The story you tell about yourself, who you are and what you believe in is today the most powerful form of marketing. To put the 'social' in social media requires sharing of yourself, the good, the bad and the ugly. The journey. Not just lists of job positions, and the jargon of management-speak. Busting Boring Bios looks at what it takes to build a profile that stands out, that integrates all of who you are, what you stand for, and what you do.

1. Busting
Boring Bios!
Seven Critical Steps to Building a
Personal Brand That Sticks
Andrew Melville

2. About this Ebook:
I am amazed at the number of top executives and leaders who have told
me they really need to do something to improve their profile.
Mostly they mean the About Us section on a website, Linked In profile, or the
way they are described in a company or organisational profile. Somehow
most don‟t get around to doing anything about it.
But in today‟s media rich world, that‟s not going to cut it. You can no longer be
stuck trying to build a personal brand, you will have to work to build one that
sticks.
Google yourself. What shows up?
Busting Boring Bios takes the first steps to building depth and breadth to your
personal brand; it is what lies beneath that can be the most compelling story.
It gives tips on building lasting impressions out of first impressions. Research
has shown people make an assessment about us in a very short space of
time; either face to face or by how we present ourselves on paper or on video.
In 2012, a critical business skill will be telling your story.
About Andrew Melville:
Stories are in Andrew‟s blood; true stories that shift hearts and minds.
He is a third generation journalist, award winning poet, speech writer,
communication advisor to CEOs and businesses leaders.
After discovering stints milking cows and as an insurance clerk were not really
his cup of tea, Andrew became a successful radio journalist and broadcaster,
working in New Zealand Australia and Europe.
Andrew‟s thirst for the real story led him from the observer‟s world of the
journalist to a hands on role as a community worker with people with
disability. From there the hunt for real stories led in all sorts of directions and
roles in politics, in education, working in fiction and fact, and… but that‟s
another story.
In 2004, Andrew founded Spoke, a communications agency that advises
clients on creating three dimensional compelling narratives that engage
hearts, minds and bodies. Today he builds story-laden communication
strategies, as well as speaking, mentoring and running workshops on how to
collect and tell compelling stories for corporate and government leaders.
He works to create Micro-Macro Media, where grassroots stories tell the big
picture.
You can contact Andrew through his website: http://www.spoke.co.nz

3. The Merging Ps
There‟s not many places left to hide on the planet, either on the ground
or in cyberspace.
In the 21st century, you have to be who you say you are, or people will
find you out, double quick.
The world has been getting extremely media savvy for well over a
decade. People spot a fake a mile away. They sniff out a polished slick
over-performance. They hear a glossed up story in an instant. It is like
we increasingly have built in lie detectors.
To be credible, you will have to completely merge who you are
professionally and personally. Your backstory has to come to the fore.
It is already critical to have a credible presence in social media. That
credibility will depend on how well you can tell the truth; the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.
We‟ve heard a lot in the last few years about the need for transparency
in business and government. You need to be visible.
Here Are Seven Tips for building a
powerful story with your Bio
1. Lance Your Lists!
The biggest mistake people make in communication is to ram people
over the head with the point they are trying to make. Trying to convince
people will never work.
We have a tendency to build lists when we write our bios, profiles or
CVs. We think if we bludgeon people with enough stuff, they will think
we are worth engaging with. So we write lists.
Take a razor to them. Slash and burn and lance the lists to hone your
bio to its essence. Chop Chop Chop.
In writing drama, they call it „killing your darlings.‟
Think of a great soup or a great sauce in cooking. The tastiest are
rendered down to their essence, where all the flavours blend to one
marvellous collection of flavours. That‟s what you are aiming for.

4. Now if you find this too hard to do, think of a friend or colleague you
know to be blunt and who doesn‟t mince words. Invite them to edit your
bio.
2. Create Crucial Contrasts
Sentences that use contrasts with sharp juxtapositions stand out in
people‟s minds. News media headline writers take advantage of this
everyday. They put unexpected facts next to each other so they stand
out.
They might go for the unusual contrast. One of the most famous
copywriting headlines goes:
„At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce
comes from the electric clock.”
Here is a contrast that is dramatic and unexpected; a large luxurious car
runs so smoothly that the normally unheard sound of a small dashboard
clock stands out.
Sometimes an extremely honest contrasting statement stands out:
A woman when asked about her hopes for the future decade said:
“In ten years time, I hope to be dead. I am 92.”
There are also contrasts that juxtapose opposites; facts about you that
people do not expect. For example, Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey
Mouse was scared of mice.
You can also go for something that has a potential double meaning, a
„double entendre.‟
A favourite of mine is the tagline on a local dance music radio station
that goes:
“Beats Working.”
You can also go for patterns with words; alliteration is popular and
captures attention.
For example this newspaper headline from The Examiner in
Massachusetts:
Boston Beach Bums Beware: Bacteria-Beach -Bans-Bummer.
So that one is pretty over the top, but you get the point.

