Don’t Know What to Say on Your About Page? Answer This Question

I was sitting across the table from the owner of a commercial roofing company as we discussed content for the “About” page on the company’s new website.

As he peppered me with an endless barrage of marketing clichés, I kicked and punched them aside like a World Cup soccer goalie.

Denied! Denied! Denied!

Finally, I politely interrupted and asked him the question that always seems to provide me with the answers I need:

“How did you get started in this business?”

His response:

“Well, ever since we could walk, we’ve been up on a roof.”

Gooooooooooooooooal!

He was referring to his father, himself and his son, who had recently joined the company, making it a four-generation family business – a fact that made the current owner very proud.

This one sentence summed up everything he had been trying to convey in clichés. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he leaned forward in his chair.

His passion for his business began to shine through.

Instead of telling me what he thought should appear on the “About” page of his website, he started telling me a very genuine, engaging story about how his company got started, how it evolved over the years, and the values passed down through four generations.

The “About” page of your website is your opportunity to tell a truly unique story.

It’s the only place on your website where it’s okay to focus on yourself.

When you use marketing-speak, you blow that opportunity. When you share a story that’s authentic and interesting, you make your company more likeable and more credible.

Instead of being a brand name, your company is viewed as group of real people – just like your audience. Then your audience will be more likely to lower their guard and put away their BS meters.

And the rest of what you have to say – online, in print and in person – becomes more believable.

Your “About” page doesn’t absolutely have to tell the story of how you got started. But you should still have that conversation.

When you talk about how you got started, it reminds you of what truly drives you to succeed. It shines new light on the experiences that helped shape your company culture and define your brand.

If one of these experiences is more compelling and more relevant than the story about how you got started, go with it.

These experiences and values matter, especially to someone who is getting close to a decision about who they should do business with.

It’s one thing to explain who you are, what you do and the company history. It’s quite another to convince someone to do business with you instead of another company that basically does the same thing for the same price.

Your “About” page can help you make that case by providing a window into the heart and soul of your company. This can give you a clear advantage over competitors who can’t get beyond the surface.

Use your “About” page to help people get to know you. Go beyond the superficial.

The better they know you, the more they’ll trust you. The more they trust you, the more likely they’ll be to do business with you.

By the way…

Almost every time I ask a client how they got started, they don’t just tell me an interesting story that provides the foundation of their “About” page content. They usually surprise me with a quick anecdote or one-liner – like the commercial roofer did – that can be used in a blog post, on a brochure, or on another page of the website.

Why? Because they’re having fun sharing their story instead of worrying about marketing.

This is why it helps to work with a content writer who is capable of seeing the value in those little nuggets and transforming them into marketing content that people want, like, share and remember.

That’s not a self-serving plug. That’s the truth.