biographical details along with what he does and whom he serves. Any potential client would read it and immediately know if Erick has potential to fit their needs. The longer bio delivers the “why” for Erick’s speaking services, all while seamlessly weaving his professional accomplishments into his speaking journey. If you scroll down, you’ll see Erick includes his personal running bests. His college running career might seem totally unrelated to the speaking industry, but doesn’t that info make him more interesting?

Stephen Shapiro

Compared to some of the other bio examples, Stephen’s might come across as excessively dry. But context is everything! The client who reaches a speakers bureau website likely has very specific needs and wants to know for sure that Stephen is a good fit. This bio gives a comprehensive understanding of his business experience, speaking qualifications, and former clients. Furthermore, this bio clearly and accurately reflects Stephen’s personal brand. If you check out his personal website , he uses copious business-oriented diagrams and references his bigger clients front-and-center.

Mike Kim’s speaker bio is a great example of using relevant accomplishments to make a good first impression with potential clients. He starts with a pithy sentence that captures the audience he serves and the value he adds. Branding is a competitive industry and Mike knows that his potential clients want to see qualifications. As a result, he emphasizes his impressive media and speaking experience. It’s important to note how Mike utilizes a separate landing page for his speaking business. Mike does a lot more than speak, but doesn’t want his other offerings to distract potential clients. His speaking page is linked in the menu of his personal website and offers a distraction-free, simple design showcasing this very to-the-point bio.

Joe’s bio is a great example of how to capture all the principles we mentioned above with brevity. In just a few short paragraphs, he communicates what he does and why he’s qualified to do it. His opening “hook” is an incredibly short sentence that still comprehensively represents his services and audience. While the bulk of the text comprises relevant accomplishments, he doesn’t leave out a reminder that he’s human and has hobbies and a family.

Nancy Duarte

For another incredible example of a short and impactful bio, take a look at Nancy Duarte. A huge part of Nancy’s personal brand is how she built up a successful communications business that works with big time clients. As a result, her bio absolutely exudes success–in less than 150 words! Like Joe above, she still includes a light-hearted line about her family that instantly appeals to grandparents and dog lovers alike. If you are working on a tight, professional bio to use as your go-to for speaking programs, contracts, and anytime you’re unexpectedly asked to provide one…look to Joe or Nancy for inspiration!

Free Download: 6 Proven Steps to Book More Paid Speaking Gigs in 2024​

Download our 18-page guide and start booking more paid speaking gigs today!

We hope that our tips and examples of professional speaker bios have empowered you to write a bio worthy of all your amazing accomplishments. Before you go, here’s one final tip. Are you worried about word limits after trying to integrate all five fundamental principles of an awesome speaker bio? Start with a longer “master bio” that you can update and edit for each and every context. That way, if you become dissatisfied with some element of one version, you can always replace it or freshen it up without having to come up with new content.

You’re awesome. Your bio deserves to be awesome too. What are you waiting for? Start writing!

• Last Updated: February 29, 2024

Explore Related Resources

Learn How You Could Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig In 90 Days or Less

We receive thousands of applications every day, but we only work with the top 5% of speakers .

Book a call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students get a paid speaking gig within 90 days of finishing our program .

If you’re ready to control your schedule, grow your income, and make an impact in the world – it’s time to take the first step. Book a FREE consulting call and let’s get you Booked and Paid to Speak ® .

About The Speaker Lab

We teach speakers how to consistently get booked and paid to speak.  Since 2015, we’ve helped thousands of speakers find clarity, confidence, and a clear path to make an impact.

Get Started

Let's connect.

[email protected]

Copyright ©2023 The Speaker Lab. All rights reserved.

Event Guide

How to write a powerful speaker bio(with examples) for 2024.

See how Eventify can help you.

Creating a presenter bio is like practicing a solid, firm handshake. Not only does it make a great first impression but also makes the recipient curious about you and your personality. That’s the impact a strong, well-written speaker bio can make on your digital presence. Speaker bios, unlike the brief on your CV or social media profile, are curated to display a holistic viewpoint of your professional achievements and personal milestones.

It’s the first glimpse that audiences and event attendees have into your work and personality. It enables your audience, event organizers, and exhibitors to understand what value you bring to events and conferences. So leverage the power of speaker bios with this presenter bio guide with tons of presenter bio examples to get you started.

Your Guide To Speaker Bio That Converts Audiences to Attendees.

Speakers everywhere, irrespective of experience, face the initial hiccup of curating a speaker biography. So if you feel the jitters, know that you are not alone. It’s tough when you don’t know exactly what to include.

Should you talk about the marathon you won or the first time you conquered your fear of heights? Is a reference to your Ph.D. on ‘Psychology of War Veterans’ relevant? Should you write about the book on Finance Management you co-authored?

You do have a lot to offer and, understandably so, are unable to decide on what to include and what to discard. This is a common question that speakers have - how to write a bio for a conference?  This guide with speaker examples will help you strategically create a bio that is interesting, relevant, and grabs eyeballs.

1. List Down Relevant Information

Start by listing down your academic experience, professional wins, achievements, awards, and any other personal milestones. This list will give you a bird's eye view of what can be included in your sample speaker bio. Keep in mind that, based on the conference type, you include only relevant points in your presenter bio.

This relevant conference speaker bio with examples will help organizers and attendees alike understand how your expertise aligns with the larger theme of the event.

“Not many people can claim to have saved over 1000 lives, but then Joe Erwin is not most people. Having graduated from the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University with a degree in Medical Education, he has been working as an emergency responder for 15 years. Being present in dangerous situations, where a single decision can be the difference between life and death - Joe has proved his mettle by displaying grit, courage, and level-headedness. In addition to these services, Joe has co-started a volunteer organization ‘Road Safety For All’. The foundation aims to bring awareness about road safety to the masses and his aim is to spread awareness across the United States.

The larger aim that Joe and his colleagues are working towards is to minimize the loss of lives from driving negligence. When he is not out there saving lives, Joe loves to hike and has a self-proclaimed love for ‘the great outdoors’.

This presenter bio is an example of including relevant points in the description. It’s kept brief with a stronger focus on the speaker's professional services. While doing this, do make sure to include tidbits about your personal life and experiences. This helps your audience see how your work builds your character and personality.

For instance in this bio the statement ‘ grit, courage and level-headedness’ paint a picture of Joe as one who has developed soft skills that are key to the service he offers.

2. Length of Your Speaker Biography

Once you have the relevant information listed down, it’s important to check the bio length requested by the event organizer. While some expect short and succinct descriptions, others are open to longer descriptions.

A hack to follow here is to create a longer, generalized speaker bio template for your brand’s personal site. This can cover your diverse experiences and achievements. You can then edit and personalize this personal bio based on the nature of the conference. All it then takes is to eliminate irrelevant information and retain pointers that align with the event’s guidelines.

“ Tamara Syed is a renowned psychologist and a mental health and wellness consultant. Having published 26 papers on topics of Mental Health, Emotional Well Being, Mental Disorders, Lifestyle and the Impact of Mental Health, Tamara’s work has caused ripple effects in the field of Mental Health & Psychology. Her focus has always been on encouraging women and especially women of color to take on challenging projects in the field.

Not only does Tamara preach empowerment but she also practices it. Having worked with children of refugees, Tamara has set up over 45 tech hubs that act as educational spaces for these children to learn about and adopt new-age technology. Tamara has also taken on the role of dean at the Institute of Mental Health and Welfare Studies. Her work here is based on curating a more empathetic and modern training manual for new interns to adopt. She wants to humanize the field even more with creative approaches that equip doctors to work well with patients.

With such accolades under her belt, Tamara has been a force to reckon with not just in the professional field but even on the sports field. She is a ‘born runner’ and has participated in multiple marathons - successfully acing them. Her love for sports doesn’t end here though - she loves indulging in football and volunteers as a coach at the local club. Tamara has always believed that the sky is the limit when it comes to everything women can achieve. Despite a tough childhood and limited opportunities, Tamara has today carved a niche for herself in her work. She has inspired millions of people, especially women of color, with her enthralling speeches at TED Talks. With so much to do, Tamara still finds time to indulge in re-reruns of ‘Gossip Girl’ - a guilty pleasure she cannot do without. Oh and did we mention, she has a Twitter account where she tweets about the latest fashion trends? Go figure!

This master presenter bio example has multiple elements working cohesively to paint a vibrant personality of the speaker. It begins with the speaker's professional achievements and experience. But gradually moves to their altruistic nature. It also focuses on her love for sports - subtly displaying the spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork she brings to the table.

An authentic addition comes from mentioning her love of popular shows and fashion - aspects that most audiences would not expect of her based on her work profile. This tells the audience that not only is the speaker accomplished but is also relatable.

The feeling of ‘He/She is one of us’ holds a huge allure when it comes to attendees displaying interest in speakers. This lengthy master sample bio for presentation can be edited and customized to focus on one facet of the speaker's personality or can be included as a whole.

3. Tell Your Story

‘Once upon a time’ is an adage we have all grown up listening to. Our subconscious minds relate to stories and tales. According to a study, stories used in public speaking can increase retention by 26% .  So leveraging the power of storytelling can work wonders in retaining the attention of your audience.

Also, ensure that your story is authentic and true to your on-stage personality. Often there is an impulse to create a ‘larger-than-life' persona in your speaker bio. This can lead to cognitive dissonance because it leaves your audience confused and unsure of what to expect from you.

“In her own words, Amy Baker loves making an entrance. After all, it's not every day that you see a 19-year-old on stage speaking of the gift of life. When Amy was 4 she was diagnosed with a muscular disorder causing her to take on the assistance of a wheelchair. Growing up and unable to perform everyday tasks like her peers, riddled Amy with self-doubt. Amy admits that these phases of her formative years were the hardest to accept.

Yet Amy was born a fighter. She realized that her journey was unique but not rare. There were many others like her who felt isolated. So Amy began vlogging her everyday journey. She shared hacks, resources, and information on centers that help people like Amy lead a good quality life. In addition, Amy began volunteering at schools for the differently abled. Witnessing Amy leading a life of purpose has inspired many young children and adults to emulate the same. At the age of 14, Amy was invited to her first TED event and since then Amy has flown across the globe spreading her message of hope and grit. She is currently a high school student pursuing her distance education in the field of Social Services. Just like any other teenager though, Amy loves music and is often seen humming the latest Taylor Swift song.”

This bio is one example of bios for speakers where the reader is taken on a journey. It starts with the speaker's formative years, struggles, vulnerabilities, and their story of perseverance. Since stories have a very clear beginning, middle, and end - readers know what to expect. In addition, a story keeps people guessing about the element ‘of what next’, thus ensuring that your speaker biography is read till the end.

4. Write in The Third Person

You must have observed a pattern in all the above sample bios for presentation. They are all written in the third person. While this is not a rule set in stone, it’s often followed by speakers as a standardized barometer. The reason is simple - it’s easier to speak of your achievements if you write about them in the third person.

Speakers, irrespective of experience, struggle to speak about their achievements. We usually assume that we can come across as pompous for writing highly of ourselves. But it's important to publicize your presenter bio and even exaggerate certain aspects of your life. This does not mean you speak of fictitious events but rather market your brand to get the attention you deserve.

Here’s an example of a short bio written in the third person.

“Jimmie Kramer is a man who dons several hats. But never mistake him for a jack of all trades and a master of none. Jimmie has successfully mastered several skills in his journey as an IT Consultant. He has worked with several big-league organizations like Amazon, Apple, and Tesla and has been on the board of tech giants like Google. His affinity for all things Tech has transferred into a full-blown course on ‘The Future of The Internet’ for young tech enthusiasts.

Jimmie has won multiple prestigious awards but still believes that the best accolade he has won is that of being called a ‘Dad’. His four children are the light of his life and when he is not spearheading the tech industry with innovations, he is busy playing ‘head chef’ for his family.”

The beginning of this bio, if written in the first person could be mistaken for Jimmie being egoistic. However, the third-person tone completely shifts this idea and aids the natural flow of the bio.

5. Humor Sells

Funny does stick and as per research 77% of people are likely to buy from a funny sales rep . You too are a salesperson, marketing your brand to exhibitors, organizers, and audiences. So adding humor (not forced though) is key to making your audience feel connected.

This speaker bio template is an example of a humorous one, where we break the traditional approach and write it in the first person.

“I work as a stand-up comic in my time off - there, that was the joke. I am George Seinfeld, a man of few words and many jokes up my alley. Well, I don’t want to bore you with long introductions about my many talents, so here’s what I really do.

I and my team are spearheading research in the field of Bone Grafting. So yes, you could, in simpler terms, call me a ‘medical man’ who sometimes lands a joke (quite rarely). Our research is aimed at helping patients suffering from various muscular dystrophies find hope with this treatment. It’s a battle we undertake every day and while we don’t always win, we always show up.

So, while I may not always tickle your funny bone, I have a team who will help you fix it.”

The topics covered here deal with medical battles that George and his team undertake. Yet his presenter bio speaks of his ability to see perspective and a silver lining in dire situations. The humor helps the audience feel at ease when difficult topics are discussed. His speaker bio template is reflective of his humor - which audiences know will filter into his on-stage presence.

We hope that these points and examples of bios for speakers help you create a stellar introduction to your personal brand.

The Eventify Edge - Getting Speakers The Recognition They Deserve

Wait a minute…! That stellar bio needs a Speaker Profile to be showcased and marketed. As an event organizer, coordinating with speakers, it’s important to not just have a great speaker bio that attracts audiences but also market your speakers. Eventify , a 360* mobile event application helps you achieve just that. Our speaker management software offers a dedicated ‘Speaker’ dashboard that lets you key in relevant details, speaker bios, social media links, and accessible details about speakers.

So contact us today to empower your event and your speakers with the power of an intuitive platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write biography for a speaker.

Writing a biography for a speaker is a multi-step process. It's best to start with a draft that you can edit and modify. Remember, adding humor and a story are key to creating a speaker biography - one that is engaging, fun, and interesting.

What is the Biography of Speaker for a Seminar?

Speaker bios for seminars are snippets that elaborate on the speaker’s achievements, accolades, experience, and subject matter expertise. This bio is the first peek the audience and seminar attendees get into the speaker’s personality and fields of interest. A well-curated speaker bio can be the decisive factor for audiences on whether they wish to attend the particular session.

How Do You I Write Bio About Myself?

Writing a bio about yourself begins with

1. Listing down all your achievements, life experiences, professional milestones, and future plans.

2. Infusing the list with elements from your own personality - for instance, you could be great at dry humor and so can include comebacks and witty remarks into your speaker bio.

3. Writing about yourself in the third person. This is an easy hack to write about yourself without falling prey to self-doubt or self-consciousness. This method helps you be objective about your own experiences and shortcomings.

What is a good Speaker Bio?

A good speaker bio is one which is created keeping in mind the type of event or seminar and the interests of the target audience. These are two primary factors that when taken into account help create an engaging speaker bio. In addition, elements of humor, dialogue, a conversational style, and tone - all add to the speaker bios appeal.

What is Short Bio of The Speaker?

A short speaker bio is a brief overview of the speaker’s professional and personal journey. A short bio is often added as a snippet on event management apps, seminar introductions, and event lists. The purpose of a shorter bio is to allow audiences to gauge your work and its relevance to them before committing to attending your session. Considering the ever decreasing attention spans of audiences, a short bio is a great way to engage audiences and convert them into attendees.

Hussain Fakhruddin

About the author, love the smell of events every morning like us.

Similar posts

How to Create An Ideal Marketing Plan For An Event In 2024?

Do You Need To Invest In An Event Management System? Here’s What Event Organizer, Joe, Says [An Eventify Case Analysis) 

Your Guide to 17 Free and Paid Event Check-In Apps [13 Is Not What You Expect]

Event Marketing - A Solid Strategy & Tips to Help You Out in a Pinch

Request a Demo

Please fill out the form below to request a demo. Our team will be in touch with you shortly to schedule a personalized demo.

Table of Contents

How to Write a Speaker Biography for a Conference (Updated 2023)

• February 15, 2018

A gripping bio can actually convert a random browser into a conference attendee. 65% of event visitors cite professional speakers as the most important factor to encourage them to attend. In this sense, the ability to get the right message about a speaker out there has a huge impact on attendance.

Why Do You Need to Write a Speaker Biography for a Conference?

Giving a speech that wows your audience is the best introduction, you might say. Well, that’s true. However, without a strong bio, you might end up having no audience at all.

