People do Business with People not Websites!
Supercharge Your “About Us” Page – Establish Credibility & Reduce Perceived Risk
By Deirdre Cavener
 In today’s economy you must stand out from your competition and let customers into the heart of your company by conveying your thoughts, culture, and environment - digitally. The best way to do this is by creating the ultimate “About Us” page.
Your “About Us” Page Establishes Your Credibility & Builds Trust
Before your prospects will do business with you they must first trust that you can solve their problem and that your company is the expert to use.
Tell YOUR Story (Paint Your Picture)
People love a good story and can remember it at a much higher rate than a list of bulleted items. A story also lets your prospects get to know you on a more personal level. If storytelling is not one of your strengths hire a professional writer; it is a worthwhile investment. Not only can your story be used online, it can be used in all of your marketing material. Make sure your story is fun, interesting, and appropriate to your target audience.
Think of every website visitor as a prospect. They are there for a reason. They have a problem and they are searching for a solution. Before they make a decision they want to know with whom they are dealing and that they are trustworthy. Your “About Us” page should answer each and every one of their questions and prove you are the expert to hire.
Components of the “About Us” Page
You have 30 seconds. Make it easy to scan, navigationally friendly, concise, and written in laymen’s terms (keep it simple salesperson). It should tell the prospect specifically what problems you solve and why hiring your company is the best solution.
“You don’t sell what it is – you sell what it does.” – Zig Ziglar
- Tag Line (USP – Unique Selling Proposition) – Unique, Specific, Short! Why should they do business with you instead of your competitors? What makes you unique?
- Federal Express - "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight."
- Dominos Pizza - "Pizza delivered in 30 minutes or it's free."
- Nyquil - "The nighttime, coughing, achy, sniffling, stuffy head, fever, so you can rest medicine."
- M&Ms - "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands."
- Meet the Team (Bios & Photo)
- Company Philosophy
- News & Media snippets and links
- Job Opportunities
- Community or social programs you support
- Testimonials – sprinkle testimonials throughout your website. People want to know what others have to say about you before they will do business with your company.
- History
- When was your businesses founded?
- Why was your business founded?
- Who founded your business?
- How can prospects and customers contact you?
- Email
- Phone
- Address
- Facebook
- Twitter
- MySpace
- Organizations you belong to and/or partner with
- Professional Organizations
- Chambers of Commerce
- Civic Organizations
- Facts
- Values & Long-Term Vision Statements
- Newsletter Sign-Up
- Contact Us
Your Website Must Be Professional
This is your first contact with a prospect, and as the adage goes, “A first impression lasts a lifetime.” Imagine if business lobbies looked like many websites; you would open the door and immediately head back out. Your website isn’t something that should be handed over to someone with little or no experience like your brother’s wife’s best friend’s cousin. That is very risky and can harm your brand forever in the eyes of a prospect.
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Are you solving their problems?
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Are you answering their questions?
- Are you removing the “fear” factor?
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Do you convey a professional digital appearance?
- Do you convey a trustworthy digital appearance?
Your website is representing your business. Make sure it’s designed in a positive, trustworthy, professional manner. You must humanize your “About Us” page and let the customer see into the heart of your company. Tell them who you are and where you come from. Remember, consumers base buying decisions on emotional factors.
People do Business with People, not Companies!
In conclusion, overcome the “fear factor” and invest in your “About Us” page today. Sharing your story and providing your prospects with a clear vision of the “inside” of your company often closes the sale or at least gets you to third base. Ignoring this page will do nothing but send prospects to your competition. This will allow each visitor to get to know you, gain trust in you, trust in your company and will turn them into customers and referrers. It will establish credibility, reduce perceived risk and put your business on the road to success while increasing your bottom line.
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