I’ve created a number of networking group websites over the years and they all had one thing in common… until now. Their bios were well written by people who actually care about the group, their business, and not in a rush to just “get it done.”
I’m not going to name any names because that would be unprofessional, but a while back I created a networking group website and I have to ask myself how some of these people are even business owners when they can’t even follow simple instructions. The members of this particular group were given a list of about 10 questions mainly asking about what you do, what you expect, what you can offer, etc… For example, one question was to list your experience in your field. A handful of people copied and pasted straight from their companies About Us page and told us nothing about what they themselves do. One person assumed we already know who they were and just said they ‘started the company.’ One person even submitted their questions with only a few filled out. They were also told to provide a head shot for their bio on the site, what do I get from several people? Group photos, blurry pix, and pix that are less than 100px in either direction. Are you kidding me? Is it really that difficult to bust out your cell phone and take a selfie? I see people do it every day and post their pix on social media so there is absolutely no reason they can’t do the same. #LazyBabyBoomers Fortunately, one day I was at a networking event and ran into one of the people from this group and was able to snap a better pic of them for the website.
For people who want to represent their company in a positive light, they sure are doing a half assed job at it. If you’re going to be in a networking group, don’t think of it as a hassle or inconvenience, because if you do, you’re there for the wrong reasons. A networking group is supposed to be a place where you can build up relationships with other business owners and see if you can offer services others don’t offer and vice versa. Your bio on the website helps with that. If you aren’t going to take something as small as filling out a few questions seriously, then you probably don’t deserve anybody’s business or connections.