Here’s why creating a good speaker biography for a conference is vital:

• Make things easier for organizers. Event managers view event publicity as the father of event success. Accordingly, the effective presentation of the agenda on an event website, in a press kit, or on a conference brochure cover is a must. By turning your credentials and expertise into a speaker biography format, you definitely deserve a “thank you” from organizers.
• Encourage attendance. You can make your bio catchy by adding some intrigue or fun. Play with words to get your biography read through to the end and encourage people to come. Also, by posting speaker bios on your event website, you can take conversion rates sky high. To make your speakers list beautiful, you can leverage the GEVME Website Builder automation.
• Cater to the right audience. A good speaker biography for a conference is the one that attracts the target persona. Make it clear what the speech is going to be about in the speaker’s biography to gather the right audience.

Build and host conferences with multiple speaker tracks and a large number of attendees. Try Gevme for free

The top 10 best speakers bio examples

You need a personal formula to craft a beautiful speaker biography that draws crowds. The key factors that you should keep in mind are the tone, length, and relevance of the provided information. To amp up your creativity, check out this top 10 successful conference speaker bios:

Content Marketing World

What’s good? Kate lives to blow stuff up! The first statement gives a clear promise: This speaker bio isn’t dull. By catching aperuser’s attention from the first phrase, you ensure the reader will be eager to discover more. In this case, the biography also perfectly resonates with Coca-Cola branding. 130 years of Coke taglines which include “Open happiness” and “Life tastes good” demonstrate this brand appreciates juicy wordings.

What’s good? Credentials get the message across. By pointing out that Gary is a bestselling author and a founder of VaynerMedia, it makes clear this speaker can give an excellent, media-related speech.

Singapore FinTech Festival

What’s good? Adjectives add value. If it’s a must to keep you biography as formal as possible, concentrate on the details. In this sample speaker biography for a Singapore FinTech Festival, the key value-adding elements are adjectives. By describing the speaker as the creator of an integrated, long-term digital strategy, you emphasize the qualities that are super important to a digital strategist and, thereby, amplify the expertise.

B2B Marketing Exchange

What’s good? The core skill shows what you can benefit from. Phyllis Davidson, obviously, has huge experience working with content strategies in the B2B segment. Her “signature dish,” however, is storytelling, and by identifying it as her core skill, the expert provides a crystal-clear value offer.

What’s good? A topic as a priority. Instead of focusing on her general biography and experience, MozCon organizers choose to tie this speaker’s persona to the theme of the speech. Katie’s short bio is a great example of how the target audience perceives the value of a speaker in the context of a specific topic.

World Cities Summit

What’s good? Special achievements. It’s impossible to create a catchy biography if you describe a politician, you might say. Well, we must disagree. Although the tone is incredibly formal, the bio of the Second Minister of Finance for Singapore’s World Cities Summit looks quite interesting. The statement about the efforts of Mr. Wong to make Singapore Botanic Gardens recognized as UNESCO World Heritage is a special achievement that definitely attracts public interest.

What’s good? Starting with a focus question. CODELAND organizers introduce the reader to the key question or theme on which his speech has to focus. Build a link between the speaker’s personal experience and the conference agenda to help people understand how this information falls in line with attendees’ expectations.

What’s good? Explaining the speaker’s occupation. In this sample speaker biography, a reader isn’t left with the mysterious name “Sherpa,” but gets a good explanation of what this speaker actually specializes in.

 Universe

What’s good? Compare and contrast. The organizers emphasize Frank Lamar’s role at the beginning of his career and today to show the incredible progress this speaker has demonstrated. With the speech focusing on “digital transformation,” the analogy is gorgeous.

What’s good? Catering to the focus industries & organizations. As the conference focuses on business transformation, IoT Asia explores the concept of transformation in diverse contexts and industries. By emphasizing Philip Seow’s background in consulting for residential, retail, and commercial organizations, the value offer is super relevant.

How to write a personal biography for a conference

To guide you through the process of speaker biography development, we’ve prepared some working tips for you:

• Keep it brief, but informative. 75-100 words are perfectly adequate to describe the speaker’s credentials, occupation, and a value promise.
• Keep it relevant. You only need to talk about those achievements which resonate with the topic a speaker is going to discuss at the conference.
• Keep it in a great format. Use an effective website development system and photoshop technologies to make it magnetic on your conference website.

Even if you’re super confident you can get the message across, explore the most effective speaker biography examples to maximize conversions. With a powerful website development software and a good arsenal of examples of speaker bios, you can make it work for you.

Share this article

Latest Posts

Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Your Events

QR Code Check-In for Fast & Secure Event Check-In

Explore Sustainable Event Check-In Practices

• Registration
• Business Matching & Networking
• Exhibitors & Sponsors
• Unified Event Data
• Integrations
• Book a demo
• In-Person Events
• Virtual Events
• Hybrid Events
• Sustainable Events
• All Use Cases
• Personal Data Protection Statement
• Data Sharing Opt-Out Request
• Cookie Policy
• Subscription Agreement
• Vulnerability Disclosure Policy

• Attendees Privacy
• Attendees Terms
• Privacy Policy (Client)
• Terms of Use (Client)
• Privacy Policy (Visitors)
• ©2024 Gevme. All Rights Reserved

We are pleased to announce updates to our privacy policy, reinforcing our commitment to safeguarding your rights. Please click here to review the changes.

Home > Blog > Speaking 101 > Writing A Speaker Biography: The Beginner’s Guide

Writing A Speaker Biography: The Beginner’s Guide

When it comes to writing a speaker biography for the first time, it’s easy to be at a loss. What information is most important to include in a speaker biography? Should you be expected to write a custom biography for every event? Why do you even need one in the first place? 

All of these questions are valid, especially if you’re a new speaker or if you’re turning your part-time speaking business into a full-time career. In the latter case, it’s also especially important that you nail your speaker biography as early as possible. Although you’ll almost inevitably have to edit it from time to time, fine tuning the bulk of it will present you in the best light as you approach event planners for speaking engagements. Plus, the more work you put in initially, the more editing time you’ll save in the long run. 

In light of these reasons to write a speaker biography – and how tricky it can be to do so, if you don’t know where to start – let’s jump into the details! 

Why do you need a speaker biography?

First and foremost, writing a speaker biography is about providing information. When an event planner is considering hiring you, they want to know your background. Among other things, they’re likely asking themselves, as they review their speaker options: 

• Which of these speakers has the most professional experience in my industry? 
• Who has the most speaking experience in my industry?
• Who is the most qualified to speak, relative to their speaking fees ?
• And who has the most attention-grabbing backstory or speaking style (to keep my audience engaged)?

In answering each of these questions, event organizers will eventually meet with the speaker(s) they deem most qualified for their event. However, before they narrow down their options, your bio is the first step in making you stand out. For each of the aforementioned questions, your bio can shout “I am!” and make you the obvious choice. 

Consequently, writing a speaker biography carefully and deliberately can translate directly into revenue. Even if it’s not the winning feature of your speaking business (because, let’s face it, that’s you !) it can play a big role in catching planners’ attention and showing your audiences that you know your sh*t. That way, even before you step on stage, they’re interested and ready to listen.

What do you include in a speaker biography?

The next question is arguably the biggest: When writing a speaker biography, what information should you include? Ultimately, there’s no all-encompassing answer to this, as every speaking business is different. But there are a few major details that are undeniably important. Below, we’ll break down the top four of these “major details,” so you can start writing your bio as efficiently as possible. 

Start with your professional credentials. 

Any awards, advanced degrees, or professional acknowledgements are the first way to present yourself as an authority in your bio. These include educational credentials, such as a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, a PhD, or an honorary degree or doctorate. They also include any notable job positions you’ve held, any “big-name” clients you’ve worked with, and any awards you’ve earned as a professional speaker. Two of the most common speaking awards, for instance, are the Certified Speaking Professional ( CSP ) and Council of Peers Award for Excellence ( CPAE ) certifications from the National Speakers Association (NSA). 

Segue into your area of expertise. 

Next, expand upon your professional credentials and accomplishments to explain your focus. Although it should be succinct, this section should highlight the industry(ies) in which you have experience and, by extension, authority. It should also give the reader a greater understanding of your role in these areas, outside of your awards. A few common words, referring to the writer of the bio, include “professor,” “author,” “researcher,” or “thought leader.” Whatever words you choose, the goal is simply to describe which industries you help and what roles you’ve held as you helped them in the past. 

Mention who is in your ideal audience. 

After specifying your focus industries, get specific about who you help within those industries. Are you most passionate about bringing whole teams together? Would you rather focus on C-suite executives or other high-ranking employees? Do you prefer working with non-profits organizations, large corporations, small businesses, or all of the above? All of these details help event organizers see whether they are or are not a good fit for your programs from the beginning. This saves them – and you – the time of meeting when it ultimately isn’t going to work out. And, on the flip side, if you’re a perfect match, event organizers will be able to know so immediately. Win, win!

End with a fun or memorable personal fact. 

Lastly, make sure to end your speaker bio with a bang. It can be a powerful catchphrase or statement (as we’ll see in Julie Holmes’s bio below). It can also be a fun note about your hobbies or your personal life. Mine, for example, ends with “When she’s not at her desk, you can find Cece in the woods of her home state, Minnesota, or enjoying a whiskey old fashioned with Taylorr , (SpeakerFlow’s CEO).” Essentially, this section is intended to make you more relatable and memorable, so event organizers want to contact you after they’re done reading.

Summarily, when writing a speaker biography, each of these components should support your credibility. Even though you’re using your bio in the context of speaking, remember: you’re an expert first and a speaker second. They should also, combined, paint a picture of who you are and how much you have to offer. In that way, event organizers will not only see that you’re professionally qualified for their event but also amazing to work with. How could someone not want to call you after reading that, right?

[hubspot type=cta portal=5815852 id=7cff95fd-a207-455b-aed4-9364f424f159]

How long should a speaker biography be?

Generally, speakers provide a few different versions of their biography for event organizers to choose from. These include a full bio, covering everything we mentioned above, and a 100-word bio for use on programs or on print materials with limited space. Additionally, some speakers provide a “super short” version that’s around 50 words. That way, if the event organizer is mentioning them on their website or a social post (somewhere the reader can click if they want to see the full bio), they can still hook the reader with a sentence or two about the speaker.

Should a speaker biography be in first or third person?

Depending on where it will appear, the suitable perspective to use when writing a speaker biography, may vary. A good rule of thumb is to create two versions of your bio – one in first person perspective and one in third person. Then, ask the event organizer which they prefer for their specific needs. 

To help you prepare in the meantime, below are a few common situations and which perspective to use in the biography for each one. 

• News/Press Appearance: third person
• Podcast Appearance: third person
• Guest Author on a Blog: third person
• Your Speaking Website: first person (if you’re a solopreneur or want to be more personable) or third person (if you manage a team or want to be formal)
• Your Speaker Kit: third person (although most speakers also start their kit with an “Intro Letter,” which is in first person)

How is a speaker biography different from a speaker introduction?

When at a speaking event, it’s also important to remember when a biography is appropriate versus your pre-written speaker introduction. To put it simply, while your bio should build your credibility, your intro should build excitement and anticipation for your speech. Because it’s almost always read by a member of the event staff or the group to which you’re speaking, this means that your intro should be clear, concise (30-60 seconds to read aloud), and crafted with the tone of the event in mind. It should also be specific to your audience and, unlike your bio, always edited prior to the event. This allows you to write an intro that captures audience members’ attention and demands respect. Conversely, your speaker biography will likely remain similar from event to event. Unlike your intro, it’s intended as background information so it can be much longer and detailed.

Speaker Biography Examples

At this point, we’ve covered a lot of “do”s and “don’t”s about writing a speaker biography, but one thing we haven’t talked about is examples. Because every speaker is unique, it doesn’t make sense to copy another speaker’s bio word-for-word. However, considering the following bio examples, there are undeniably useful components for you to mimic in your own. 

1. Ozan Varol

First on our list, the following speaker biography belongs to Ozan Varol. This bio originates from Ozan’s website and describes, in detail, most of the components we mentioned above. Because it’s part of a publicly accessible platform, it also includes a clear call to action at the end, urging event organizers to reach out. When publishing your bio on your own website, including a similar directive can help you turn website visitors into leads, too. 

Ozan’s Biography:

Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned award-winning professor and author. A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Ozan grew up in a family of no English speakers. He learned English as a second language and moved to the United States by himself at 17 to attend Cornell University and major in astrophysics.

While there, he served on the operations team for the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers project that sent two rovers–Spirit and Opportunity–to Mars. He built stuff that went to the red planet and wrote code that snaps photos of the Martian surface. Ozan then pivoted and went to law school. He graduated first in his class, earning the highest grade point average in his law school’s history.

Ozan has been called a “true original” by Adam Grant and dubbed a “superhero” by Dan Pink. His work has been described as “must read” by Susan Cain and featured in the Wall Street Journal, Time, BBC, CNN, Washington Post, and more.

He’s the author of Think Like a Rocket Scientist: Simple Strategies You Can Use to Make Giant Leaps in Work and Life . The book is:

• One of Inc.com’s “6 Business Books You Need to Read in 2020 (according to Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, and Adam Grant)”
• One of Amazon’s Top 20 business books of 2020
• Adam Grant’s # 1 pick of his top 20 leadership books of 2020
• One of 6 Groundbreaking Books of Spring 2020 (according to Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Dan Pink, and Adam Grant).

Ozan is a sought-after speaker. He’s given countless radio and television interviews, and delivered keynote speeches both to small and large crowds at major corporations, nonprofits, and government institutions. If you’re interested in having Ozan speak at your event, check out his speaking page .

2. Cassandra Worthy

Next up is the speaker biography for Cassandra Worthy. Like Ozan’s, Cassandra’s bio below appears on her website, making it appropriate that it’s short and easy to read. However, compared to the others in this list, Cassandra’s bio is the only one to appear in first person perspective everywhere, including her speaking materials. It’s also the only one written more like a letter than a bio, so if you’re looking for a similarly casual but impactful way to share your story, Cassandra’s bio is a good example to follow.

Cassandra’s Biography:

Hi! I am Cassandra.

Early on in my career, when my company was in the aftermath of a $5B acquisition, I almost quit. Fueled by frustration and stress, I found myself on the precipice of walking out of the office and never coming back. Had I done so, I would have become another statistic. Yet another African-American female departed from a STEM-driven industry. Top talent voluntarily resigning during a time of significant organizational shift. Another change victim.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I woke up one day and decided to view those feelings as a signal that I was sitting in a moment of opportunity. An opportunity to transform that chemistry, that feeling into something better. To choose every day to do something, say something, behave in some way that would move the needle of my work experience towards a better feeling. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was cultivating a teachable strategy to inspire anyone to become enthusiastic about change, to find their unique power of resilience during turbulent times.

Today, I help organizations disrupt ‘change as usual’. Through a practical and repeatable framework, I show them how they can transform their culture from surviving change to growing through change.

3. Brittany Hodak

Third of our speaker biography examples is that of Brittany Hodak. As an experienced marketer and speaker, Brittany’s bio checks all of the boxes. Credentials? Check. Area of expertise? Check. Notable past clients and news appearances? Check and check. In short, Brittany’s bio does an exceptional job of establishing her authority and, by extension, selling her thought leadership offerings. Ideally, your bio should do the same. 

Pro Tip: Brittany also offers short and “super short” versions of her bio on her website in addition to the full version below. Visit her “Meeting Planners” page to learn more. 👌

Brittany’s Biography:

Brittany Hodak is an international keynote speaker and award-winning business leader. Entrepreneur calls her an “expert at creating loyal fans for your brand,” and she is widely regarded as the “go-to source” on creating and retaining superfans.

An accomplished speaker, she has been invited to speak to audiences and organizations across the world, including American Express, WeWork, Compassion International, Sony Music, Inc., and the United Nations, just to name a few.

Brittany was named in Advertising Age ’s 40 Under 40 list, Inc. ’s 30 Under 30 list, and Billboard ’s 30 Under 30 list, and she was awarded Most Disruptive Marketing Entrepreneur at the UN’s Empact Awards.

Over the last ten years, she has published 350+ thought-leadership articles, including regular columns for Forbes , Adweek , and Success and has been featured on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox News, and more.

Brittany co-founded, scaled, and successfully exited The Superfan Company, a fan engagement company whose roster included Walmart, Disney, Amazon, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and more under her eight-year leadership. In 2015, she was offered deals from four of the five Sharks on ABC’s Shark Tank at a valuation of more than $4 million.

She is a summa cum laude graduate with a B.A. in communications from the University of Central Arkansas, and she holds an M.S. in marketing from CUNY Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business.

4. Mark Hunter

The fourth speaker biography in our list belongs to renowned sales speaker and author Mark Hunter. As far as bios go, Mark’s is a great example of how to keep things short and sweet while also showcasing your skills. Like Cassandra’s, it also breaks Mark’s information into short paragraphs so it’s easier to read (and remember). Additionally, like Brittany’s, it showcases Mark’s business “by the numbers” for an eye-catching mention of his accomplishments. Likewise, your own bio doesn’t have to be long or use flowery language to show your skill. It just has to be clear and packed with the most impressive facts about you. 