5. Everyone has a story; so if right now it is running through your mind that
you don‟t have anything exciting to create a great story from, you‟re
dead wrong.
In a 30 year career in journalism and public relations, I have yet to find
any individual who did not have a compelling story in their personal
history.
Reflect on your career and personal life, and identify when others have
said, or you have discovered, that you do something a little differently
than others. Now this can feel a little uncomfortable, because you might
need to let a secret or two out of the bag here.
For instance, in his autobiography, tennis star Andre Agassi says he
always hated tennis. Now that doesn‟t seem right. How do you do
something everyday for a life time, become number one in the world at
it, and hate it? His statement whets our appetite and curiosity.
So for instance, if you are a project manager renowned for being
extremely well organised, what is an event in your life, or an activity in
your life that is full of chaos? How does that make you feel? Maybe you
became extremely well organised as a reaction to an event in your life.
Perhaps your home was messy and you hated it.
3. Pick Your Pattern
People quickly identify with patterns. Our brains are hardwired to do so.
If we stop to reflect, we all have clear patterns and themes in our lives
of what we are good at and not so good at
Teachers and parents pick these out for us when we are young. For me
it was writing. When I was eight, I had three out of the class total of five
best stories on the wall.
But at the same time a teacher told me I could not draw to save myself.
So guess what?
There‟s no mistake that today I write for a living, but don‟t do more than
stick figures to draw or sketch.
Now this has formed a pattern throughout my life; the short, well told
story.
When I was in journalism school, the tutors advised me to go into radio
because my stories were so short and clear.

6. The big challenge for most of us is that we find it pretty difficult to talk
about ourselves in a positive way. We are either shy of being too much
of a „big noter‟ or are often stuck trying to decide what we should
highlight.
It is important to get our heads around the fact that by telling our own
stories, the good, the bad and the ugly, we are offering a contribution to
others.
Write a couple of sentences that answer these questions:
What have you always been good at?
What is a mistake you have learnt from?
When did you first notice?
Who else has noticed?
What do they say about your attributes?
How does this match some of the most memorable moments of your
life?
(including failures and successes, tragedies and comedies, good luck
and bad)
See if you can identify a pattern. This is a creative exercise, so there is
no right or wrong pattern to form. Whatever jumps out at you.
Are you Driven or Drawn? That is, do you have a burning drive to
achieve, or are there activities and pursuits that you are drawn toward?
4. „Go for the Jugular‟ With Jargon.
We all do it. Speak and write jargon that is particular to our work tribe or
social group.
I hear my sons go: „What‟s Up G?‟ They‟ve got this from the American
street vernacular. I couldn‟t understand it at all to begin with. Even more
so when this got abbreviated to „Sup.‟ The reply was usually; „Nuffin
much, u?”
So the business and government world too uses its own jargon. Let‟s
be honest. We hear some terms and words over and over again
sometimes that we completely ignore them, and don‟t pay attention to
the person using them.
If you look on Linked In, there are 10s of thousands of people who will
have these clichés and jargon in their bios, and are therefore completely
undifferentiated:

7. A few clichés that are a waste of time include:
Good people skills. Outcomes focused.
Passionate about their field. Results driven.
What do these terms really say about you? Are you simply on „autopilot‟
when you use them and don‟t mean a word of it?
One phrase I catch myself saying often is “I‟m going to „touch base‟ with
someone.” Pretty harmless on one level, but why not simply say you are
going to meet someone, or talk to someone.
Now this is a mild example. But once we multiply out the clichés and
jargon most of us use in business, we can end up losing any true
engagement with others. And when we lose engagement,
communication breaks down, misunderstandings increase, and
inefficiencies proliferate.
Here‟s a list from a New Zealand newspaper column, Sideswipe, of the
20 worst business jargon phrases:
1. Thinking outside of the box.
2. Touch base.
3. At the end of the day.
4. Going forward.
5. All of it.
6. Blue sky thinking.
7. Out of the box.
8. Credit crunch.
9. Heads up.
10. Singing from the same hymn sheet.
11. Pro-active.
12. Downsizing.
13. Ducks in a row.
14. Brainstorming.
15. Thought shower.
16. 360-degree thinking.
17. Flag it up.
18. Pushing the envelope.
19. At this moment in time.
20. In the loop.
Now if you have just read this list and feel defensive because you know
you‟ve used a few of these; don‟t worry. Confession: I added up 12 of

