Write a Better Bio (Because the rules have changed…)

If you are a private music teacher you need to have an updated and well written teaching bio. Whether it is for your website, blog or social media outlets, how you tell the world about you and your business is extremely important. 
 

You want to share your passion for music and teaching. The challenge is, you don’t want to sound like a braggart, and yet you don’t want people to under-estimate your qualifications or credibility either. Writing a great bio is both an art and science. A well written bio is short and sweet with hand-picked interesting and informative details that answer the reader’s most important questions. 
 
Truth Bomb: A well crafted bio should attract your dream students and actually DETER the students/families you don’t want to work with. 

One bio does not fit all
You need more than one bio depending on the audience you are writing for.
Your teaching bio on your website is to engage potential students/parents. Your performance bio is for people hiring you for gigs. Your bio on Linkedin is for colleagues, and your info on Facebook is for everyone.
 
Here are 10 great questions that will help you craft a new
and improved teaching biography for your business:
 
1. Who is reading this bio? 
2. What is your teaching passion? (Who are students that you love to work with?)
3. Is there something people typically come to you for help?
4. What makes you unique from other teachers? Do you specialise in certain teaching areas?
5. How do you specifically cater to your preferred niche of students?
6. What opportunities do you offer your students?
7. How would you describe the atmosphere/energy your teaching studio?
8. Can you clearly define your teaching philosophy (in one or two sentences)
9. What are your passions outside of your teaching?
10.What is something fun about you that you would like people to know about you?
 
The short and long of it
Shorter bios using “I”, “me” and “my” rather than stuffy third-person seem to be the trend now. This works better for online bios that tend to be more conversational and have a limited number of characters. Try including a “fun fact” about you to grab the reader’s attention. Remember, most people will never read your full bio if it is too long. There is a fine line here between divulging too much information and establishing trust by providing enough information for people to feel they know you.

Call to action and contact info
Always include your contact information on every bio with links to your social media networks. Finish your bio with a clear call to action so the reader knows what to do next. 

Are you stuck?
Writing is difficult! Writing about yourself is very difficult. You may need to work at this over a few days. If you need some inspiration – check out other teacher biographies (the awesome bios – not the long and boring ones) or linkedin profiles for some inspiration. Have a friend you trust read over your new bio. They may have suggestions for improvement. 

Hey! Visit our pinterest page
 https://www.pinterest.com/fullvoicemusic/ 
Check out our new board “Writing a better Bio” 

p.s. One last tip: If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face – it probably shouldn’t be in your bio.

Happy Writing!
Nikki