Mark’s Biography:

Mark Hunter, CSP, “The Sales Hunter,” is recognized as one of the top 50 most influential sales and marketing leaders in the world. He is author of “High Profit Prospecting,” “High-Profit Selling” and “A Mind for Sales,” to be released early 2020.

For over 20 years, Mark has been helping companies identify better prospects, close more sales and profitably build more long-term customer relationships. He is best known for his energetic presentation style and ability to authentically engage sales leaders.

Mark has received the distinguished Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association; a designation only given to a small percentage of NSA speakers.

Mark brings a guiding leadership presence to over 50+ events and thousands of people he delivers programs to each year. He has the ability to seamlessly blend real life success stories to bring tangible results in the areas of sales, prospecting, pricing, and leadership.

Mark has taken his message to nearly 30 countries on 5 continents. Regardless of the country or the company, people leave with strategies they can use immediately.

Prior to becoming a sought after sales speaker, Mark spent 15+ years driving success in three Fortune 200 companies in both sales and marketing roles. Mark’s extensive corporate experience allows him to connect at a higher level with corporate leaders and teams.

5. Julie Holmes

The last of our speaker biography examples comes from innovation and technology expert Julie Holmes. As a speaker, Julie knows better than most the importance of getting your point across in every aspect of your brand. She also knows the role of brandable phrases in building a speaking business. In the bio below, we see this in her use of the word “tech,” which replaces various other words (like “check” or “take”) to further highlight her technological expertise and her sense of humor. In the same way, consider using language in your own bio that communicates your personality and the purpose of your brand.

Julie’s Biography:

Julie Holmes is an inventor, app developer, pragmatic technologist, and innovation expert, plus she’s way smarter than her smartphone. With over 25 years of experience in enterprise and small business technology, she’s a master of how-to TECH IT OFF YOUR LIST.

An award-winning speaker and tech strategist, Julie has guided tens of thousands of people in why, when, and how to leverage technology effectively. Her wicked smarts, extreme enthusiasm, and cheeky humor on (and off) stage spur audiences to not only sit up and listen but also to make notes, compare phones and take immediate action. 

As the founder/co-founder of two innovation companies, Julie has designed and delivered tech products that are helping businesses grow their brands in over 35 countries. 

Sure, she knows tons of cool apps and tech tools that make people and their organizations run faster, smarter, and better – heck, she’s even building a whole YouTube channel about that. But, she’s also keenly aware of how easy it is to get distracted by shiny new apps so that, before you know it, you’re buried in icons you don’t even recognize. Wouldn’t it be great to know what you really need to TECH YOUR BUSINESS UP A NOTCH without all the noise? 

From entrepreneurs just getting started to executives of multinational corporations, there’s brilliant, innovative tech that can help you achieve your goals. You just have to master when to TECH IT OR LEAVE IT. Julie shows you how.

Hopefully, with this guide, you’ll be able to tackle writing a speaker biography with confidence, if you haven’t already. For more examples, check out our previous article, “ 10 Speaker Bio Examples That Will Inspire You To Update Yours .”

Additionally, for technology designed to support your business, check out our operating system ! With customized modules and integrations and an extensive onboarding process, SpeakerFlow’s system is all about efficiency, so you can more easily run your speaking business and enjoy more time on stage. Book a demo to learn more. 👍

Subscribe To Our Blog

Get updates every time we release a new blog. Plus, join thousands of other speakers, coaches, and consultants learning to use systems to take control of their business.

Other Articles You Might Like

The SpeakerFlow State Of The Industry 2023 Report

Beyond Box-Checking: Why Speaker Diversity Matters

How To Speak Publicly With Confidence

Loved this article! Great read and some really useful tips like the difference between speaker introductions! Thanks for sharing 🙂

Thanks, Robbie! Glad you found it helpful! 🙌 If there’s anything else you want to hear about, make sure to leave a comment, and I can work it into a future blog! 👍

Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Website Terms of Service | Terms of Use | SF University Terms of Service | SpeakerFlow CRM Terms of Service

Made With ❤️ By SpeakerFlow

SpeakerFlow Payment Plans

We understand not everyone’s in a position to pay up front. That’s why we don’t require credit checks or use outside lending services – Just your word. Split your payments over 3 months. 👍

Power Up ⚡️

The system without any live training, migration, or implementation

$1,100.00/mo

Total Over 3 Months: $3,300

Flow Zone 🎯

Done-for-you migration and implementation of our Flow Stack

$2,200.00/mo

Total Over 3 Months: $6,600

Flow Zone+ 🚀

Flow Zone plus migration of other complex systems

$3,666.67/mo

Total Over 3 Months: $11,000

We add a flat rate 10% fee to any financed tier and own the rights to your accounts and its data until the amount is paid in full.

If you’re interested in a payment plan, please email [email protected] .

PhDLife Blog

Sharing PhD experiences across the University of Warwick and beyond

How to Write an Academic Bio for Conferences

There are very few things as challenging as writing academic biographies (perhaps academic writing?). It seems simple, but things soon get awkward as you try to show how amazing you are without sounding arrogation or pretentious. Sophie shares her tips on writing a balanced bio…

It’s all going swimmingly until you read the Call for Papers: Please submit a proposal and brief bio.

What on earth is a bio (otherwise known as an ‘academic bio’)? And just how brief does it need to be? Writing an academic bio is a skill you can pick up like any other, and this article will take you through the basics of what to include, what to leave out, and how to craft this tricky piece of your academic arsenal.

Covering the Basics

Whatever discipline you’re working in, you’ll definitely need to include the following in your academic bio:

•  full name,
• position (i.e. PhD student; PhD candidate),
• institution.

All this should go into the first sentence, so it reads something like this:

Joe Bloggs is currently a PhD candidate [meaning he’s passed his upgrade] at the University of Warwick.

You can also mention your department, although it’s not strictly necessary for most of us.

The Big Picture

The rest of your academic bio should tell the reader about your research interests. Start by setting out your broad research question , whether that’s finding new ways to create Omega 3 in algae cultures or exploring fashion statements at Charles II’s court. Then focus it further; are you looking at a specific type of algae culture, or a particular poet who was into fashion? This is the most important part of your bio: it tells other people attending the conference where you’re coming from, and may present links between your research areas.

You can end your bio here, or add another sentence situating your research within wider scholarship. Is it important to reference your specific style of criticism, or how you’re leading on from recently-published developments in the field, for example? If it’s important for the theme of the conference, you may wish to add another sentence on the future directions of your research. However, if this isn’t relevant or necessary, feel free to leave it out, especially if you’ve been asked to submit a brief bio – best to keep it brief and stick to your research interests.

What Not to Do

Inevitably, we all do things early in our career/academic life that, with hindsight, make us cringe. To avoid that uncomfortable feeling in the future, four common errors are:

• Treating your bio like a humorous essay : only include a joke if you’re sure it’s really, really funny (maybe check with a straight-talking friend).
• Getting too personal : an academic bio is a chance to make an impression pre-conference, and it may be what people remember you by, so ensure that you stay professional.
• Giving too much information : remember that an academic bio isn’t the same thing as a CV – the conference organisers don’t need to know where you did your undergrad, MA or how much you’ve won in grants.
• Using exclamation marks : your writing should be relatively formal in style, so avoid coming across as too chatty – save your engaging manners for the big presentation day!

One final tip is to use the third person. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but at some conferences, your bio will be read out as an introduction, so personally I prefer to start a sentence like Joe Bloggs above.

What do you think about this approach?

Any more tips for writing academic bios?

Text credits: Sophie Shorland 

Sophie is a PhD student at Warwick, where she’s one of the organisers of the English Department’s annual postgraduate symposium for 2017. You can find out how to get involved in the symposium here , or check their Twitter here .  

Share this:

One thought on “ how to write an academic bio for conferences ”.

What a concidence. I’m sending the abstract and the bio for a conference at Warwick

Comments are closed.

Want the latest PhD Life posts direct to your inbox? Subscribe below.

Type your email…

Blog at WordPress.com.

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

Awesome Tips on How to Write a Speaker Biography for a Conference

Attending an event, such as conference type of event, surely will rely its essential part into the speakers invited for the event. Therefore, introducing the speakers to the audience is a must. Then, how? You need to write a speaker biography for conference to give a brief yet proper introduction for your audience before you start to deliver some speeches in your event.

In 2020, around 65% of audience said that they are interested to attend an event due to the high quality speakers provided by the event. Although you have great skills and ability to be a speaker in your event, without writing a speaker biography, you won’t get enough attention of people at the first place.

Why is it important to write a speaker biography for a conference?

• Give a good impression – Not only giving a good impression of the audience, but also giving a good impression for the event organizer or the event planner. It will make things easier in promoting the speakers in the brochure, website, or other types of advertisement. Make sure you make your template in biography template pdf format.
• Gain more attention – By writing a speaker bio, you can attract more audience. Before attending a conference event, people will tend to look of the information of the speakers, whether the speakers are credible or not. Therefore, by mentioning your conference speaker bio, you will let people see the ability and capability of you in delivering speeches and materials.
• Gain the right audience – By writing a motivational speaker bio or conference speaker bio obviously will highlight the main point of the event, especially the theme and material will be discussed in the event itself. Hence, it will attract the right audience with the same background of interest.

If you still have no idea in how to write a speaker bio for conference, this article will give you some insights in writing keynote speaker bio. Let’s check this out!

Tips to write a good speaker biography

To write a good and creative speaker bio, you need to consider several things mentioned below:

Make sure you have relevant information

Writing your biography is the most important part to introduce you properly to the audience. Therefore, you have to make it right and relevant with the theme of the event. You may have many abilities in various field, but mentioning them all in your biography is such a wasting of time.

Write only the experiences and achievements that relate to the topic and theme given by the event. For example you are the speaker of a cybercrime themed conference, just put your experiences and achievements resonating with the topic mentioned.

Make it brief and informative

A conference speaker bio and a motivational speaker bio must be wrapped and delivered in short format to make it easier to be understood by the audience. Three to six sentences can be the right length of your writing around 75 – 100 words .

What should you write on your speaker bio template?

• Name and title
• Achievements
• Experiences

By mentioning those aspects in your speaker bio template, you will draw enough information for your audience that highly get the chance to be read. Make the best short bio example yourself will love after reading it.

Wrap it in the right format

Writing the text-content of your speaker bio information is a must, but you can’t neglect the fact that you have to wrap your content in a creative way. Then, How? You can write your creative bio examples through Canva or Photoshop that will provide you with many theme and color options.

According to a survey,  a content or a post that inserts images will gain 650% higher chance to get engagement rather than a post who only mention text content. Therefore, adding image of yours is such a great idea.

In the end of your bio, you can add a memorable ending by mentioning topic you’ll be delivered or some quotes related with the topic of your event.

After reading the information above, you might wonder “how can i write sample of biography about myself?” Don’t worry, let’s o see what the speaker bio examples or guest speaker bio examples look like in this section below.

Kevin Systrom is an American computer programmer and entrepreneur who is also a co-founder of Instagram. In the 6 th Annual Crunchies Awards 2012, he was awarded with the “Founder of the Year”. Moreover, he receive the “CFDA Social Media Award”, in 2015. He successes in developing the Instagram application as a powerful marketing tool for various brands, including Adidas, Uniqlo, Dior, and Kyle Cosmetics. Kevin Systrom will highlight the topic of – How to improve digital marketing strategies through social media – How to make product branding through digital savvy

This one of short professional bio examples can be your reference in writing your own sample speaker bio. You can adjust and re arrange the position of the image as you like.

Jason Harris is a motivational speaker and a certificated character coach. He is also a decorated combat veteran who value dedication and service of people. With his dedication, hard work, and determination, he left his poor life and reach his dream in Air Force Academy. He finally made it to an accomplished military career as Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve as a Joint Mobility Planner at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the U.S. Northern Command Through his inspiring story, he now becomes a great motivational speaker who has the passion to share knowledge and empower people to achieve greater success.

The motivational speaker bio example above is one of speaker bio example you can have if you are going to be a motivational speaker. You can add your story in reaching your achievement to highlight the motivation and effort you give.

For the next speaker bio template free, you can take a look at this example of writer biography below

J.K Rowling is a British writer and philanthropist. Best known for her majestic work, Harry Potter fantasy series which won several awards and sold more than 500 million copies. Rowling is also awarded by several awards such as in British Academy Film Awards, British Book Awards, National Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year, PEN America Literary Service Award, Hans Christian Andersen Award and many more awards. Rowling also support number of children, women, and health organisations through charities she has

From the keynote speaker bio examples above now you know how to start to write your own speaker biography. Writing biography is so beneficial if you want to introduce yourself properly to the audience. To get more references you have to explore more of short creative bio examples by seeing event advertisement. Choose the best style and format that suit you the best. Break a leg!

Share this:

Related posts:.

What to Wear to a Charity Event? Here is A Fundraiser Dressing Guide

Must-Have Equipment for Events for Planners and Organizers

Avoid Bad Event Management with a Qualified Event Budget

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

404 Not found

How to Write a Bio For A Conference – 8 Easy Steps

• October 10, 2023
• 10 min read

Table of Contents:

How to write a bio for a conference step by step, 1- find out the required length., make a list of the basics., example: , 2- identify your audience, 3- start with your name: , 4- include what you do and your current position, 5- describe your core values and philosophy, 6- share your professional accomplishments, 7- add some personality, 8- decide on a tone of voice for your bio., conclusion: .

A bio or a biography is a small paragraph allowing you to introduce yourself to potential employers or clients. Say as it is a small content written to describe you as a person or worker. 

However, when you write a bio for a conference, there are many things that you have to keep in mind, partly because a bio will help you make a good impression and boost your professional development. 

So writing a bio for a conference may seem like a big deal, but it may not be too hard for you if you have a command of English. Just follow the steps below to write a bio for a conference . However, if you feel that you cannot write it yourself, you can always hire an autobiography writing service to help you. But still, even if you plan on hiring an autobiography writing services provider, we suggest you go through this guide. It is because it will also help you understand what to ask any service provider.

When invited to speak at a conference, the organizers will probably ask you to write a bio. So the first and most important thing you must do when you write a bio for a conference is to find out how long your bio must be. This is a short description of your background and expertise, and it will be used to introduce you to the audience.

So make sure that the length of your bio will vary depending on the conference you are attending. Some conferences ask for a short bio of just a few sentences, while others may ask for a longer bio of up to a paragraph.

So to write a good and concise bio that will include everything, you must first make a list of the basics that you must include in it. Following are some of them. 

When writing a conference bio, you should include some basic things. These are:

• Your full name
• Your credentials, like your degrees and any professional certifications you have
• Where you complete your graduate studies
• Your current position and where you work
• Your areas of interest
• How your experience is relevant to the focus of the event
• Your most notable accomplishments

You don’t need to list everything you’ve ever done but focus on the most impressive things. If you’ve published in any top peer-reviewed journals, be sure to include that. 

You can also list any patents or breakthrough findings you’ve made. And if you’ve collaborated with any well-known subject matter experts, mention that too.

Here is an example of a bio for a conference:

• [Your name] is a [your title] at [your company or organization]. They have over [number] years of experience in [your areas of expertise]. They have spoken at [number] conferences and have been awarded the [award or honor].
• [Your name] is passionate about [your passion]. They believe that [your belief].

The next thing that is very important in anything you do is to write according to your audience. Similarly, when you Write A Bio For A Conference, you have to think about who will the audience be, What are they interested in…. and more. 

Once you know your audience, you can tailor your bio to their interests. You may highlight who funded your research if your audience comprises institutional academics. Or you can tell them which institutions you collaborated with when the work was conducted. 

By tailoring your bio to your audience, you’ll ensure their interest in what you say. 

You also need to ensure the audience understands what you are saying. If you are in the presence of an academic, then using the intermediate level of English might be suitable. However, if you are also talking to students and academics at a conference, you need to ensure that your language is appropriate. 

Now that you have researched your audience let’s begin with how to actually write a bio for a conference and format it accordingly. When you’re starting a bio for a conference, it’s important to introduce yourself clearly and concisely.

 You should start with your full name and your job title. You can also include any other details you want to emphasize, such as your industry, certifications, or training.

For example, you could start your bio like this:

• My name is Peter, and I’m a certified financial planner. I’ve worked in the financial industry for over 10 years and want to help people achieve their financial goals.

You could start your bio with your educational qualifications if you want a job. 

For example:

• I’m a recent graduate with a bachelor’s in economics. I’m looking for a challenging position in the financial industry where I can use my skills and knowledge and be an asset to the firm.

