I have sat with many birthmothers and watched them sort through profiles. While there are exceptions, I am convinced that something usually catches the eye of most birthmothers and causes them to look more closely at a particular profile. It is human nature to tend to stick with the choice which makes the best first impression. For this reason, I recommend that the first page contain a single family photograph. Colored borders which make the package attractive can be useful, but should not be overdone. Avoid notebooks or binders. They are not helpful.  All that is required are single pages stapled together.

Many copies will be made of your profile.  You will want to distribute it as widely as possible. It should be noted that the profile in the form described here is not what is generally posted on internet registries. For practical reasons, these profiles tend to have a much shorter format. But it is best to prepare a full profile first. It is then easier to edit it down to a shorter form.