I spend a lot of time on the internet looking at websites and lately, I have been looking at personal finance blogs with a real keen interest. What I’ve noticed about these blog sites is I am attracted to the “ABOUT” page and then realized that this page is one of the most important pages on your website.
Your home page is the first impression. Your home page, within seconds will determine if people stay and look around or if they simply move on to the next site. It’s kind of like meeting someone for the first time. The first visual impression is important.
If they get to the about page, that means they want to learn a little more. This is the page where you have a chance to connect with them. In a face to face conversation, it’s the “What do you do for a living?” You also have seconds to make an impression. Your visitor wants to see if you can back up the impression from the home page.
So if you are still reading this, take a moment and go to your website and read your “About” page. What do you think?
Now I want you to take a look at three other financial advisors sites. Go to their “About” pages and have a read. I just finished going through 20 financial advisor sites and for the most part, they all said the same thing:
“We care about our clients”
“We listen and provide client centered solutions”
“We provide a one stop shop for our clients”
“We provide excellent service”
I could go on but I think you get the idea. Did you have the same experience? Was your “ABOUT” page the same as others? If so, how are you supposed to stand out and get noticed?
When you went though this exercise, did you read something that jumped out at you? Did it make you want to read more? If so, what made it different?
Dare to be different
After going through this exercise, you amy feel the need to change the content of your “ABOUT” page. Before you do, here are a few tips to help you develop a better ABOUT page.
Define your difference. Really think about what people call your unique selling proposition. In developing a brand, it is important to have what they call an elevator pitch. 10 seconds to say what you do and why you are different in as interesting way possible.
Tell a story. Story telling is an ancient art because stories evoke emotion. They create pictures and the best story tellers capture our attention. If you want to be different, get away from the typical dull, corporate lines. A generic “professional” bio with your degree, professional history and years of experience is all too common, flat and uninspiring. Tell a real story about you – something interesting about your personal life.
Talk in first person. Most websites are in third person. For your ABOUT page, switch it up and talk to your visit as if they were there sitting in front of you. tell them why you came into the business. Tell them why you want to help them and give them real examples of how you helped others. Write this to your ideal client.
Create a specialty. It’s OK if you do all thing and provide a one stop shop but what are you really good at? What kind of work really excites you? What are you really passionate about? When you know your passion, excitement typically shows so you should highlight this in your ABOUT page.
Use pictures. It’s all about creating lasting impressions. In the web world, that’s a matter of minutes. Creating impressions requires the use of key power words and phrases. Maybe highlight these words by bolding them (but be careful not to bold too much). Also, enhance your image with powerful photos. Get them professionally done and don’t just take the typical head shot. Try to get some other poses that show your personality.
Add a testimonial. Not only are testimonials good third party references but they are useful at breaking up text and can make the ABOUT page more visually appealing. If you don’t have a testimonial, try a quote that really captures you and your approach. If it is catchy, make it prominent. It can be a real eye catcher.
One of the hardest things to do it write about ourselves. If you fall into that camp, get others to help you out. Find a few people you trust to write down some of your strongest qualities. Ask them what makes you unique. Ask your spouse or some clients or even another peer in your industry. Invest in your ABOUT page as it is one of the most important pages in your website.