8. these that I use quite frequently, and I am supposed to be a wordsmith
with many fresh turns of phrase!
The trick is to be aware of the jargon, the clichés, and why they are
used. Aim to reduce them, acknowledge them, rather than regurgitate
them. Strive not to use them and to find a better way of describing a
situation or activity, and most importantly, unique ways to describe
yourself and your experience.
Scrutinise your writing and your conversations for jargon. Be self-
effacing about it. You may still need to use these phrases, but qualify
them, acknowledge them, think about them. Don‟t operate on autopilot.
Work at finding fresh, honest and authentic simple turns of phrase.
Rather than say you are „passionate‟ about something, actually describe
that activity itself, in a passionate manner. It is like a close colleague of
mine always says: If you have to try to make something „cool‟, then it‟s
not going to be cool.
5. Real Stories V Gloom or Gloss Spins
Every time we commit a pen to paper, or fingers to a keyboard, we are
creating our own particular spin on a situation. We are all subjective
human beings. A great deal of material today tends either towards a
glossed over story with PR spin, or a gloomy „end of the world‟
journalist‟s spin.
The world is hungry for real stories that take you on a journey, that are
honest about the highs and the lows, the mistakes as well as the
successes.
So your bio is no different. It needs to tell a story, the highs and the
lows. This will give you the contrasts that will make you stand out; occur
as unique and true to yourself.
That will be far more compelling than a glossy or a gloomy story
.

9. Here‟s a quick example from my own life.
The most embarrassing moment of my life was botching my attempt to
be the student president of my high school. I froze on stage in front of
600 expectant faces, knocked the microphone off the stand, and
stammered that „everyone should vote for my competitor.‟ Fast forward
18 months and I am into a career as a radio journalist and would spend
the next 15 years in front of a microphone as one of the country‟s top
radio reporters. I was never once lost for words, no matter how
demanding the situation, from live reports to the nation from a storm
swept beach about a shipwreck, to interviewing prime ministers.
For me the pattern with microphones and the spoken word goes further
back. While some kids took music lessons, I took speech lessons. I
played the flute, a wind instrument, and have always loved the aural
medium, from music, to singing, to poetry, birdsong and the spoken
word. It is absolutely no accident that I chose to call my first company,
Spoke.
Now if you do a quick recap of the last paragraphs of my own personal
story, what stands out? If you had to tell someone else about me, what
would you say?
6. Verbalise It
The interaction of spoken conversation provides us with a great
opportunity to get articulate about who we are and what we do.

10. Here‟s a little test. How often have you been involved in a great,
energised conversation and then someone has said, “you know what
you just said was awesome, word for word, you were so on the money.”
And then next minute, we can‟t remember the verbatim account of that
magic moment.
This is evidence that our subconscious and conscious minds are
equally engaged when we are verbalising something. We have done
some in depth editing somewhere in the brain, and get our words out in
an accurate and concise and compelling way.
The trick is to capture these great verbal moments.
So there are several obvious ways.
Choose someone you trust and that you have had energised, engaging
conversations with in the past. If you can‟t think of someone, you have a
bit more work to do, to establish a relationship with a colleague, a peer,
a professional life or business coach, and get engaged!
When you get to committing something to paper, read it aloud; to
yourself, to others. How does it sound? Does it roll off the tongue? Is it
you?
7. Value Your Values
A great bio needs to leave people clear about what you really care
about. People today want to know you care. Your expression of your
values might be your family, it might be changing the world, it might be
simply that you care about being honest in everything you do.
But people want to know you have integrity, and that you are committed
to something.
There are two simple areas that are a great starting point for describing
personal values: People and Places you care about.
Every day in our minds, we take sides in a debate, argument, exchange
of views.
So bare a little of your soul.

11. And to end this E-book, here is a call to action.
If you have read this, see some value, would like to do it, but
can‟t see it happening, without help, Email me:
andrew.melville@spoke.co.nz
I can work with you one to one, by Skype or Face to Face, or
as part of a group to nail your story.
It is something I love to do. It gives me great joy and purpose
to work with someone to find the „sweet spots‟ of their story.