If you have a business or brand name, you should also state them in this section. For example:

• I’m the founder and CEO of [business name]. We’re a leading provider of financial services and are passionate about helping people achieve their financial dreams.

Starting your bio with a clear and concise introduction will help your reader remember you and understand what you’re all about.

When you write a bio for a conference, it’s important to describe your primary duty and responsibility. This will help your audience understand what you do and how you can add value to their organization.

If you’re currently employed, you can identify your employer. This will help your audience understand the context of your work and how your experience is relevant to their interests.

For example,

 you could say something like, 

• “I’m a software engineer at Google, where I work on developing new machine learning algorithms. I’m passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems.”

You can still describe your primary duty and responsibility if you’re not currently employed. You could say something like, 

• “I’m a freelance professional bio writer  who specializes in writing about technology. I have over 10 years of experience writing for various publications, and I’m passionate about using my writing to educate and inform people about the latest trends in technology.”

You’ll help your audience understand what you do by describing your primary duty and responsibility. This will make you a more attractive candidate for speaking engagements and job opportunities.

In addition to describing your role and responsibility, you can include a mission statement explaining your core values and what motivates you. This will help your audience understand what matters to you and why you do what you do.

For example, you could say, “I’m passionate about caring for others. I believe everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, and I’m committed to improving the world.”

Or you could say something like, 

• “I believe in maintaining peace and order. I’m committed to working for a world where everyone can be safe and secure.”

Including your philosophy in your bio will help your audience connect with you on a personal level. It will also show them you’re more than just a collection of skills and experience. You’re a person with a passion for making a difference in the world.

After describing your role, philosophy, and goals, you can include one or two of your most significant professional achievements. This will help your audience understand your track record of success and what you can achieve.

Your professional achievements could include awards, honors, or publications. They could also include specific projects or tasks you’ve completed that have positively impacted your organization or the world.

For example, you could say something like,

• “I was awarded the ‘Employee of the Year award in 2022 for my work on the company’s new marketing campaign. The campaign was a success, and it helped to increase sales by 15%.”

Or you could say something like,

• “I published a paper in the Journal of Applied Psychology that was cited over 1,000 times. The paper explored the relationship between stress and performance in the workplace.”

Including your professional achievements in your bio will help you to stand out from the competition. It will also show your audience that you’re a valuable asset to any organization.

One very important thing people tend to forget when writing a conference bio is to sprinkle some personality. One way to stand out from other speakers is to add a touch of fun to your bio. This will make your bio more interesting and engaging and encourage people to read it from start to finish.

You can do this by using wordplay or alliteration. 

For example, you could say something like, 

• “I’m a software engineer who loves to solve problems. I’m always up for a challenge and never afraid to get my hands dirty.”

You can also start your bio with a bold, unexpected statement. This will capture your reader’s attention and make them want to read more. 

• “I’m a doctor who believes laughter is the best medicine.”

Adding a touch of fun to your bio will make you more memorable and engaging. It will also show your audience that you’re a creative and interesting person. 

When you write a bio for a conference, you must decide whether to write in the first or third person.

The first person is most effective when writing informal or personal bios. This is because it allows you to connect with your audience personally. You can use words like “I” and “me” to share your story and experiences.

The third person is more formal and is often used for bios published on company websites or academic journals. This is because it gives your bio a more objective tone. You can use your name and pronouns like “he” or “she” to describe your work and accomplishments.

The voice you choose should represent your personality and the purpose of your bio. If you’re a creative person who wants to connect with your audience personally, the first person might be your best choice. If you’re a more formal person who wants to present your work professionally, the third person might be a better choice.

It may appear not a big deal, but writing for a conference is a big deal. And we understand your worries about writing the perfect bio. 

With this article, we hope you can write just the perfect bio for your conference. 

limited Time offer

50% off on all services.

REDEEM YOUR COUPON: VHBA50

Recommended Blogs

Fiction vs nonfiction: definitions and differences, which is one difference between a graphic novel and a memoir, 8 free ai script generator websites for inspiring video, hire book authors & publishers at discounted rates looking for a book author or publisher contact us for a free consultation and get 30% off your first project..

Automated page speed optimizations for fast site performance

• Call 713-714-8446

How to Write a Speaker Biography

If you’re planning to speak at an event or you want to pitch yourself to speak at an event , you’ll need to write a speaker biography to properly introduce yourself to the audience. But what should you put in the bio? How do you highlight your skills without sounding like you’re bragging? Personally, I’ve found it hard to encapsulate all of who I am in one short speaker biography while not sounding a tad self-important.

Your biography is potentially the most important piece you’ll ever write about yourself. It’s the first introduction to who you are, what you do, and what you’re all about. It’s an opportunity for you to succinctly explain your work, competence, and areas of expertise. What you choose to highlight will play a role in others deciding to attend your speaking session, follow you online, call you, connect in person, or invite you to participate in an event.

Professional speakers are the most important factor in encouraging event turnout for 65% of attendees . Thus, the ability to get the right message out about a speaker has a huge impact on event attendance. While giving a great speech for your audience is important, without a strong bio attracting attendees to your speech you might wind up without an audience at all. A speaker biography helps establish your credibility before you even speak, which in turn encourages attendees to view you as an expert, making them more likely to attend your presentation.

Speaker Bio Format and Content

A speaker bio should include a brief summary of your education, work history, and experience relevant to your speaking topic. When you’re writing your bio, you want to focus on how the audience perceives you. What is it about you that would be most important or interesting to them? How did you become an expert on this topic? One of the biggest goals of a speaker biography is to grab potential event attendees’ attention and get them to register and attend your presentation. A fascinating bio can convert an undecided into an attendee.

The organization requesting your speaker bio may specify a format and length. If they don’t, follow these guidelines:

• Always write about yourself in the third person.
• Make it clear what the speech is going to be about to gather the right audience.
• Keep it brief at no more than 75 to 100 words, because if it’s too long simply won’t get read.
• List your current position and a brief mention of work history and experience.
• State academic qualifications, awards, and published work.
• Include one remarkable fact about yourself to help personalize you to your audience and make you more memorable.
• Keep it brief and relevant to the speaking engagement topic.

No One Can Have Just One: Cater It To Your Audience

Your speaker bio will go a long way! It will be used for introductory purposes on promotional materials. And, a good speaker biography for a conference will attract the right target demographic to come hear you speak. Keep in mind that your speaker bio is not a static element, meaning it should be tweaked and updated so it’s tailored to the presentation you are giving, the conference you are attending, and/or the audience you want to attract. Make sure to review your bio and check it against all of those factors before submitting it to ensure the best possible result.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share with friends

" * " indicates required fields

Looking for a new direction?

Get in touch.

• Marketing Services
• Testimonials

How to Write a Good Academic Biography (Part 1)

When your journal article gets accepted or you are preparing for a public presentation, you will often be asked for a short academic biography. For many people, these academic bios are more difficult to write than a dissertation. How do you sum up yourself and your work in 3-5 sentences? What do you need to include? What should you leave out?

What You Should Do

• Start with your full name followed by your current position, your general interests, and your current project, keeping them all very brief.
• If you are within a year of receiving a prestigious award, mention that as well.
• Finally, finish with a sentence that’s personal: add a hobby, a pet’s name, the city you live in—whatever you are comfortable with that is personal but not too private.

What You Should Avoid

• Avoid speaking in the first person, i.e., don’t use “I.”
• Don’t divulge details beyond your current position.
• In a longer bio of multiple paragraphs, you may add more awards and information about your master’s and bachelor’s degrees, but not in a short bio. Moreover, don’t add anything that happened before grad school—including your place of birth. For example:

Hi! My name is Scott. I was originally born in Vermont and now I’m a professor at North Yankee University in Fargone, New York (in upstate New York). I study antelopes’ migration patterns and their impact of native grain growth. My interest in antelopes began as a teenager when I first saw one in the wild. I did my undergrad degree in biology at SUNY and my masters and UCLA and my PhD in Forestry at Hunter College.

Related: Finished drafting your academic biography and heading for an international conference? Check out this post now!

The above example is far too casual and Scott’s work and current position are overshadowed by all the other random details. This can be written in a much better way:

Scott Sampson is a professor of Wildlife Biology at North Yankee University. His work focuses specifically on the migration patterns of antelope and their impact on the growth of native grain. His favorite place to do research in his backyard, which opens to the Akron National Forest.

This improvised version is concise, relevant, and makes Scott’s bio appear professional while giving a short description of his personal details.

Longer Bios

For longer bios, follow the same basic rules, but go into a bit more depth about your work, your education, and your future projects or interests. You may also consider adding a line about your immediate family. But as always, leave the personal details for a short and friendly mention at the end of the bio.

Mostly, your bio will be used by someone to introduce you at a conference or public event so if you write your bio using these tips, you will help them give a smooth and accurate introduction. Remember that the bio is the first thing that people know about you so pack it full of the most important things about yourself!

If you would like to know more about different formats of academic biography, read the next article in this series!

Appreciating the dedication you put into your blog and detailed information you provide. It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material. Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

Greeting from Enago Academy! Thank you for your positive comment. We are glad to know that you found our resources useful. Your feedback is very valuable to us. Happy reading!

Super helpful! Thank you for writing about this.

wow great article. I got lots of new ideas from this post. Thanks a lot.

Thank you! Really a short and precise description of how to write short biographic sentence.

Excellent! Just what I needed; thank you.

Thanks for sharing this post, It is a very helpful article.

Excellent information…

Comparing to my introduction and yours, there is a huge difference and mine is like grade R?. Thank you so much for developing such content and helping disadvantaged students like me, hence holding Honours. Once again thank you

it is good, i learnt something new

Your articles are so much meaningful and informative.

Rate this article Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Enago Academy's Most Popular Articles

• Manuscripts & Grants
• Reporting Research

How to Write a Good Academic Biography (Part 2)

Writing an academic biography is part of many academic activities. Whether your paper is accepted…

Sign-up to read more

Subscribe for free to get unrestricted access to all our resources on research writing and academic publishing including:

• 2000+ blog articles
• 50+ Webinars
• 10+ Expert podcasts
• 50+ Infographics
• 10+ Checklists
• Research Guides

We hate spam too. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

I am looking for Editing/ Proofreading services for my manuscript Tentative date of next journal submission:

As a researcher, what do you consider most when choosing an image manipulation detector?

How to Write a Personal Biography for a Conference

• Personal Care & Service Jobs
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Pinterest" aria-label="Share on Pinterest">
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Reddit" aria-label="Share on Reddit">
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Flipboard" aria-label="Share on Flipboard">

How to Format Fiction Writing Samples for Portfolio

How to write a proposal for event planners, how to choose a theme for a business conference.

• How to Get Hired as a Club Promoter
• How to Write Bios of Staff in a Salon

Public speaking is a good way to demonstrate your expertise, but audiences want to know that the person they're listening to is qualified to speak with authority. A well-written bio will highlight your expertise and is often the key to booking a conference in the first place. Many speakers confuse the bio with their CV or resume. The biography should be more client-focused and deliver dynamic and engaging content for the reader, not merely a dry list of accomplishments.

Ask the event organizer what length the biography should be, if the speech has already been publicized and if the biography will also serve as your spoken introduction. A good rule of thumb is anywhere from three to six sentences in length. Length is particularly important if your biography will be included in a printed program, as there will be a limited amount of space for each layout. Try not to repeat too much information that might be included in other materials.

Write in third-person narrative, which is the most common mode of expression in print and other media. You can include more facts and bring more substance to a biography in third person. Start with your first and last name, then use your first name for future references if the conference is friendly and informal. However, using your last name is more likely to impress. For example, "Barb Jones is a textile designer by trade with a flair for finding exotic fabrics from all parts of the world. Jones specializes in the unusual."

Know your audience and tailor your biography for each speaking engagement. Deliver what the audience wants to hear. If you are speaking to a group of fashion industry attendees, they may not care that you recently returned from Bali -- but if something you found there is about to revolutionize the apparel industry, you can generate buzz and anticipation.

Treat your biography as though it were an advertisement. Answer the questions of who you are, how your expertise is beneficial to the reader's problems or goals and why you're the perfect person to speak at the conference. Open with your most impressive accomplishment to make the biography "pop."

Follow with your credentials to prove you are an expert. If you've received numerous awards from the textile industry for your fail-safe, non-wrinkle fabric design, note them. If you're the president of an association or the first westerner to exam royal wedding attire in the imperial palace of the Forbidden City, mention that.

Bring your biography to a conclusion with the knowledge you will impart to the audience -- their sole purpose for being there. Aspire to give the inspiration they need to break ground in the their own careers. Ask yourself “What will I bring to this conference that nobody else can?”

• Public Speaking Is Not for Wimps!; Kimberly Alyn
• The Lost Art of the Great Speech: How to Write It, how to Deliver it; Richard Dowis
• Toastmasters International: How to Prepare a Speaker Bio
• Fast Company: The Art of Writing Your own Bio - How to Toot Your Horn Without Sounding Like a Blowhard

Elle Smith has been an advertising professional for more than 25 years. Her work for ABC, CBS and Sony Pictures Television has appeared on radio, on air, in print and outdoors. In addition, Smith has more than 20 years experience in marketing, graphic arts, commercial photography and print production, and is a licensed real estate agent with property management certification in California.

Related Articles

Key elements of a good meeting, how to write a formal invitation to a guest speaker, role of creativity in graphic design, how to do an effective business presentation introduction, how to prepare a powerpoint presentation for a job interview, how to create a voice actor's portfolio, how to give an informative speech, how to find literary translation jobs, how to put together an event planner portfolio, most popular.

• 1 Key Elements of a Good Meeting
• 2 How to Write a Formal Invitation to a Guest Speaker
• 3 Role of Creativity in Graphic Design
• 4 How to Do an Effective Business Presentation Introduction

How to Write a Personal Biography for a Conference

by Colleen Reinhart

Published on 26 Sep 2017

If you're asked to give a talk at a convention or conference, chances are the event's organizers will want you to provide some background information about yourself. An emcee sometimes reads speaker biographies by way of introduction, and short blurbs on speaker qualifications and accomplishments are often published in the conference program. The tricks to writing a good biography are boasting your strengths without being long-winded and avoiding accomplishments irrelevant to the theme of the conference.

Find out how long the event organizers want your bio to be. While some might want you to keep your list of accomplishments short and sweet, others might want a longer description of you, especially if you're a keynote speaker and your bio will be published in printed programs. If you can't get a guideline from the organizers of the event, aim for about 100 words.

Write the first sentence of your biography, summing up your professional experience in one line. For example, a senior programmer might write: "John Doe is a senior web programmer at Company X with experience coding in five languages and a passion for usability and information-sharing." According to Lab Times, the first line of your bio should describe who you are professionally, while the rest of your description should offer background details that support and clarify your initial claim.

Write your biography's supporting details. If it helps you to focus your efforts, list accomplishments that you must include and distill these into sentence form first, starting with achievements at the beginning of your career and describing your most recent endeavors at the end. For example, the senior programmer mentioned in the previous step might write: "John graduated with a B.Sc. in computer science in 2004. After graduation, John worked with Start-up Company Y to help them design and launch their new corporate website. Later, in 2008, John moved into a challenging role with Z Corporation, where he orchestrated the logistics of a major web redesign project and led the Designing for Usability task force."

Review your bio, keeping word count in mind. If you're considerably over your word count, consider what points you can omit. If you're under, add other accomplishments that didn't make your high priority list in Step 3.

Edit your biography, ensuring correct spelling, grammar and sentence structure. Make sure you maintain an objective-sounding style and write in the third person throughout. More informal, first-person descriptions ("I am an information systems analyst at Company A") work well for websites and blogs, but aren't appropriate for serious business events. If possible, let a friend or colleague read your bio and offer comments.

Spell out the names of any formal organizations you mention. For example, write "Food and Drug Administration" instead of FDA.

Avoid humor and sarcasm. Save jokes for your actual speech, if appropriate, or confine them to your personal blog or website.

Don't provide any personal information, such as your address, salary or spouse's name.

Avoid irrelevant personal information or career details that don't align with your current career path.

Event Smart

online event registration ticketing and ticket sales

Conference Planning Basics: How To Write A Speaker Bio For A Conference

December 13, 2023 by Chinny Verana Leave a Comment

Every year, businesses across different industries plan for conferences for their businesses. Event organizers are spearheading the conference planning process – from booking venues and crafting event programs to writing event details. We will discuss how to write a bio for a conference, specifically for professional speakers. 

The Purpose of a Speaker Bio

If your event is a conference, the unique selling point to attract your conference attendees is through your speaker lineups. People attend conferences to learn from your speakers and to pick their brains. Additionally, people also attend for personal connections with speakers.

