Effective Profiles

Sarah Huylett’s segment on Michigan Radio provided a great profile of Roger Penske, who plans to buy Saturn from GM. The profile excels because it includes numerous voices to provide different perspectives of Penske, it uses “show not tell” effectively and it stays focused on its theme: Here’s the guy who’s going to try to change domestic auto making.

Today’s Tip: Use examples to illustrate points in profiles.

Huylett’s piece provides enough information for a listener to get a sense of who he is. She sticks to examples to show his character. For instance, one person notes his humility by citing an example of him – a billionaire – cleaning up coffee cups after a meeting. She illustrates his love of Detroit through an example where he drove around looking for graffiti to clean up before the Super Bowl game.

Most people are multifaceted so you need several sources to provide a good look at someone’s life. But don’t let those sources get away with just giving you adjectives. Ask them for specifics. You also have to ensure you stay focused on your theme so that your profile doesn’t become a biography.