This may surprise you, but a lot of people want to know about you.
They want to know who you are and what makes you tick.
They want to know what turns you on and why you do what you do.
And these people are making a beeline for your About Page when they come to your website. Sure, they may stop by your Home Page and skim your Services Page, but if they have the slightest interest in doing business with you, they will read your About Page.
See, people do business with people. Not brands. Not promises. Not faceless websites. They want to know the person behind the brand, the person in charge. They want to know if you are truly qualified to give them the help they need. And they want to know if you are someone they can relate to, connect with and trust.
This is why your About Page is one of the most important pages on your website. So, let’s make sure yours is up to snuff.
If you take a virtual tour of different entrepreneur’s websites, you’ll discover there are a many different formulas for About Pages. One is the interview format. Another is the third person, journalistic type format. But if you’re a solo entrepreneur, and you want your About Page to engender trust, establish your creditability and convince your ideal clients to take the next step in doing business with you, I recommend the following:
- In Your Own Voice
Ditch the third person and write your About Page in first person. Use your own voice. Tell your story as if you were speaking directly to your website visitor. Third person is fine for short bios, but your About Page is the place to reveal more of who you are, be more transparent, and make that heart-to-heart, human-to-human connection with your potential client.
Now, there could be some exceptions to this, depending on your ideal client, but for the most part, telling your story in first person will be a hell of a lot more compelling than third person.
- Your “Why & How” Story
Don’t bore your reader with your entire life story or a long list of places you’ve worked, clients you’ve served or places you’ve lived. Instead, tell the story of how you came to do what you do.
Was there a turning point in your life that helped you choose this work? When did it become clear to you that this was what you were meant to do? Start there and then tell your reader how this revelation led you to where you are today. Include what you learned along the way that makes it possible for you to help others.
- Your Experience & Qualifications
Somewhere within the body of your story, you want to include information that makes it clear you are qualified to do the work you do. It could be that your life experience is enough to convince your reader that you know your stuff. Or it could be that your past career experience gives you tons of credibility.
You can sprinkle this information throughout your About Page, or devote 1-2 paragraphs to your training and experience. If you have a long list of certifications, degrees and past experience that will mean something to your potential client, list those things, resume-style, at the very end of your story.
- Your “Now & How” Story
Either near the beginning or at the end of your story, be sure to talk about who you are now, how you help clients now, what excites and motivates you now and the kind of results you get for people now. This is essential, because your reader wants to know how you can help him or her… now.
Your “Why and How” story lets your potential client know how you came to do what you do. Your “Now & Why” story, which can be 1-3 phrases long, tells them how you can help them right now.
- Be Human
There are more aspects to who you are than the work you do. At least, I hope so! Let your About Page share some of those other aspects. What do you love to do when you’re not working? Where do you live? What other interests do you have? What are you known for among your friends? Do you have any hobbies? Pets? Perversions?
Let people know who you are as a human being, not just as an expert.
One more quick tip!
Don’t be afraid to go long and write a 500-700 word story. Some experts will tell you that your About Page should be short, but I disagree. People want to know who you are and what you’re all about before they invest their time and money with you. Don’t short change them and keep them guessing.
And if you want help writing or tweaking your About Page, leave a comment below this post. Or sign up for a free 15-minute strategy session and we can talk about the best way to power-up the overall effectiveness of your website.