Your “About” or “Meet the Team” page is the most important page of your website.
Read that again. THE MOST IMPORTANT PAGE IS YOUR “ABOUT” PAGE.
How could that possibly be? Surely it’s the wonderful
products and services you supply, or the amazing places that you have been, or
the cool photos you have showing you looking young and vibrant and hip? Surely?
NO!
IT’S THE “ABOUT” PAGE.
Why?
Because business is competitive and these days there are
very few truly unique offerings. But even the unique stuff is rarely unique because it looks or functions differently.
You know those amazing Kickstarter projects? Things like
amazing backpacks with a GAZILLION POCKETS THAT WILL REORGANIZE YOUR LIFE? Yes.
Those. Well, they all start with the reasons why the guys started in the first
place. They have a little story to tell.
The strong impression created is that they do not care if no
one at all buys their backpack. It’s like they just want to share their
hard-wrung solution to a very personal problem they had at some point while
travelling in eastern Europe while, actually what where they doing, spying? I
mean who needs that many gadgets anyway? I digress…
The point is, at some point, you’re hooked on their story
and if that resonates with you, they’re half way to signing you up.
So, their reason WHY, becomes YOUR reason WHY!
You buy the why, not the how and certainly not the what. It’s
a backpack for crying out loud.
Back to About pages. If you run a business and especially if
you’re in an established field, like real estate or gold mining, then I know as
well as you do that the core of your business is the same as everyone else’s.
Hard truth right there.
Your business is, essentially, on an even keel, product- or
service-wise, with your competitors' business.
I know you’re stressing now. Something in your brain is
saying, “BUT I GOT INTO BUSINESS TO CHANGE ALL THAT!”
And you’d be absolutely right. But it’s still gold bars or
suburban homes, right?
Look again at that question: “Why did you go into business?”
Forget money or income (that’s merely an outcome). Forget “being
your own boss” – that’s a platitude. And everyone works to provide for their
families – that’s universal.
What part of your life’s mission was served by going into business.
Why are you doing it? What gets you excited about going to work in the morning?
I’m not going to answer that for you, because we all have
different answers. It’s emotional.
It’s personal, and that’s the point. Our personal drives
shape our lives. Your next customer very well might choose you because your reasons
why resonate with hers or his.
How are they ever going to connect with you without knowing ABOUT
you?
Hence the ABOUT page. It really is that important.
In many ways, my ABOUT page is all about YOURS – telling that
side of you is hard, because translating the emotional side into words is hard.
But doing that is one of the things I like to do. It’s why I’m here writing
this…