The speaker bio or speaker’s biography is one way to communicate the credentials of your speaker and thereby also the credibility of your event. A well-written speaker bio is not only used in the event program but it can also be used in the event website and social media promotions of the event. 

A speaker bio can also set your attendee’s expectations of your event. The expertise and background of the conference speaker can be a glimpse into what they will be discussing during the event. Furthermore, a speaker bio can be used for purposes even beyond the event itself like media or press releases. 

If you’re wondering how to begin writing your speaker bio, let’s start with the basic elements. Later in this article, we will be giving examples and templates you can use to create your own. 

Elements of a Speaker Bio

Introduction 

The introduction is a powerful way to introduce yourself to your readers. Use powerful and captivating hooks to grab your reader’s attention. 

Here are some writing tips on how to write a captivating introduction:

• Make them feel a connection and want to attend – It can be your humble beginnings or your experience when starting in your field of expertise. 
• Share exciting news or facts – state statistics or facts that can either confirm or deny something your audience is already thinking about. 
• Hype the topic you want to talk about – You can say something like the lessons you are about to share cost you thousands of dollars worth of experience

It’s important to note that you have to know the particular audience you’re speaking to so you can use their language, whether that is technical or artistic, or use uncommon slang among your audience.

Professional Background

Next is your professional background. Highlight the roles in your position that have contributed to your expertise. Describe any significant projects, research, years of study, mentors, sponsors, or contributions that make you a fit to be a professional speaker for the conference.

Areas of Expertise

Talk about your specific niche and how you became an expert in that area. Share a thing or two about your experiences in handling that expertise. Connect it to the conference you are speaking in. Having a specific area of expertise gives you leverage because of a niche topic you can contribute to. 

Achievement and Impact

Your achievement and impact is what people are probably most curious about. Highlight your achievements in your field that will make your audience understand the value they can expect from your talk. Give a behind-the-scenes journey of how you attained the achievement so your audience can feel that they are part of your journey. 

Fun facts or personal touch

Give them an insider look or glimpse of your personality in your speaker bio. A fun personal touch can stimulate their interest and can give you a headstart as you speak. You can also share lessons from your life journey too. 

How to write a bio for a conference

Here are some helpful tips that you can use as a reference as you write your speaker bio for a conference

Use storytelling techniques

People are naturally drawn to stories especially when they are relatable. Add stories that your audience can relate to as you write your speaker bio. 

Stories make information more memorable. When information is woven into a narrative , it becomes easier for readers to recall and retain details, compared to straightforward facts or data.

Speak to the importance of their topic and expertise

As you get your audience’s attention, include excerpts on your credibility in your bio. If applicable, mention quantifiable results or achievements. For instance, share statistics, successful projects, or notable milestones that demonstrate expertise and success.

To help you know what to write about, you can answer these questions and include them in your speaker bio that can be applicable generally or for each event you speak or present:

Relevance and Significance:

Why is this topic important in today’s context?

What pressing issues or challenges does this topic address?

How does this topic impact our industry/community/society?

What are the implications of ignoring or not addressing this topic?

Problem Identification:

What specific problems or gaps does this topic aim to solve or bridge?

How prevalent is the issue this topic addresses?

What are the consequences of not finding a solution to this problem?

Target Audience Impact:

Who is directly affected or impacted by this topic?

How does this topic resonate with the target audience’s needs or interests?

What potential benefits or improvements can the audience gain from understanding this topic better?

Trends and Innovation:

How does this topic align with current trends or emerging developments?

What innovative approaches or advancements does this topic bring to the field?

How might this topic shape the future landscape of the industry?

Collaboration and Engagement:

How can this topic foster collaboration or networking among conference attendees?

In what ways can attendees actively engage with this topic during and after the conference?

What are potential opportunities for cross-industry or interdisciplinary collaboration related to this topic?

Long-term Impact and Sustainability:

What are the long-term implications or sustainability aspects of addressing this topic?

How does this topic contribute to long-lasting changes or improvements?

What steps can be taken post-conference to sustain the momentum around this topic?

Call-to-Action and Application:

What actionable insights or takeaways can attendees gain from discussions about this topic?

How can attendees apply the knowledge or ideas shared about this topic in their respective roles or endeavors?

What steps or initiatives can be collectively undertaken after the conference to further explore or address this topic?

Include testimonials and recognition

Testimonials can be from past events, previous clients, or from other speakers or known leaders in your industry. Instead of just adding the quote word for word, frame your reviews on the transformation your client experienced. 

Be clear and concise

Finally, always prioritize being clear rather than clever in writing your speaker bios. Clarity makes your conference bio easier to read and doesn’t leave for misunderstanding or misinterpretation. A conference attendee has a short attention span so make sure to capture their interest even with a short bio.

Speaker Bio Examples and Templates

List of speaker biography templates, first-person voice:.

[Introduction / A comment on a relevant topic in the industry] – that’s what we’ll talk about in [Name and basic details of the conference]. I am [speaker name] and I’ll tell you why [insert a common misconception about an industry topic].  

Third Person Voice:

If you’re struggling with [insert a common problem your target audience is facing in the industry] then the talk by [Speaker name] is relevant for you. [speaker name] has [significant professional accomplishments related to the topic] which they will be sharing with you at the conference. 

From their previous speaking experiences attendees have reported to [positive feedback or transformation] they have accomplished. 

Accomplishment Focused

If you’ve heard of [a common brand], then you will hear the person behind it. [speaker name] has built their career from [relatable journey of career]. Get your notepads ready as you will leave the conference with actionable steps and lessons learned. 

Personal Journey 

From [background or beginnings], [Speaker’s Name] has navigated a fascinating journey in [Area of Expertise]. With [Years of Experience], [he/she] has [mention key milestones or achievements]. As a [Title/Position] at [Company/Organization], [Speaker’s Name] is passionate about [specific aspect of expertise]. At the event, [he/she] will share insights and experiences from [his/her] unique life journey.

Expected Results

As a [Position/Title] in [Industry/Field], [Speaker’s Name] brings [X years] of expertise and a passion for [specific area]. With a [Degree/Certification] in [relevant field] from [University/Institution], [Speaker’s Name] has been making an impact behind [notable achievements/projects]. 

Event attendees can expect to gain invaluable insights into [specific outcome/result] in their upcoming session, empowering them to [benefit/action]. With a proven track record in [relevant expertise], [Speaker’s Name] aims to deliver actionable strategies, leaving attendees equipped with practical tools to [desired outcome]. 

Thought Leader

[Speaker’s Name] is a recognized thought leader in [Area of Expertise], shaping industry perspectives with [Years of Experience]. As a [Title/Position] at [Company/Organization], [he/she] has led [mention influential projects or thought-provoking initiatives]. At the event, [Speaker’s Name] will share groundbreaking insights into [specific topic], challenging conventional thinking and sparking transformative discussions

Speaker Bio Examples:

1. digital security expert speaker biography.

When one gets access to our digital information, we are handing over a lifetime’s worth of information. Sarah Johnson is a seasoned cybersecurity expert with over 15 years of experience in safeguarding digital infrastructure. As the Chief Information Security Officer at CyberSafe Solutions, she has developed innovative strategies to combat evolving cyber threats. Sarah will be sharing insights into proactive cybersecurity measures and emerging trends in her session titled “Securing Tomorrow’s Data Today.”

2. Nutritionist Conference 

If you believe the time of your meal has anything to do with weight loss, you’ve been misled. Learn about the healthy ways you can reduce weight without having to constantly check on your watch. Nutritionist Jane Smith has handled hundreds of cases like this in the past 5 years. Awarded by the Nutritionist Council of America, this is the only conference session you’ll ever need when it comes to reading your health goal. See you at the Plenary Hall. 

3. Marketing Speaker Conference Bio

That 1 viral McChicken video has translated to a 67% increase in sales in just a month. The genius behind this creative campaign is the veteran marketer and motivational speaker Mark Smith. Join him as he walks through his creative thinking process and equips you with formulas and frameworks you can apply to your marketing agency.

4. Graphic Design Conference Speaker Bio

Leave the session with a certificate in graphic design. Join multi-awarded artist Emily Carter in a creative exploration of modern art. With a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design and a portfolio spanning over a decade, Emily has curated impactful designs for global brands, blending modern aesthetics with storytelling. Her work, featured in prestigious design publications and exhibited at renowned galleries, reflects a passion for pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling. 

5. AI Expert Conference Speaker Bio

“AI won’t replace you, a person who knows how to use it will” Learning how to use artificial intelligence is a must for every business. If you’re a marketer, you need to listen to Dr. Maya Smith. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science specializing in AI, Dr. Smith has dedicated her career to unraveling the intricacies of language models and their practical applications. Her groundbreaking research on ChatGPT’s evolution and its integration into various industries has revolutionized how we interact with technology in the 21st century.

Organize a Conference with Event Smart

Conferences offer great opportunities for your business. With a successful conference, businesses can experience an increase in brand loyalty. By delivering value and importing knowledge to your attendees, it is easier to convert them to become supporters of your brand or business.

When planning for conferences, the tools you use are important. Event planners use ticket selling and event registration tools like Event Smart to ensure a smooth experience for their attendees. Event Smart has features like a secure payment collection, the ability to create your event website, customizable event sites, and unlimited ticket selling at $0 commission fees. m

Start planning for your conference now. Check out our 14-day free trial . 

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Feature Upgrades
• Plan Events
• Testimonials
• Demo Event Smart
• About Event Smart
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Competitor Comparison

• For Small Business

27 of the Best Professional Bio Examples I‘ve Ever Seen [+ Templates]

• May 13, 2024
• by steven-austin

27 Inspiring Professional Bio Examples to Help You Write Your Own [Templates Included]

Your professional bio is one of the most important pieces of copy you‘ll ever write about yourself. It‘s your opportunity to introduce who you are, what you do, and why people should care. A well-crafted bio can establish your authority and credibility, help you connect with your target audience, and serve as a persuasive tool to advance your professional goals.

Whether you‘re an entrepreneur, freelancer, executive, or seeking new career opportunities, having a compelling bio is essential. It‘s often the first thing people will read about you, so it needs to make a strong first impression.

Your bio represents you on your website, portfolio, social media profiles, speaker and conference materials, press releases and media kits, and any other placements where you need to provide an overview of who you are.

But for many of us, writing about ourselves can feel awkward and challenging. How do you summarize your professional accomplishments and goals in just a few sentences? What information should you prioritize? How do you strike the right balance between being impressive but still authentic and relatable?

To help you tackle this important task, we‘ve compiled some of the best professional bio examples from across a range of industries. These bios showcase different styles, structures, and tones you can draw from to inspire your own.

But first, let‘s cover some key fundamentals about what to include in your professional bio and tips for making it stand out.

Essential Elements of a Professional Bio

At its core, a professional bio typically addresses three key questions – who you are, what you do, and why it matters to your audience. While the structure and content of your bio may vary depending on the platform and your goals, aim to include these elements:

Your full name and job title or professional tagline

A clear and concise explanation of what you do and who you serve

Relevant experience, accomplishments, or skills that establish your credibility

A bit of personality that helps readers connect with you as a human

A call-to-action, such as how to engage with you further or links to your work

When deciding what specific information to include, always keep your target audience in mind. What will resonate with them most? A bio for a speaking engagement, for example, would highlight your expertise in the conference topic. One for your website might focus more on your overall professional brand and offerings.

Tips for Creating an Effective Professional Bio

As you‘ll see from the examples below, there‘s no single "right" way to structure a professional bio. The best approach will depend on your unique situation and goals.

That said, great bios tend to share some common qualities. Here are some tips to help you create a bio that stands out:

• Lead with a strong opener.

Your first sentence should immediately grab the reader‘s attention and compel them to keep reading. Consider leading with an interesting anecdote, impressive achievement, thought-provoking question, or punchy statement that sums up what you‘re all about.

• Show, don‘t just tell.

Rather than simply listing out your skills or accomplishments, look for opportunities to illustrate them through storytelling. What challenges have you faced and overcome? What results have you created for yourself or others? Painting a picture through specific examples will make your bio more engaging.

• Quantify your achievements.

Where possible, include numbers to add credibility and context to your successes. How many years of experience do you have? What measurable results have you generated? Specific details lend weight to your bio.

• Infuse your personality.

A bio doesn‘t have to be a dry list of facts. Let your unique personality and voice shine through. Share some of your interests, passions, or even quirks (as long as they‘re relevant). This helps humanize you and make you more memorable and relatable.

• Keep it concise.

While you want your bio to paint a well-rounded picture, you also need to be mindful of readers‘ short attention spans. Keep your sentences punchy and get to the point quickly. Aim for around 150-300 words for a short bio, or up to 500-750 for a longer one.

• End with a call-to-action.

What do you want readers to do after learning about you? Invite them to take a next step, whether that‘s visiting your website, connecting on social media, reaching out about your services, etc. Make it clear and easy for them to further the relationship.

• Get an outside perspective.

Writing about yourself is notoriously difficult. Don‘t be afraid to ask trusted colleagues, mentors, friends, or family for feedback. An outside perspective can help you identify strengths you might overlook or spots where you could better clarify your message.

Short Bios vs. Long Bios

The ideal length of your bio depends on the context. For website "About" pages, social media profiles, and speaker one-sheets, you‘ll typically want a short bio of around 150-300 words. This provides enough room to hit the key points without overwhelming readers.

Longer bios of 500-750+ words may be appropriate for portfolios, conference programs, media kits, or LinkedIn profiles. These give you space to include more supporting details, storytelling, and personality. You might open with a condensed version of the short bio before expanding.

When writing a long bio, use paragraph breaks every 3-5 sentences to improve readability. You can also use subheadings to divide the bio into sections like "My Background," "What I Do," "Career Highlights," etc.

First-Person vs. Third-Person Voice

Both first-person and third-person voice can work well for professional bios. First-person (using "I") creates a more personal tone, as if you‘re speaking directly to the reader. It can make you seem approachable and build a sense of connection.

Third-person voice (using "he/she" or your name) can lend an air of objectivity and authority. It subtly implies that the impressive achievements stated are facts, not just your opinion. Many formal short bios use third person.

There‘s no universal rule – which voice works best depends on the context, platform, and your personal brand. You can also combine the two, opening in third person to establish authority before shifting into first person to build rapport.

The most important thing is to keep the voice consistent throughout. Don‘t switch back and forth between first and third person.

Where to Use Your Professional Bio

Once you‘ve crafted a winning bio, make sure it‘s working hard for you. Adapt the length and focus of your bio as necessary for different placements, such as:

Your personal website or portfolio

Social media profiles (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)

Contributor bios for articles/posts you write

Speaker one-sheets and program guides

Company team or "About Us" website pages

Press materials and media kits

Job search and recruiting profiles

Conference or event programs

Book jacket or author bio

However, simply having your bio out there isn‘t enough. Be proactive about directing people to it and updating it regularly as you gain new experiences and achievements. Treat your bio as a living, evolving tool that grows along with your career.

Now that we‘ve covered the fundamentals, let‘s dive into some outstanding professional bio examples and break down what makes them so effective.

Best Professional Bio Examples

• Ann Handley, Digital Marketing Pioneer

Why It Works: Ann‘s bio strikes an ideal balance between highlighting her impressive accomplishments and accolades while still sounding warm and relatable. She frames her extensive experience in terms of how she helps her audience, keeping the focus outward. The bit about her dog at the end is a humanizing touch that makes her seem approachable.

• Lena Axelsson, Marriage and Family Therapist

Why It Works: Lena‘s bio leads with empathy, immediately connecting with her audience‘s challenges. She builds trust by highlighting her approach and philosophy, not just her credentials. Saving the "necessary" details for the end lets her lead with heart and personality.

• Tim Cook, Apple CEO

Why It Works: This short executive bio quickly establishes Tim Cook‘s authority and credibility by focusing on his current role and major achievements. It provides a high-level overview appropriate for the CEO of a major global brand. His direct quote adds a touch of personality and vision.

• Van Jones, Political Commentator

Why It Works: Van‘s Twitter bio packs a lot into 160 characters. Leading with "Dad" makes him instantly human and relatable. Within the tight space, he still manages to highlight multiple roles, a key book release, and a strong call-to-action to visit his site.

• Chima Mmeje, Freelance Writer

Why It Works: Chima‘s LinkedIn bio opens with a strong value proposition and impressive client list. Highlighting specific client results boosts her credibility while the details about her process instill confidence in her approach. The call-to-action makes it easy for potential clients to get in touch.

• Alberto Perez, Zumba Co-Founder

Why It Works: Alberto‘s bio perfectly captures the vibrant personality behind the Zumba fitness phenomenon. His story takes you on his journey from a hard-working teen to an accidental business owner to a global success. The inspiring details make him feel authentic and aspirational at the same time.

