Mark Hurt on Creating an Adoption Profile

We are excited that you are beginning your adoption journey and can’t wait to help you with your profile. However, we realize that creating an adoption profile can seem like a daunting task. A lot of people get stumped at trying to be creative and unique.

So, we asked our Director of Print and Graphics, Mark Hurt, if he had any tips for creating an adoption profile that works for you.

A Little Bit About Mark

Okay, Mark – Now I know you quite well, but others not so much. Can you give our readers a bit of background on you.

Well, I was born and raised here in Indianapolis and have worked in printing and design my entire life. It actually runs in the family! My dad owned one of the biggest print shops in the country and so my brother and myself were sort-of raised around big printers and proofs. I came to CAIRS in 2016 at the urging of our Sales Director, Greg Phelps, who was a co-worker of mine many years ago. Since then, I’ve really enjoyed my time working here and have loved helping build families. It’s the kind of job that you can go home at night knowing that you truly made a difference.

Mark’s Tip for Your Adoption Profile

What are some examples of great profiles?

A good way to construct a profile is to design it like a children’s book. Great profiles need to be well written while having photos that match what is being said in the story. Keep the stories “down to earth,” with anecdotes about first dates or little things that happen around the house. Stories that are over the top do not seem genuine and can ruin a couple’s image.

Also, if you’re going to have a bulleted list of any kind, have it at the bottom of the section so that it doesn’t take away from your story.

Those are all great points – I love the children’s book idea, I never thought of it like that! Now, any advice on which photos to choose? What works best?

I have to say, happy photos that you take yourself work way better than ones you have taken with a professional photographer. The photos you take yourself give off of a more believable image. Professional photos provide great images, they can seem staged and disingenuous – so it is important to use those sparingly. Limit them to three or four throughout the book.

So Mark, do you choose the theme for families? And if so, how do you do that? What factors into that decision?

Normally, I do not pick themes for parents. Parents usually pick those themselves and for obvious reason. A parent’s profile should reflect their personality and what they want to show about themselves. Now, I will say if I am not given a theme, I tend to stick with a crisp standard template with color borders and light backgrounds. They just feel modern and clean and they’re easy to read.

How to Make the Process Go Smoothly

What would you recommend for hopeful adoptive parents when choosing photos?

First and foremost, above everything else, it’s most important to upload high quality images and the right amount of them. Uploading bad photos or not enough photos can slow down the process. Overall, a good rule of thumb is to use four to six high-quality photos per section. High quality means great clarity and that your face can be seen – it doesn’t mean that you have to have professional photos everywhere!

So, be responsible with photos. That’s the bottom line. Now, didn’t you tell me something about changes earlier?

Oh, right. When we are working on the proof and editing the book together try your best to be explicit with your changes. This allows me to know exactly what you’re talking about, and helps me help you.

Here’s an example of a change that is straightforward and explicit.

Page 2, bottom left photo, change the caption to “My Friends and Family Mean Everything to me!”

Right, right. Be explicit. Well Mark, I really appreciate the time you’ve taken to talk with us today and give our parents some tips on creating the best profile possible.

I appreciate it! Please everyone, if you ever need any help with profiles don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Mark.Hurt@Cairsolutions.com. I’m always here to help with photos and make sure that your profile is exactly what you want.

Creating an Adoption Profile? Our Team is Here to Help You.

We are always here to help you with your adoption profile. From professional writers to video editors and profile designers, the Parentfinder team can help you create the adoption profile you deserve.

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