Most people think of an About page as a sales pitch or a biography. You About page is the most important "story" webpage you will ever need for your site. Your About page should do two major things: build trust and tell a compelling story.
By following these 3 simple steps you will be able to craft a story that will show how you are meant to be doing the work you are doing now. Being authentic in your marketing allows people to trust you and when they trust you, they buy from you.
So how do you go about establishing this trust through your About page?
Step 1: Think about your brand. Your brand is what people will come to associate you with. In this way, your story needs to be strategically told to reinforce this concept. It must be clear to you. If it isn't clear to you, it won't be clear to your target audience.
Ideally, you want your prospects to come to your About page, read your story and then think, "Wow, I want to hire this person. S/he speaks my language. S/he really gets me. She really knows what I need. I'd better check out her/his products and services page."
Questions to Ask:
•How do you want your target market to see you? Are you for example, a writer, healer, or speaker? A communication expert or a personal trainer?
•What special services and informational products do you offer your target market?
Step 2: Choose the one defining moment that will build trust AND reinforce the story of why you are doing the work you are doing now.
A defining moment is by nature transformational because it illustrates a personal journey of change. You'll want to show how your defining moments position you to do the work you are doing now. This establishes credibility and is the first thing your prospect wants to know right away. How are you qualified to do the work you are doing now? Your peeps are not interested in how many degrees or certifications you acquired. They want to know your story.
One woman shared her journey as a jazz performer at some of the best small music venues across the United States, but her clients only knew her as a clinical psychologist. After a session of listening to her story, I encouraged her to share the journey online about how she became a clinical psychologist. Her clients really appreciated this added "human" layer to her story, but it also helped them understand how being a jazz musician also led her to do the clinical work she's doing now.
Step 3: Connect your reader with your defining moment. This is perhaps the juiciest step that will create the most impact. Spend a few sentences describing what that transformational moment felt like. Paint a picture for your prospects. Appeal to their senses. Translate what you have seen and felt for your prospects - they have never been in your shoes, so this is your opportunity to tell a story! The more authentic your story, the better your chances of establishing that "know-like-trust" connection.
Here's an exercise for you.
Take some time to explore your defining moments and write them down. How do they show how you are uniquely positioned to do the work you are doing now? Explain them.
So there you have it - 3 steps to help you tell your compelling brand story for your site to help your peeps connect with the real you. The real you is what will help cement an authentic connection, which leads to that know, like and trust factor.