Hello, my name is….
Imagine all the About pages you’ve ever read. Give them a name and a face, and attach each one to a body. Now put them in a room and imagine you’re going to network with all of them. How many would you actually want to speak to? Which ones engage and interest you? Which ones make you desperate to find someone, ANYONE else to talk to? Now think about YOUR About page – is it chat-worthy and memorable, or dull and unengaging? If you suspect it might be the kind of person you’d hide behind a potted plant to avoid; here are 6 sure fire ways to make your About page someone worth getting to know.
Focus on your ideal end user Your About page is clearly about you, but it’s FOR your ideal client. So along with introducing yourself; use your story to demonstrate why your experience means you’re the best one to solve their problems, soothe their pain points, and ease their frustration.By framing your WHO, WHAT, and HOW (WHO you are; WHAT you do; and HOW you can help) around your ideal client’s needs; you’re demonstrating WHY you’re best placed to help them out. The lesson – Think of others before yourself
Get a little bit personal Too many About pages read like a resume. They’re dull, dry, and completely devoid of personality. THEY’RE BORING! People are reading the page because they want to know about YOU. They want reassurance you’re qualified and experienced; but they also want to know what drives you. So tell them why you started your business, what’s kept you going all this time and why you love it. The lesson – Your passion story’s incredibly powerful. It excites, engages and inspires. And it just might give you the edge over your competition.
Tell your story, your way Imagine you’re meeting your ideal client for a cup of coffee. It’s your chance to make a great first impression and encourage a longer, more detailed conversation. That’s exactly what your About page is doing. So keep it light. Use language your ideal client responds to and understands, but without being overly formal. The lesson – Be yourself – your professional self – but yourself all the same.
Be truthful Who are you more likely to trust: the person making unsupported hyperbolic statements about how great they are; or the one confidently stating their abilities; backing it up with real world examples?
- Convince people they can trust you by including:
- Educational and professional qualifications;
- An outline of your relevant experience; and
- Third party proof (short testimonials from happy past clients)
Use headings and subheadings to draw people’s attention to the important stuff, and dot points to condense the truly factual content (education etc). The lesson – Establish authority and build credibility by providing proof of your education, experience and expertise.
Be original You want to be engaging, personable and memorable; so give people a peek at your non-work self. Your profession and clients will dictate what’s appropriate but it could be as simple as telling people your cat’s name is Henry and you love baking scones in your spare time. The lesson – Don’t just focus on your ‘business self’. Include information that hints at the out of hours you as well. Last but not least – A call to action You’re telling your story because you want people to DO something – download an ebook, contact you, sign up to your newsletter. Make the next step clear and easy to follow through on, emphasising why taking that step will benefit THEM, not you. The lesson – Include a call to action with a clear benefit attached
The ultimate lesson – Your About page is worth investing in. It’s one of the most read pages on your site, and allows you to sell yourself in a way the other pages don’t. So take advantage of it! Take the time to get it right: experiment with different formats and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Your business; and your clients will thank you for it!
