When staff are hidden behind a leader or sales team, it’s a wasted opportunity to demonstrate the depth and breadth of talent in the business. This applies no less so in the digital context. We encourage all (or at least most) of a team to be present on the practice website, and we delve into the detail in this article.
We’ll be covering:
- Who should be present on a website
- What should be displayed
- How to write a team profile or bio
- Some bonus tips for LinkedIn
In addition to being a resource for managers, this article is also intended to be a resource for team members that anyone can share.
Who should be visible on a website
As a minimum, we recommend including:
- All business leadership.
- All permanent employees who do client work or are client-facing in any way.
- Any other full-time employees (admittedly up to a point, once that figure gets beyond four it may better to keep this to management or key specialist functions).
Who shouldn’t be:
- Contract or temporary staff.
- Referral partners. (Cool to show them, just not as team members).
Some other options include:
- Principals of businesses that have been acquired who are working out their transition period.
- Formal non-employee board members, so long as they are clearly distinct from the core team.
For staff who are on probation and not centre to the client relationships: Whilst we could include them, it’s a very individual decision for each business and we understand both sides of the coin. However, regardless of the outcome, make a call and stick to it.
Team photos are great to include on a website but can get out of date quickly. When taking those photos, we recommend you also get a shot with just the advisers and/or practice principals. That way you’ll have a partial team photo you can always fall back on if required.
What should be displayed
- First name, last name, and job title.
- If an Authorised Representative, their Authorised Representative number.
- A nice, consistent, professional photo. Ideally in a client-facing area within the physical business, at that persons’ workstation, or with the background removed. All are good, just be consistent.
- A brief bio (more details below).
- All qualifications bachelor level or higher and all relevant qualifications/certifications.
- All relevant professional association memberships.
- If completed, a link to their LinkedIn profile.
- Whilst we see the value in getting a professional job done, if that’s going to slow you down then do the following:
- Have someone take a photo with your phone in an even (no shadows) natural light. (By natural, we mean the sun, not a lot of bioluminescent algae).
- Keep the sun out of the lens.
- Send it to this gig on Fiverr and go for the ‘Standard’ tier for touch up and background removal. (If you’re new to Fiverr go here for 20% off your first job).
Direct line and direct email addresses are other options for inclusion and will vary between practices and even team members. Our advice would be to err on the side of including them, and pulling them down if they start being problematic.
How to write a team profile or bio
For a business website, the bios should follow a consistent structure and tone, with some scope for just a little extra personality.
Our recommended structure is:
- Introduce your role and why you matter to the client.
- Very brief outline of your experience.
- A favourite part of your work.
- A little personal detail and/or what you like to do for fun (e.g. what you do outside the office).
If not shown elsewhere, this might be best followed by the qualifications and membership details.
We recommend 150-300 words. Advisers and key client-facing staff should be at the longer end, staff who do no client work should be at the shorter end.
A couple of notes should be made when asking the team to prepare a short bio:
- Tone of voice – Some people’s written voice may not naturally be aligned with the organisational brand. Ask that they write something in a serious or playful tone as required.
- First or third person – third person is more serious, first allows for more playfulness and individuality. Pick and choose one that suits your brand, and request the biographies follow that for consistency.
We’ve included a few examples for guidance below.
Adviser example
My role is to advise and partner with our clients to help them to more of what they enjoy. I provide advice across every aspect of your financial world, specialising in retirement planning, tax and social security planning, as well as estate planning. Most of my day is spent understanding the needs of our clients, researching tailored solutions for their circumstances, and providing ongoing support to ensure those plans stay on track.
After a brief career in teaching (love kids) I found my true calling in finance. I have been working in the finance industry since 2005, during that time I’ve worked for household names such as Bank of Amazeballs and SumInsto, with the last ten years working as an adviser to high net worth individuals. During the last seven years as This Practice I’ve worked with hundreds of clients at both our Brisbane and Gold Coast offices.
My favourite part of the advice process for me is getting to understand the financial goals of our clients, realigning their finances to better meet those goals, and then tracking those goals over time. When I see one of our clients meets an aspirational goal they may not have thought possible, it makes my day.
Outside of work I spend my time playing golf (such a cliché!) and spending time with my wife and two children.
Adviser holds a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Financial Planning and is a Associate member of The Association. Adviser is accredited to provide specialist advice in Self-Managed Superannuation Funds.
Paraplanner example
I am primarily responsible for the research and analysis that supports the advice we provide. I work closely with Adviser to ensure no stone is unturned in the advice we provide, review and analyse your circumstances and compare alternatives for your unique situation and ultimately prepare our written recommendations.
I have worked in financial planning since 2016 across both administration and paraplanning roles.
The part of my work that I most enjoy is anything to do with spreadsheets. Every circumstance is different, so when I find that optimal point that creates the best possible outcome for our client, I can’t help but do a little fist pump!
Outside of my work I spend most of my time Go-Karting or doing anything else that involves going fast.
Paraplanner is currently studying a Bachelor of Financial Planning.
Support example
I am part of the engine room that keeps everything happening behind the scenes. I help ensure the office runs smoothly, that everything is kept to time, and work with our technology partners to ensure our advisers are fully equipped to meet your needs.
I have worked in finance since 2000, within a range of administration, paraplanning and advice roles.
I’m a list person. The best part of my work is ticking things off the list and making sure everyone in the team has their lists in order. If something needs doing, I’m the one on it to get it done.
When I’m not working, I like to unwind by planning my next overseas trip! (I love all things European!)
LinkedIn Bonus Points
We recommend encouraging all staff to be at least present on LinkedIn and recommending the following steps for any team member:
- Update their LinkedIn profile to include their photo and reflect their service and qualifications as a minimum.
- If writing a bio, don’t think of it as an online resume. Consider your audience to be a prospective or current client.
- They reflect being employed by your company. (If done correctly, the logo should automatically appear against the job on their profile).
- ‘Follow’ your company page.
- Update their background image (especially if management can supply something, even if it’s just a resized version of the photo on your website).
- Connect with colleagues.
We have all the above baked into our Simply Advice Websites service, making it easy to add and remove staff with the click of a couple of buttons, plus an awful lot more. To learn more, schedule a consultation with us or sign up directly at advicewebsites.com.au.