The much maligned ‘About Us’ page is your company’s bio; it’s the resume that potential clients consult when deciding to hire you. It can either be a snore fest on when you became incorporated and a lengthy list of your board members, or it can be a unique opportunity to present your business as an entity with aspirations, ethics, ideologies and values. It’s the defining moment when you get to turn a curious bystander into a loyal customer.
Know your audience
You’ve done all the legwork that goes into crafting a unique selling position so you know who your audience is. When you are writing your about page, speak to that specific audience, rather than writing a general blurb that casts a wide net but misses everyone. When you know who you are talking to, you’ll have a better idea of what to say.
Value added
Share the values your company has and how they influence what you do and how you do it. Aligning your beliefs with your target audience will build trust and rapport and will dispel the illusion that you are just another faceless corporation.
Get personal
Just because the US Supreme Court says corporations are people, doesn’t make it so. You need to put yourself into the about page, speak in the first person, show your personality and include a picture of yourself and your team. Telling the story of your professional journey will help people to feel connected to your brand.
Facts as features
The function of the About Page is partly to present potential clients with the facts about your business, but don’t make them the central message. You can pepper your page with facts, but make the focus more about your brand narrative.
Offer solutions
Why should people buy your product? Showing how your product or service can help to resolve their pain points is a subtle way to encourage them to buy. Don’t make the mistake of treating your About Page as a sales pitch; this is the part where you take them out to dinner first!
Real talk
Speak from the heart, be yourself and use the kind of language you would if you were speaking to your client directly. I know the temptation is to use corporate language to sound more professional, but it comes off as disingenuous.
Your About Page is your opportunity to win hearts and minds. A person who ends up here has a genuine interest in knowing more about your company. Don’t do them the disservice of wasting their time with sales pitches or dull corporate language. Use your About Page to win them over and leave them feeling like they want to be part of the movement that your company is starting.