• Rebecca Bollwitt, Writer

Why It Works: Rebecca‘s Instagram bio masterfully uses emojis and ultra-concise copy to convey a lot about who she is and what she covers. The personal bits – like mentioning her husband and assuring you the photos are hers – add crucial human touches in a limited space.

• Mark Levy, Branding Consultant

Why It Works: Mark takes an unconventional approach featuring two different, but equally intriguing professional bios. One is more traditional while the other reads like a witty and colorful story. This unique combo showcases his creative copywriting abilities while providing multiple entry points for his audience.

• Nick Riggle, Philosopher and Athlete

Why It Works: Nick‘s website bio perfectly embodies the Renaissance man archetype. He quickly establishes authority in two seemingly unrelated fields – professional skateboarding and philosophy – and explains why the combination is powerful. His "Born for Bliss" mission statement ties it all together while still leaving you wanting to learn more.

• Meena Harris, Founder & CEO

Why It Works: Meena‘s bio is all about empowerment. She highlights her roles across multiple organizations working to elevate underrepresented groups. The quote from her book reinforces her mission and values. Highlighting her family background provides important context about her drive and resilience.

As these examples show, a well-crafted professional bio can take many different forms. What matters most is authentically conveying who you are, what you do, and why it matters to your specific audience.

The best bios build trust, make a memorable impression, and motivate the right people to want to learn more about you. Use these examples as inspiration, but make sure your bio is distinctly true to you.

Your professional bio is just the start of your personal branding journey. But it‘s an important foundation that you‘ll build on and refer back to again and again throughout your career. Take the time to get it right and update it as you grow.

Remember, your story is constantly evolving. Your bio should evolve with it to always put your best foot forward. Investing in a strong bio is investing in yourself and the incredible potential of your professional future. Make it count!

Want more help writing your professional bio? Download our free templates below!

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Write a High-Quality Conference Paper

Presenting and submitting conference papers at seminars and academic conferences is a crucial part of academic life, especially for early-career researchers. These events offer attending scholars and researchers a great opportunity to meet and exchange ideas and perspectives on their work. Therefore, when organizers issue a call for submission of conference papers, researchers must try to participate by submitting their papers. When published, these conference proceedings go on to serve as essential academic and research resources for students and early-career researchers.   

Table of Contents

• Why are conference papers important?  
• Difference between conference papers and journal papers  

Research methodology

Findings/ results.

• Writing a high-quality conference paper  

Why are conference papers important?

Conferences offer an excellent opportunity for researchers to share their work with wider audiences through conference papers, receive feedback, and network with other researchers. They also serve as a stepping stone to publishing in peer-reviewed journals, as they allow researchers to refine their ideas and receive insights from peers and mentors before submitting a manuscript for publication. Additionally, presenting research at conferences can not only help establish one’s credibility and reputation as a thought leader in a particular field. Still, it can also lead to new collaborations, exciting research opportunities, and even job offers or promotions.  

Difference between conference papers and journal papers

Compared to journal papers, conference papers are usually short and aim to present initial findings and analysis of ongoing research. Journal papers, on the other hand, tend to be longer and more detailed and are screened through a peer-review process. Depending on the type of presentation that you are going to give at the conference or depending on your specific role, conference papers can be customized as respondent (speaker and respondent roll out presentations), panel (a few speakers speak for a designated period with a discussant), poster (visual presentation), roundtable (few speakers speak with time limits) and workshops (scope for a detailed presentation).   

Tips on writing a conference paper

Writing an impactful conference paper requires a careful blend of good research and clarity in writing. To be accepted on submission, researchers must ensure that they follow the specific guidelines laid out by organizers. A typical conference paper usually begins with a title page, followed by the abstract, an examination of the research problem, the methodology followed and the principal conclusions. It must include the following elements:  

This page should provide the title of the conference paper, your name and credentials, the institution you are working with, and the date of submission. It must also succinctly convey the crux of your research study.  

An essential component of the conference paper, this section must provide a brief synopsis that includes the aims and objectives of your study, methodology, research findings and principal conclusions. Ensure that the length of the abstract is in accordance with the guidelines provided by the conference committee.  

This section is important for conference organizers to assess your paper, and therefore, it must be presented clearly, concisely, and accurately.  

The main findings should be clearly stated, drawing on evidence-based conclusions. Tables and figures are recommended as they help convey complex data more effectively.   

Ensure that you accurately list references to the work you have cited. Most conference organizers have specific formats for citations and references, so do check before submitting your conference paper.  

Writing a high-quality conference paper

• Focus on the audience profile: When writing a conference paper, it is essential to keep the audience in mind. This will help you write your paper in a more engaging and impactful way. Experts suggest keeping in mind both the broader research questions that are sought to be addressed in the conference and the fundamental issues in the primary or related field of study – this will go a long way in helping you link your research to these aspects and consequently, enable you to connect more effectively with audiences.  
• Keep your writing structured and organized. It is essential to organize conference papers logically and convincingly. Focus on the key aspects of your study, and provide solid examples and illustrations to strengthen your argument and make it more attractive to those present.  
• Reading aloud : Experts suggest reading your conference paper aloud several times. This technique helps you identify possible errors in language and grammar and brings clarity to your ideas and presentation.  
• Conference guidelines: It is important to ensure that you follow the guidelines, structure, format, and length requested by conference organizers. This helps ensure that your conference paper is accepted upon submission without too many changes and alterations. 

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• What are Journal Guidelines on Using Generative AI Tools
• How Long Should a Chapter Be?
• How to Use Paperpal to Generate Emails & Cover Letters?
• How to Write a Scientific Paper in 10 Steps 

How Paperpal’s Research Feature Helps You Develop and Strengthen Arguments in a Pinch

You may also like, how paperpal’s research feature helps you develop and..., how paperpal is enhancing academic productivity and accelerating..., how to write a successful book chapter for..., academic editing: how to self-edit academic text with..., 4 ways paperpal encourages responsible writing with ai, what are scholarly sources and where can you..., how to write a hypothesis types and examples , measuring academic success: definition & strategies for excellence, what is academic writing: tips for students, why traditional editorial process needs an upgrade.

Tips for Writing an Outstanding Agent Bio

When was the last time you spruced up your agent bio? If it’s been a while, it’s probably time to take another look. After all, potential buyers, sellers, or renters often read an agent’s bio to get a quick sense of their experience and expertise before reaching out. It can get you a foot in the door with the right clients, especially if it stands out among the many other bios they’re encountering in their search for an agent.

Let’s dive into how to write an outstanding bio for your StreetEasy profile, brokerage website, or LinkedIn.

7 things to include in your agent bio

There are certain pieces of information that every exemplary bio should contain. Make sure yours includes the following:

1. Your real estate experience: Highlight how many years you’ve worked in the industry and any relevant education, special designations, or prior work experience.

2. Your connection to specific boroughs or neighborhoods: A 2023 StreetEasy survey revealed that 41% of buyers want their agent to have special insight into the borough or neighborhood they want to live in. Call out any neighborhoods or areas you tend to focus on and have done a lot of business in. (If you’re a StreetEasy Expert , this is especially important!)

3. Types of properties you specialize in: The same survey showed that buyers want their agent to have expertise about the specific building (48%) or property type (40%) they’re interested in. If you’ve helped a lot of clients purchase co-ops, condos, or townhouses, point it out in your bio. (Again, this is definitely something to include if you’re an Expert.)

4. Your strengths as an agent: Are you detail-oriented, a great listener, or a master negotiator? Share your strengths and how they benefit your clients.

5. Relevant skills: For example, if you speak multiple languages or have interior design experience, talk about it in your bio.

6. Awards and achievements: Maybe you won a top agent award, set a sales record at your brokerage, or earned a spot on a prestigious industry list. If it speaks to your experience or performance as an agent, mention it!

7. Personal interests or volunteer work: Not only does this build trust with clients, but it also gives them a peek into your unique personality.

How to make your bio stand out

With over 53,000 agents and brokers in NYC , having the right information in your bio isn’t enough. To capture attention, your bio needs to stand out.

First, you’ll want to have a high quality professional headshot to go along with your bio. Hire a photographer who can help you choose the right poses, facial expressions, and backgrounds to impress your future clients. Make sure it’s not too outdated and resembles what you currently look like.

People tend to skim read nowadays, so put your most important experience and expertise at the top of your bio. Also, few readers will get through a huge block of text, even when skimming. If formatting allows, try breaking up your bio into short paragraphs of five sentences or less, and keep your sentences on the shorter side.

Keep your language conversational and personable, yet informative and professional. Avoid complex real estate terminology the average person doesn’t know. A bio that’s easy to read is far more interesting than a formal bio stuffed with jargon.

Also, don’t be afraid to sprinkle in some storytelling elements. Consider adding a few personal details so readers can get a glimpse of your connection to NYC, or how your previous career makes you a stronger agent now.

Lastly, check for any spelling or grammatical errors. First impressions matter, and your bio should show that you’ve at least taken the time to proofread. Have a colleague, friend, or loved one give it a look as well to spot anything you may have missed.

Remember that your bio should entice people to work with you, but ultimately, it should be a reflection of you — professional, engaging, and ready to be the best possible real estate agent for your clients.

If you have an agent account with StreetEasy, be sure to update your profile to include your latest bio, headshot, and other details. Just log in and go to Account > Profile to make changes at any time. StreetEasy Experts can also enhance their profiles with exclusive elements like neighborhood expertise, personalized data, an interactive map of their deal history, and more.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are industry best practices which were sourced from StreetEasy data and interviews with our Agent Advisory Board, unless noted otherwise. Any scripts provided are only meant to act as examples and are not required.  Nothing in this presentation is intended to be legal advice. For specific questions about any duties or obligations arising out of a real estate transaction, check your local and state licensing laws and regulations, contact your broker, or an attorney.

MORE FROM STREETEASY

Find your Next Home

Follow streeteasy, keep reading in industry hub.

How to Enhance Your Agent Profile on StreetEasy

Gmail will soon use AI to write emails for you

T he Google I/O 2024 developer conference is underway, and that’s where all of Google’s products are getting a healthy infusion of features based on artificial intelligence (or AI). Many of these are headed to mobile devices, including the ability to get more improved search results for longer and more complex queries and searching with Google Lens now using instantaneous video clips . Much of this is powered by different versions of Google’s Gemini large language model (LLM), which now also revolutionizes one of Google’s oldest — and still surviving — products: Gmail.

As part of a larger overhaul to Gmail, Google is announcing changes that will be available for the mobile apps on Android as well as iOS, specifically using Gemini 1.5 Pro. Similar to the improvements heading to the web version, Gmail for mobile will soon be able to clean up your inbox with the option to summarize long email threads.

Gmail Q&A and Contextual Smart Reply

In a demo, Google’s Aparna Pappu detailed how the new email summaries organize information in a condensed format that appears in an overlay card on top of the Gmail app. That’s not where it ends. The overlay gets a chatbot interface where you can ask follow-up questions related to the email thread and receive a precise answer without having to scour through each message.

Google’s demo also shows that the Gemini-based chatbot interface will be able to search for contextual cues beyond that specific email thread. Instead, it can search for information from other email threads and present it in one place. Pretty convenient, right?

To top that, the new Gmail will now also offer more detailed and contextual responses beyond the rudimentary smart replies available presently. It will offer multiple options for you to choose from; you just need to tap and hold a response to preview it or tap it to import it to the main typing area.

Availability and concerns

Gmail summaries will begin to roll out to Google Workspace Labs users this month, whereas the Q&A and Smart Reply features will be available starting July 2024. A broader release should follow in the later months. While we also expect these features to be available to free Gmail users, there is no update from Google yet.

Similar improvements, in addition to integration with other Google Workspace apps such as Tasks or Calendar, will also be available for Gmail’s web client.

These improvements appear groundbreaking, but we can’t overlook the privacy concerns. With the new, smarter Gmail running off Gemini 1.5 Pro somewhere in Google’s sophisticated cloud servers. Google does not explicitly clarify whether it is also using existing Gmail conversations to train the AI model, but there’s a reasonable chance it does, and unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do about it.

Blog Center

Productivity

Comparisons

Product Updates

How to Write a Meeting Agenda: All You Need to Know

Munir Ahmed

May 3, 2024

19 min read.

The average number of meetings that happen per day in the US ranges from 62 to 80 million . But how many of those are actually productive?

With countless hours wasted in directionless discussions, the importance of meeting agendas is undeniable.

This detailed article provides a step-by-step guide to writing a meeting agenda, best practices, and a variety of meeting agenda examples. Read on and discover how to transform your next meeting into a productive one.

What are the benefits of using a meeting agenda?

Meetings are inevitable, but we can make each of them more productive with a meeting agenda.

Meeting agendas do the following:

Improve focus

Ever been to a meeting where you’re unsure of what’s going on until the meeting actually starts? A meeting agenda removes that confusion by framing the discussion.

With a clear agenda to follow, everyone arrives at the meeting knowing its purpose and the key topics that will be discussed. This helps your team stay focused and on the same page from the get-go. Your discussions are also far less likely to stray off course and spiral into tangents that disrupt the meeting’s flow.

Keep track of your meeting discussions and decisions. Learn how to take effective meeting notes .

Increase participation

An effective meeting often relies on input from multiple perspectives. But it can be difficult to get employees to engage. In fact, 53% of leaders are frustrated with low meeting engagement due to attendees who don’t speak up or provide input.

Knowing the meeting topic beforehand allows the attendees to prepare for the meeting. It gives them time to gather relevant information, come up with questions, and arrive ready to meaningfully contribute.

A well-crafted agenda can also foster active listening since attendees can anticipate the upcoming topics and adjust their focus accordingly.

Efficient decision-making

When all attendees are clear about the meeting’s purpose and goal, the team can make good decisions swiftly. Instead of rambling discussions that circle the issue, a meeting agenda directs the conversation toward a resolution.

Focused discussions allow you to evaluate options systematically, consider different perspectives, and arrive at well-informed solutions.

Better time management

We all dread meetings that drag on, especially when the discussions seem to amount to nothing. A meeting agenda helps you better manage your meetings . By setting clear time boundaries for each agenda item, you reinforce the importance of staying on track.

With an agenda, you’re less likely to go overtime on one subject and eat into the time allotted for another. Moreover, an agenda shows the attendees that you respect their schedules and time. This can boost morale and prevent the feeling of wasted time that leads to meeting fatigue.

Manage meeting times wisely

How to write a helpful meeting agenda in 7 simple steps

A shocking 69% of employees say the lack of a clear agenda is their biggest meeting pet peeve. But crafting an effective meeting agenda is easier than you think.

Follow these seven steps to write a meeting agenda that drives action:

1. Define the meeting’s purpose

This sounds like common sense, but you'd be surprised how many meetings happen without a clear purpose.

First, you need to know why you're having the meeting at all. Also, ask yourself, “ Does this even need to be a meeting ? Could the topic be handled through an email or quick chat instead ?”

Once you're sure a meeting is necessary, narrow down its focus and goals. Is it meant to discuss a new project, address an employee's performance, or something else? Knowing the meeting’s purpose helps you shape its agenda accordingly.

Try techniques like the “5 Whys” to help you get to the root cause of the issue you need to solve. For example, if the meeting is about a marketing campaign launch being delayed, your 5 Whys could be as follows:

Why is the marketing campaign launch delayed? Answer: The assets aren't ready.

Why aren't the assets ready? Answer: We're waiting on the final copy from the product team.

Why is the copy delayed? Answer: The product specs changed at the last minute.

Why did the product specs change? Answer: Customer feedback led to a feature adjustment.

Why didn't we anticipate this feature change earlier? Answer: There was a communication gap between the product and marketing teams.

By asking "Why?" five times, you get to the core issue that needs addressing. In this case, the purpose of the meeting might be to discuss how to improve cross-team communication.

2. Determine who should attend

It doesn’t always have to be a company-wide or even department-wide meeting. Having more people than necessary only delays decisions and wastes time — time that could otherwise be spent working.

By inviting only essential and relevant employees, you significantly improve the meeting’s efficiency.

A smaller, targeted group can more effectively discuss the topic at hand and make faster progress without getting sidetracked. Lark Calendar makes it easy for you to see team members' availability. This means you can quickly identify the right attendees and avoid scheduling conflicts. You can even invite custom groups instead of adding attendees one by one.

Remember to gather insights from those not directly involved in the meeting, too. Send a brief email to anyone on the fringe, outlining the meeting's purpose and asking for any relevant input or questions to consider. This ensures their perspectives are heard without sacrificing the meeting’s focus.

3. List your topics

What will the session cover? Create a list of key discussion points related to the meeting’s purpose. This will act as a guide for your discussion and keep the attendees on track.

If you’re unsure of the exact topics the meeting will include, start with a brainstorming session. List potential issues that need discussion, then prioritize them based on their importance and relevance to the meeting's purpose. Be sure to avoid overly broad topics or trying to cover too much.

Use these two popular methods to prioritize your discussion topics:

MoSCoW method: Categorize topics into “Must Have,” “Should Have,” “Could Have,” and “Won't Have.” The MoSCoW method helps you focus on the most important items for the meeting while also acknowledging other aspects that can be discussed later.

Eisenhower Matrix: Visualize topics based on their urgency and importance. This helps you identify tasks that need immediate action and those that can be scheduled, delegated, or deleted.

Another good practice is to break big topics down into smaller ones. For instance, for a meeting addressing team communication problems, your sub-topics could include delayed responses, tool overload, and missed deadlines.

Doing this allows you to address each issue at hand with more depth and clarity.

4. Estimate time allocation

To avoid overly long and unproductive meetings, allocate specific time frames for each subject that will be discussed. It’s important to assign a realistic amount of time for each agenda item, too. Think about the complexity of the topic, who and how many will contribute, and how long the meeting as a whole is set to last.

Allocating specific time slots helps ensure you don't rush through the more important topics or leave things unresolved. Moreover, it keeps discussions from going off on tangents or getting lost in irrelevant details.

Here are some strategies for better time allocation:

The lightning round: Set a tight time limit, like two minutes per person, for daily status updates or quick input.

The parking lot: For topics that might derail the agenda, designate a "Parking Lot" section at the end of the meeting to briefly address those if time allows.

Time check announcements: Have the meeting facilitator periodically announce a "10-minute time check" to raise awareness and make adjustments as needed.

However, keep in mind that some discussions might need more or less time than anticipated. Keep your schedule flexible and leave some buffer time in case of delays.

5. Include supporting materials

A little planning goes a long way. So, prepare everything you need for your meeting beforehand. Include any relevant information that attendees should review before or during the meeting, such as project proposals, competitor analysis reports, or marketing campaign materials.

Keeping a checklist is a great way to make sure nothing essential gets overlooked. Be sure to share these materials with the meeting participants in advance to give them time to prepare and actively participate in the discussion.

For teams spread across different locations and time zones, this pre-meeting prep is essential to keep everyone on the same page. Advance Intelligence Group (AIG) saw a major boost in meeting efficiency and collaboration by using Lark's shared documents and real-time collaborative editing features across their global workforce.

Pro tip for a more productive meeting: Indicate which sections are most important for the attendees to review to help your team prioritize their preparation.

6. Assign roles and action items

Make sure your meeting has a purpose beyond discussion by strategically assigning roles and responsibilities. Designate a discussion leader, a notetaker , a timekeeper, or a specific speaker to present each topic.

If you have recurring meetings, consider rotating roles among the attendees. This is a good way for your team to develop their skills and foster a sense of shared responsibility.

Another key element in this step is to pre-determine action items that need to be completed after the meeting. That way, the decisions made during the meeting turn into actions whose progress can be tracked.

Tools like Lark make this process simple. Take your meeting notes directly in Lark Docs and use the “@” function to assign tasks to specific team members. Then, use Lark’s Tasks feature to track action items, set deadlines, and monitor progress in a centralized location.

7. Proofread and share

After you've finalized your agenda, take the time to proofread it to avoid having to send out multiple versions. Check for:

Clarity: Is the wording easy to understand?

Accuracy: Are all the details (dates, times, and participant names) correct?

Time allocation: Are the time frames you've assigned realistic and appropriate?

Logical flow: Do the topics transition smoothly and build upon each other?

Once it's polished, share the agenda with all attendees well in advance of the meeting.

With Lark, you can quickly share documents and folders using a simple link. If your meeting has a long list of attendees, you can choose to grant view-only or editing access, depending on your meeting's purpose.

Ideally, aim for 24 to 48 hours beforehand to give everyone time to review the topics and come prepared with their questions or contributions.

Level up your conferences with Lark Meetings

5 examples of productive meeting agendas

Here are five examples of meeting agendas to give you some inspiration:

1. Project kick-off meeting agenda

Meeting Goal(s): Align team members, gain stakeholder buy-in, and launch a successful project.

Project sponsors

Project manager

Project team members

Key stakeholders

Welcome & Introductions (5 minutes): This is Important if the attendees are from different departments or haven't worked together before.

Project Overview (15 minutes)

Background and purpose

Project goals and objectives

High-level timeline

Roles & Responsibilities (10 minutes)

Clarify each key team member's role and sphere of work

Communication Plan (5-10 minutes)

Discuss how the team will keep each other updated on progress and keep stakeholders informed

Risk Management (5-10 minutes)

Discuss a list of potential risks

Determine how those risks will be managed throughout the project

Next Steps & Action Items (5 minutes)

Summarize immediate tasks to jumpstart the project

Assign responsibility and deadlines for those action items

Q&A & Open Discussion (10-15 minutes)

Welcome the opportunity to clarify uncertainties and address concerns

2. Weekly sales team meeting agenda

Meeting Goal(s): Track performance, share updates, tackle challenges, and motivate the team for the week ahead.

Sales manager

Announcements (5 minutes)

Celebrate wins from the previous week

Share important company or team-wide updates

Individual Updates (20 minutes)

Have each team provide a brief update on the following:

Key deals closed

Pipeline progress (deals that they are close to closing, any new leads they might have)

Any challenges they’re facing

Metrics Review (15 minutes)

Review individual and team sales from the previous week

Discuss trends, areas for improvement, and goals for the current week

Challenges and Solutions Discussion (15 minutes)

Discuss the challenges the team is facing

Brainstorm solutions to overcome these obstacles

Action Items & Next Steps (5 Minutes)

Summarize key takeaways and action items for each sales rep

Set focus areas for the upcoming week

3. Performance review meeting agenda

Meeting Goal(s): Evaluate performance, provide feedback, and set goals

Manager/reviewer

Employee Self-Assessment (10 minutes)

Review accomplishments and challenges

Self-reflect on strengths and areas for improvement

Manager's Feedback (10 minutes)

Provide a general performance assessment based on goals and expectations

Include specific examples of strengths and weaknesses

Two-Way Discussion (15 minutes)

Discuss the self-assessment and the manager's feedback

Let the employee ask questions and express their viewpoint

Development Planning (20 minutes)

Identify areas for growth and professional development

Set new goals that align with both company and employee objectives

Career Goals and Aspirations (10 minutes)

Have an open conversation about the employee's long-term aspirations

Explore how the company can support the employee’s career path

Summary (5 minutes)

Recap key points, action items, and development plans

4. Cross-departmental meeting agenda

Meeting Goal(s): Analyze a specific process that spans multiple departments, identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies, and develop solutions.

Key representatives from each department

Process owner

Meeting facilitator

Welcome and Introductions (5 minutes)

Introduce attendees from different departments

Meeting Purpose & Process Overview (10 minutes)

Identify the process under examination

Explain why this process needs to improve

Process Mapping (20 minutes)

Visually map out the current process across all departments (use flowcharts )

Go over each step, hand-offs between departments, and decision points

Bottleneck and Pain Points (20 minutes)

Discuss where the process gets stuck, takes too long, or leads to errors

Encourage each department to share their perspective on these challenges

Root Cause Analysis (15 Minutes)

Figure out the underlying reasons for the issues mentioned above

Solution Brainstorming (15 minutes)

Encourage creative ideas for process improvement

Consider different solutions or tools for process improvement

Action Items, Next Steps, and Timeline (10 minutes)

Prioritize solutions and assign tasks for further testing

Set a timeline for implementing changes and measuring results

Schedule follow-up meetings as needed

5. All-hands meeting agenda

Meeting Goal: Share crucial company updates, celebrate wins, address challenges, and unite and align the company.

Everyone in the company

Welcome and Opening Remarks (5 minutes)

Company leader (e.g., CEO) sets the tone, welcomes everyone, and emphasizes the purpose of the meeting

Company Updates (15 minutes)

Key announcements and major updates

Consider having different executives cover specific aspects of the business

Team Successes and Recognition (10 minutes)

Shout-outs to teams and individuals for outstanding work

Share examples of how these achievements align with company values

Challenges and Opportunities (10 minutes)

Transparent discussion of current challenges and how they're being addressed

Frame opportunities for growth and improvement

Q&A (10 minutes)

Open forum for employees to ask questions

Closing Remarks (5 minutes)

Reinforce key takeaways, reiterate company goals, and thank everyone for attending

Get started with Lark’s meeting agenda template

6 best practices when creating meeting agendas

Make sure your meetings achieve their goals with these six best practices:

1. Focus on outcomes, not just topics

Don't just list topics for discussion. Clearly define the desired outcome for each agenda item. Ask yourself:

What specific choices or approvals need to come out of this discussion?

What concrete steps or tasks must be initiated as a result of this topic?

What essential knowledge needs to be communicated, and for what purpose?

By framing each agenda item around a desired outcome, you make sure that every discussion contributes to the meeting objectives. This keeps your discussions goal-orientated. Moreover, it clarifies who is responsible for what after the meeting ends.

2. Prioritize discussion points

Start your meeting with momentum. Figure out the discussion points that need the most focus and attention, such as those that require decision-making, problem-solving, or brainstorming.

The sequence in which you organize your agenda items also has a big impact on meeting flow. Don't make the attendees jump between unrelated subjects. Instead, group related topics to create a cohesive structure for the meeting. This makes it easier for participants to follow along, stay engaged, and build on previous ideas throughout the discussion.

3. Be realistic about time allocation

An overstuffed agenda is never a good idea. You need to allocate enough time for each topic based on its importance and complexity. Plus, always leave room for the attendees to ask questions, clarify information, and have unexpected discussions.

For better meeting time management:

Ask the contributors how much time they need for their agenda items

Set strict time limits for each topic to keep things moving

Designate a timekeeper to help the group stay on track

Be willing to adjust the agenda spontaneously if necessary. Some discussions might deserve more time, while others can be summarized later or discussed in your next meeting.

4. Welcome input

Don't wait until the meeting itself to find out what the attendees want to say. Ask them for their input on agenda topics or any questions they have beforehand. Doing this will help you craft a more focused and relevant agenda.

During the meeting, encourage the attendees to offer their own ideas to create a more inclusive meeting environment.

Try out these ideas to improve employee participation during meetings:

Set the tone: Emphasize the value of group discussion at the start of the meeting.

Ask open-ended questions: Instead of saying, “Does anyone have any thoughts?” frame the question as “What are some other ways we can approach this?”

Call on individuals gently: If you notice someone hasn’t spoken up, try saying, “I'd love to hear your insights.”

Create a positive feedback loop: When an employee contributes, acknowledge and show appreciation for their idea.

5. Don’t reinvent the wheel

If you hold recurring meetings, like weekly team updates or monthly project reviews, create a master agenda template or take one from our examples above. That way, you won’t have to start from scratch at every meeting.

Your template can include standard items, like a welcome message, routine reports, and time for open discussion. Before each meeting, customize the template with specific topics, speakers, and time allocations based on that week's needs. Consistent meetings help the attendees get familiar with the meeting structure and know what to expect.

6. Use the right software

Sometimes, we need extra help with making our agenda to make the process smoother and more efficient. The right software takes the hassle out of agenda planning. It can also help with writing, formatting, time allocation, distribution, and even sending automated reminders to attendees.

Collaborative platforms like Lark can streamline the process even further. For example, multiple team members can contribute directly to the agenda document within Lark Docs. Plus, Lark automatically tracks any changes that are made so that you always have the most up-to-date agenda.

Streamline your meeting workflow now

How Lark Suite can help you write better agendas and improve your meetings

Looking for a shortcut to better meetings? Lark streamlines the entire meeting process, from planning to execution.

Don't let your meetings fall into the trap of rambling discussions— ditch the solo struggle of writing agendas.

With Lark Docs, your entire team can contribute ideas and refine the agenda together in real time, ensuring your meetings have a clear purpose. Capture every important detail and maximize participation even before your meeting starts.

Additionally, you can keep your agendas organized and accessible on Lark. No more searching through scattered emails or outdated files — everyone can easily access the agenda whenever and wherever.

Need a jumpstart? Choose from our pre-built agenda template or meeting template to get started, or contact Lark to learn more.

Lark Mail and Messenger

Want a more efficient way to send out meeting agendas and attachments? Lark integrates communication tools to simplify the process. There’s no need to switch between different apps or platforms.

Lark chat connects with everything. Once you’re done drafting the agenda, share, schedule, and assign without leaving your chat feed. Plus, Lark keeps teams informed with automated reminders to nudge attendees about upcoming meetings.

Lark Meetings

Host meetings directly within Lark. With screen sharing, collaborative whiteboarding, and even real-time polls, Lark Meetings keeps teams focused. This is particularly important since, according to 63% of employees, having multiple ways to engage in meetings would make them more productive.

Lark Meetings even supports subtitles that are translated in real time, helping global teams collaborate without language barriers. Each meeting attendee can express themself in their native tongue. Moreover, with Magic Share , meeting participants can easily present content, switch between presenters, and even co-annotate during brainstorming sessions.

Link your meetings directly to Lark Calendar so that attendees have a centralized view of their schedule and meeting details. You can also schedule recurring meetings with custom intervals and automatic reminders.

Lark Minutes

Never miss an important detail in your meetings with Lark Minutes, which automatically transcribes your meeting discussions into easily searchable text. Free your team from the responsibility of taking meeting notes and focus on active participation.

Need to review something quickly? Play meeting recordings at your own pace. Fast forward, rewind, and even skip silent parts to easily find the content you need.

With Lark Minutes, everyone on your team has access to comprehensive meeting records. Easily review discussions, track decisions, and stay aligned.

Lark Base lets you automate routine tasks related to your agendas and meetings — without code. Based on meeting discussions and decisions, trigger follow-up emails to attendees, create project tasks, and more.

You can also keep track of your action items through Lark. Set deadlines and monitor your team’s progress to make sure the momentum continues even after the meeting ends.

Automate routine meeting tasks with Lark Base

Common FAQs about writing meeting agendas

Let's clear up some lingering questions you may have about writing meeting agendas.

How do I write an agenda for a board meeting?

Board meetings tend to be more formal than regular company meetings. They often have specific requirements and a greater focus on high-level strategy. So, the agenda should reflect this formality.

Including items mandated by your company’s bylaws is a must. Additionally, leave ample time for in-depth discussions, financial reports, and approval of major decisions.

Remember to distribute the agenda and supporting materials in advance to give board members enough time to review everything they need to.

How do I write an agenda for a first meeting?

The goal of a first meeting is to introduce new team members, build rapport, and set a positive tone for a project or company. The agenda typically centers around introductions, establishing roles, and clarifying meeting objectives.

It could also be a good idea to build time for icebreakers or have each person share their role in the project or company and what they're most excited about. Even a simple activity like this can help ease any nerves the attendees might have.

How long should an agenda be?

While there's no ideal length for a good meeting agenda, try to keep things as concise as possible while covering all the necessary topics. An important hour-long meeting might have a more detailed agenda than a quick 15-minute check-in.

If you have an agenda that seems too packed, estimate the amount of time needed for each item and then remove anything that you deem non-essential. Consider whether certain topics could be discussed in an email update or a brief discussion at the start of the next meeting instead.

Does every meeting need an agenda?

Yes! A simple agenda prevents discussions from going off on tangents. Even short, informal meetings can benefit from a few bullet points outlining their purpose and desired outcome.

Use Lark for all your business meeting needs

Craft effective meeting agendas and host productive meetings in our all-in-one platform. Try Lark now .

Table of Contents

Interested in Lark?

Contact us to get a customized demo today

Schedule a demo

Try for free

Keep reading

Back to all posts

10 Best Rostering Software Tools to Simplify Your Job

Find the perfect solution to simplify employee rostering, boost efficiency, improve communication, and optimize your workforce management.

May 6, 2024

16 min read

The Best Excel Alternatives for 2024

Looking to upgrade from Excel to a tool with more advanced features? We count down the best alternatives to Excel to help teams better use their data.

March 6, 2024

14 min read

Pay less to get more today

No more redundant tools. Save time and costs.

Get Lark today

Download Lark

Users love us

Open Platform

Savings Calculator

Lark vs. Slack

Lark vs. Zoom

Lark vs. Whatsapp

Lark vs. Teams

Lark vs. ClickUp

Lark vs. monday.com

Lark vs. Airtable

Lark vs. Trello

Lark vs. Wrike

Lark vs. DingTalk

Lark vs. Base.vn

Become a Partner

Partner Directory

Alternatives

Slack alternatives

Zoom alternatives

Discord alternatives

Airtable alternatives

Notion alternatives

Lattice alternatives

Project Management

Human Resources

Sales & Marketing

Students & Educators

IT Managers

Build with Us

Developers/Applications

Integrations/APIs

Property Management

Manufacturing

Logistics/Supply Chain

Media & Entertainment

Lark for Startups

Global Collaboration

Food & Beverages

Professional Services

Customer Stories

Help Center

Lark Academy

Lark Topics

Security & Compliance

Privacy Policy

Customer Terms of Services

User Terms of Services

Acceptable Use Policy

Cookie Policy

Cookie Settings

© 2024 Lark Technologies Pte. Ltd. Headquartered in Singapore with offices worldwide.

How to get Google's new AI tool to write your emails

• Google is launching "Help me write" an AI-tool that can generate responses to emails in Gmail. 
• Users can deploy the tool to request a refund for a cancelled flight, for example.
• The tool also includes a "Refine" feature that can tweak the generated message's length and tone. 

Writing emails is about to get a lot easier.

During 2023 Google's I/O conference on Wednesday, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, announced that the search giant is launching "Help me write," an AI-powered feature part of Gmail that can generate responses to emails.

In a demonstration of the tool, Pichai used "Help me write" to respond to an email saying that the recipient's flight got cancelled. The demonstrator selected the tool's icon and entered "ask for a full refund for this cancelled flight" in the prompt box. A response draft was generated in moments that included all the relevant details from the airline's note and requested the desired refund. 

Related stories

Not happy with the result? The tool has a button that allows users "refine" the letter, with prompts like "formalize", "elaborate," and "shorten." 

During the demo, Pichai selected the "elaborate" option to "increase the chances of getting a refund," and the tool added lines like "I believe that a full refund is the only fair way to compensate me for the problems I experienced." 

The feature, which was launched to "trusted testers" in March, is among the generative AI functions that Google is using to update its existing tools in the Workspace suite, Google's Aparna Pappu said at Wednesday's event. In addition to "Help me write," Google will integrate AI-features that can brainstorm and proofread text in Docs; generate images, audio, and video in Slides; and analyze data in Sheets, to name a few. 

These features, which will be available to "trusted testers," will eventually be part of Google's " Duet AI for Workspace " service, according to Pappu. Google did not comment on when the tool will be available to the general public.

The new tool comes months after Google first launched the beta version of Bard , a ChatGPT rival, to select users as the AI competition grows among Big Tech companies.

Bard, however, did not launch smoothly: Google employees who tested Bard didn't think the chatbot was ready for launch, calling it "cringeworthy" and a "pathological liar." When Google demoed its chatbot in February, it made a factual error . 

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

Watch: What is ChatGPT, and should we be afraid of AI chatbots?

• Main content

• Get 7 Days Free

Gossamer Bio to Provide Updated Seralutinib TORREY Open-Label Extension Data at the American Thoracic Society 2024 International Conference

Gossamer Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOSS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of seralutinib for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD), will present updated seralutinib TORREY open-label extension data at the American Thoracic Society 2024 International Conference, which takes place May 17-22 in San Diego, California.

Details for the oral presentation related to seralutinib, an inhaled, PDGFR, CSF1R and c-KIT inhibitor, designed for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, are as follows:

Session: A14: Building Lego(Land): Lessons Learned From Large Scale Clinical Trials In PAH Session Date & Time: Sunday, May 19 th , 9:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. PT Talk Title: Interim Results from the Phase 1B and Phase 2 TORREY Open-label Extension Study of Seralutinib in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 29A-D (Upper Level) Presenting Author: Olivier Sitbon, MD, PhD

Gossamer also will present additional data on seralutinib via poster. Details for those posters are as follows:

Poster Board Number: 424 Poster Session: D105 Balboa Park Explorers: Translational Science and Epidemiology in PH Session Date & Time: Wednesday, May 22 nd , 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PT Poster Title: TORREY Phase 2 Study of Seralutinib in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH): Circulating Biomarkers of Proliferation, Inflammation, and Fibrosis Improve with Treatment Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 25A-C (Upper Level)

Poster Board Number: 318 Poster Session: D109 Now We Got Bad Blood: RSF/PC Joint Session on Pulmonary Vascular Disease Session Date & Time: Wednesday, May 22 nd , 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PT Poster Title: Cardiac Effort Is Less Variable Than Six-minute Walk Distance, Correlates with Hemodynamics and Is Consistent with REVEAL 2.0 Risk Score in a Sub-study of the TORREY Phase 2 PAH Trial Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 28C-E (Upper Level)

About Gossamer Bio

Gossamer Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of seralutinib for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Its goal is to be an industry leader in, and to enhance the lives of patients living with, pulmonary hypertension.

For Investors and Media: Bryan Giraudo, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Gossamer Bio Investor Relations [email protected]

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240514616477/en/

Market Updates

Never mind market efficiency: are the markets sensible, starbucks stock could use a pick-me-up after big selloff; is it a buy, 5 cheap stocks to buy from an attractive part of the market, markets brief: all eyes on inflation, 5 things we learned from the q1 earnings season, after earnings, is palantir stock a buy, a sell, or fairly valued, what’s happening in the markets this week, can the fed declare victory on inflation, stock picks, after earnings and a 56% rally in 2024, is arm stock a buy, a sell, or fairly valued, how morningstar rates stocks, after earnings, is disney stock a buy, a sell, or fairly valued, home depot earnings: macro factors pinch demand, but long-term outlook intact, tariffs on chinese evs offer us automakers a chance to capture demand, the best reits to buy, 3 hot stocks to buy that still look undervalued, after earnings, is eli lilly stock a buy, a sell, or fairly valued, sponsor center.

Advertisement

Supported by

Stormy Daniels, Who Testified About Sex With Trump, Will Return to Stand

The porn star at the center of the ex-president’s criminal trial, who will testify again on Thursday, spoke under oath about their encounter at a golf tournament in 2006, a meeting that could shape American history.

• Share full article

By Ben Protess ,  Jonah E. Bromwich ,  Maggie Haberman ,  Michael Rothfeld and Jonathan Swan

When Donald J. Trump met Stormy Daniels, their flirtation seemed fleeting: He was a 60-year-old married mogul at the peak of reality television fame, and she was 27, a Louisiana native raised in poverty and headed to porn-film stardom.

But that chance encounter in Lake Tahoe, Nev., some two decades ago is now at the center of the first criminal trial of an American president, an unprecedented case that could shape the 2024 presidential race.

This week, Ms. Daniels has been on the witness stand telling her side of the story, often in explicit detail. She has already faced five hours of questioning, and after the trial’s midweek hiatus, she is expected to return on Thursday to undergo additional cross-examination from Mr. Trump’s legal team.

The charges against Mr. Trump stem from her story of sex with him during that 2006 celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, a story she was shopping a decade later, in the closing days of the presidential campaign. Mr. Trump’s longtime lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen, paid Ms. Daniels $130,000 in hush money before Election Day, and the former president is accused of falsifying business records to cover up reimbursements for Mr. Cohen.

The Links Between Trump and 3 Hush-Money Deals

Here’s how key figures involved in making hush-money payoffs on behalf of Donald J. Trump are connected.

On Tuesday, Ms. Daniels’s fast-paced testimony lasted nearly five hours, during which she described an encounter with Mr. Trump, now 77, that he has long denied. Tension gripped the courtroom, her voluble testimony filling a heavy silence. She made jokes; they did not land.

After about a half-hour on the stand, she began to unspool intimate details about Mr. Trump, so much so that the judge balked at some of the testimony. He implied it was gratuitously vulgar, and the defense sought a mistrial.

Ms. Daniels said the future president had invited her to dinner inside his palatial Lake Tahoe hotel suite. He answered the door wearing silk pajamas. When he was rude, she playfully spanked him with a rolled-up magazine. And when she asked about his wife, he told her not to worry, saying that they didn’t even sleep in the same room — prompting Mr. Trump to shake his head in disgust and mutter “bullshit” to his lawyers, loud enough that it drew a private rebuke from the judge, who called it “contemptuous.”

Ms. Daniels then recounted the sex itself in graphic detail. It happened, she said, after she returned from the bathroom and found Mr. Trump in his boxer shorts and T-shirt. She tried to leave and he blocked her path, though not, she said, in a threatening manner. The sex was brief, she said, and although she never said no, there was a “power imbalance.”

“I was staring up at the ceiling, wondering how I got there,” she told the jury, adding that Mr. Trump did not wear a condom.

The testimony was an astonishing moment in American political history and a crowning spectacle in a trial full of them: a porn star, across from a former and potentially future president, telling the world what she was once paid to keep quiet about.

Ms. Daniels, 45, has told her story widely — to prosecutors, reporters, her friends, in a book — but never to jurors, and not with Mr. Trump in the room. Her appearance on the stand appeared to unnerve Mr. Trump as she aired his dirty laundry, under oath, in mortifying detail.

But Ms. Daniels’s story is not just a sordid kiss-and-tell tale; it spotlights what prosecutors say was Mr. Trump’s criminality. He is accused of engineering the false business records scheme to cover up all traces of their tryst: the hush money, the repayment to Mr. Cohen and, yes, the sex.

While the defense cast the testimony as a smear, Ms. Daniels provided prosecutors with some useful details. She established the fundamental story of her encounter with Mr. Trump. And she testified that she would have told the same uncomfortable tale in 2016, had she not taken the hush money from Mr. Trump’s fixer.

Who Are Key Players in the Trump Manhattan Criminal Trial?

The first criminal trial of former President Donald J. Trump is underway. Take a closer look at central figures related to the case.

But her testimony, at times, seemed problematic for the prosecutors who had called her. Ms. Daniels testified that money was not her motivation, and that she wanted to get her story out. That could draw skepticism from jurors, who have heard that she accepted the $130,000 and, in exchange, did not tell her story for more than a year.

“My motivation wasn’t money,” she said. “It was motivated out of fear, not money.”

The jury also saw the judge, Juan M. Merchan, scold Ms. Daniels at least twice, instructing her to stick to the questions asked of her. At one point, he even issued his own objection, interrupting her testimony as she began to describe the sexual position she and Mr. Trump assumed.

Justice Merchan, generally a stoic presence with a tight grip over his courtroom, showed rare exasperation as the testimony veered in a scurrilous direction and the trial took on a circuslike atmosphere.

He also asked Ms. Daniels to slow down. She was a rapid-fire talker, prone to laughter and lengthy asides.

Outside the jury’s presence, the judge said that “there were some things better left unsaid” in her testimony and suggested that Ms. Daniels might have “credibility issues.”

Yet he rejected the defense’s bid for a mistrial, instead inviting Mr. Trump’s lawyers to mount an aggressive questioning of Ms. Daniels.

“The more times this story has changed, the more fodder for cross-examination,” he said.

Susan Necheles, the Trump lawyer who led the cross-examination, heeded the judge’s advice.

She painted Ms. Daniels as a lying opportunist. She unearthed excerpts from Ms. Daniels’s book to suggest that her story had changed over time. And in a potentially troublesome moment for Ms. Daniels, Ms. Necheles implied that she had fabricated an account of a Trump supporter threatening her and her daughter in a Las Vegas parking lot, a story she did not share with her baby’s father.

“Your daughter’s life was in jeopardy, and you did not tell her father, right?” Ms. Necheles asked, the implication being that the story was phony.

Ms. Daniels was indignant. And during some cross-examination, she parried effectively, performing even better than she did with her answers to prosecutors.

Her testimony brought full circle one of the earliest scandals that loomed over Mr. Trump’s presidency. Ever since The Wall Street Journal broke the news six years ago that Mr. Cohen had paid her to keep quiet, her story has changed the course of American politics and laid the groundwork for the case.

Over the years, Ms. Daniels has leaned into her Trump-adjacent fame. She has sold merchandise, filmed a documentary, sat for high-profile interviews and written a book that was so tell-all it included detailed descriptions of the former president’s genitalia. Mr. Trump has also dished out insults that ridiculed her appearance, calling her “horseface.”

But at other times, Ms. Daniels appeared tortured, detailing the personal toll of outsize exposure. Suddenly, she was not just a porn star but a threat to a man who commands the most fervent political movement in modern American history. She told reporters she was inundated by threats from Trump supporters, many of which were graphic. She feared for her family and has divorced her third husband, the father of her daughter.

“I have been just tormented for the last five years or so,” she said in the opening scene of “Stormy,” a documentary about her life that was released on Peacock. “And here I am, I’m still here.”

Ms. Daniels joined the trial at a pivotal moment. On Monday, prosecutors had asked two veterans of the Trump Organization’s accounting department to show jurors the 34 records they say Mr. Trump falsified to conceal his reimbursement of Mr. Cohen for the hush money. Those include 11 invoices, 11 checks and 12 entries in Mr. Trump’s ledger that portrayed the payments as normal legal expenses.

The Donald Trump Indictment, Annotated

The indictment unveiled in April 2023 centers on a hush-money deal with a porn star, but a related document alleges a broader scheme to protect Donald J. Trump’s 2016 campaign.

In the weeks ahead, Mr. Cohen is expected to take the stand and connect the dots between the salacious details and the substantive documents. On Tuesday, Ms. Daniels’s testimony took jurors through the smuttier elements of the case.

She began by recounting a difficult childhood in Baton Rouge. Her parents split up when she was young, she said.

She wanted to be a veterinarian and was editor of her high school newspaper. Eventually, she began stripping, she says, because she earned more than she did shoveling manure at a horse stable.

By the time she met Mr. Trump at the golf tournament in 2006, she was a player in porn. She was an actress, and would ultimately find her footing as a director and producer.

Asked to identify Mr. Trump in the courtroom, she called him out as the man in a navy suit jacket. Ms. Daniels, dressed in all black and wearing glasses, reduced the singular former president to just another man in the courtroom.

She spent much of her testimony describing that first encounter in Lake Tahoe. When she met Mr. Trump, she knew he was a golfer and the host of the “The Apprentice,” the reality show that revived Mr. Trump’s celebrity for a new generation. In a memorable line, Ms. Daniels said she also knew that he was “as old or older than my father.”

Later that day, she said, Mr. Trump’s aide approached and invited her to dinner. She says he took her number, but that her initial reaction was “eff no,” abbreviating an expletive.

But her publicist encouraged her: “What could possibly go wrong?”

She then transported jurors inside his hotel room, painting the sprawling suite in minute detail, capturing every aspect down to the color of the tiles.

She said Mr. Trump had taken an interest in her business and asked about unions, residuals and health insurance, as well as about testing for sexually transmitted diseases. “He was very interested in how I segued from becoming just a porn star to writing and directing,” she said.

Ms. Daniels said Mr. Trump told her, “You remind me of my daughter. She is smart and blond and beautiful, and people underestimate her as well.”

She recalled going into the bathroom to do her lipstick, where, she said, she noticed gold tweezers and Old Spice.

Later, they stayed in touch, she said. In 2007, they met at Trump Tower in New York, at a Trump Vodka launch party in Los Angeles and at a Beverly Hills hotel — all interactions that appeared to undercut Mr. Trump’s claims that he barely knew her.

The jury was also shown contact logs from Ms. Daniels’s phone and from Mr. Trump’s assistant’s phone showing that they remained in touch. And when they did talk, she said, Mr. Trump had a nickname for her: “honeybunch.”

They have only spoken through lawyers since then, most notably during the hush-money negotiations. When Ms. Necheles accused Ms. Daniels of using that effort to “extort money from President Trump,” Ms. Daniels objected.

“False,” she said.

“That’s what you did, right?” Ms. Necheles persisted.

“False!” Ms. Daniels shouted.

Reporting was contributed by William K. Rashbaum , Kate Christobek , Jesse McKinley , Wesley Parnell and Matthew Haag .

Ben Protess is an investigative reporter at The Times, writing about public corruption. He has been covering the various criminal investigations into former President Trump and his allies. More about Ben Protess

Jonah E. Bromwich covers criminal justice in New York, with a focus on the Manhattan district attorney’s office and state criminal courts in Manhattan. More about Jonah E. Bromwich

Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman

Michael Rothfeld is an investigative reporter in New York, writing in-depth stories focused on the city’s government, business and personalities. More about Michael Rothfeld

Jonathan Swan is a political reporter covering the 2024 presidential election and Donald Trump’s campaign. More about Jonathan Swan

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former fixer, faced a fierce cross-examination  in the trial, as the defense tried to tear down  the prosecution’s key witness.

Over the course of two days of testimony, Cohen has detailed the $130,000 he gave to the porn star Stormy Daniels  to silence her account of a sexual encounter with Trump, and how Trump repaid him  after winning the presidency.

Trump’s trial has become a staging ground  for Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson  and Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio , to prove their fealty to the former president.

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.